WonderCon 2026: Full Schedule

2:00pm PDT

Friday March 27, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

From first crushes and friendships to family, culture, and finding your voice, moderator Grace Sheehy (senior librarian of library resources at Mission Viejo Public Library) speaks with authors James Burks (Box Tales: Super Terrific Showtime!), Joshua Pruett (Phineas and Ferb: A-MAZE-Ing Creature Double Feature), Richard Ashley Hamilton (Leo Da Vinci: Renaissance Kid), and Michael Grover (Jake Spooky and the Wolves Within Him) as they explore how they craft powerful coming-of-age stories centering on identity, change, and self-discovery, ultimately helping young readers navigate their own journeys.

Friday March 27, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Room 209

1: Programs, Art and Illustration, Books, Comics, Education, Kids, Writers & Writing

2:00pm PDT

Helping Dragons Fly: Real Science in Animation

Friday March 27, 2026 2:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Room 207

Dragons may not be real, but they can still look realistic with help from scientific advisors. The filmmakers of How to Train Your Dragon consulted paleontologist Stuart Sumida, who will share how his knowledge of fossil and living animals helped DreamWorks animators, including Dane Stogner, design different species of dragon and their behavior. Human anatomy professor Elizabeth Rega, who has consulted on other animated projects, including The Lion King and World of Warcraft, will also share her insights about human diversity and motion in animation. Moderated by science writer Melissa T. Miller and presented as part of the Science on Screen movie series, this event includes a screening of the 2010 animated film, followed by this panel discussion starting around 4:00.

Friday March 27, 2026 2:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 207

1: Programs, Animation, Education, Kids, Movies, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Technology - Science - STEM

5:30pm PDT

JAKKS Pacific and Disguise Costumes: Exclusive First Look at Upcoming Releases

Friday March 27, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT

Room 213AB

This panel offers a preview of new figures and collectibles based on Nintendo, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Simpsons, and more. Disguise Costumes also unveils a lineup of costumes scheduled to hit stores this year. After the reveals, the session features a Q&A and a trivia challenge that gives attendees a chance to win special prizes. Panelists include Danielle McLachlan, Kevin Feely, Jeremy Sueper, Amritz Lay, Alex Tello, Jennifer Gracia, Maddie Gerety, and Chelsea Tenney.

Friday March 27, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
Room 213AB

1: Programs, Action Figures - Toys - Collectibles, Comics, Cosplay, Costuming, Kids, Movies, Superheroes, Video Games

6:15pm PDT

Toonstock 17: We're Singing Again . . . with the Dynamic Music Partners!

Friday March 27, 2026 6:15pm - 7:15pm PDT

North 100B

Toonstock returns for a 17th entertaining panel, featuring the celebrated creative composers of copious cartoon music, the Emmy Award–winning Dynamic Music Partners. Perk up your ears for an hour of animated musical fun discussing the likes of Justice League, Teen Titans, Batman Beyond, The Zeta Project, The New Batman Superman Adventures, Marvel's Avengers Assemble, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and more with DMP's terrific trio—Kristopher Carter, Lolita Ritmanis, and Michael McCuistion—alongside The Archive Guys Podcast hosts Matthew Patterson and DW Ferranti, and moderator Gary Miereanu. Prepare to raise your own voice during the beloved Batman: The Brave and the Bold sing-along to the landmark "Mayhem of the Music Meister" episode.

Friday March 27, 2026 6:15pm - 7:15pm PDT
North 100B

1: Programs, Action/Adventure, Animation, Anime & Manga, Comics, Historical, Kids, Movies, Music, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Superheroes, Television

8:30pm PDT

Draw Me Like One of Your Disney Girls

Friday March 27, 2026 8:30pm - 9:30pm PDT

Room 210

See figure models Lucy Smith (director of SoCal-based figure drawing series Library After Dark Presents) and Kia Watson pose live for Lisa Dosson (storyboard artist for Disney TVA, Sesame Workshop, and Dan Harmon's Krapopolis), Orpheus Collar (storyboard artist for Disney's Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus), and Jose Pimienta (comic book artist and story artist for Disney and Random House). Artists and models will discuss their unique perspectives on working in the animation industry. Attendees can pose and take home a sketch or two. Moderated by Lucy Smith.

Friday March 27, 2026 8:30pm - 9:30pm PDT
Room 210

1: Programs, Animation, Art and Illustration, Comics, Education, Kids, LGBTQIA+, Seminars & Workshops

11:30am PDT

Focus on Jim Cummings

Saturday March 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT

North 200A

This intimate conversation with Jim Cummings explores his 40-plus-year career giving voice to a diverse array of landmark animated characters, including Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Darkwing Duck, and Star Wars' Hondo Ohnaka, as well as providing the singing voice of Scar in The Lion King. A two-time Annie Award winner and recipient of the prestigious Winsor McCay Award, Cummings is joined by moderator Chris Judge, producer of the incredibly popular Toon'd In! with Jim Cummings podcast.

Saturday March 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
North 200A

1: Programs, Animation, Anime & Manga, Anniversaries, Fandom, Historical, Kids, Movies, Superheroes, Television

12:45pm PDT

Tiny Chef Cooks Up Some Surprises

Saturday March 28, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT

North 200A

The creators of The Tiny Chef Show take you on a 45-minute journey through the handmade, frame-by-frame process that brings Tiny Chef's miniature world to life. Fresh from Chef's inauguration as the new Mayor of Pioneertown, CA, co-creators Rachel Larsen, Ozi Akturk, and Jason Kolowski, alongside actor Matt Hutchinson, the voice of Tiny Chef—and maybe a surprise guest or two—discuss how small ideas turn into big adventures. Plus, the team will share a few hints about what's coming next, answer your biggest questions, and send you home with an exclusive Tiny Chef x WonderCon mini-poster! Apprentice chef Gary Miereanu will moderate the feastivities.

Saturday March 28, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm PDT
North 200A

1: Programs, Animation, Education, Fandom, Humor & Satire, Kids, LGBTQIA+, Television, Web

3:00pm PDT

Iyanu Returns: An Exclusive Look at Season 2

Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Room 207

The Iyanu creative team presents a first look at season 2 of the award-winning animated series Iyanu on Cartoon Network and HBO Max, featuring never-before-seen footage and new reveals. The panel also offers a sneak peek at the next Iyanu movie coming this summer as Iyanu and Team Chosen confront Queen Adura of the People of the Deep. Panelists Brandon Easton, Kerri Grant, Vincent Edwards, and Ivory Floyd discuss the series and film with moderator Karama Horne.

Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 207

1: Programs, Animation, Anime & Manga, BIPOC, Humor & Satire, Kids, Television

3:00pm PDT

LGBTQ-Inclusive Storytelling for Young People

Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Room 211

Comics, graphic novels, and YA books are universal mediums that have grown consistently in their support of LGBTQ-inclusive stories and characters for young readers. These trailblazing successes have created new opportunities for LGBTQ+ creators. Join Prism Comics, panel moderator Cort Lane (My Little Pony, GLAAD Kids & Family Advisory Council), and a group of queer publishing storytellers as they discuss their projects and answer questions, including: How did new LGBTQ+ creators find their voice and get their start? How do they approach LGBTQ content and characters for tweens, teens, and young readers? What's the best advice they've received along their journey? How do they stay hopeful in a challenging landscape and challenging times? Creators include Tilly Bridges and Susan Bridges (Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming; Monster High), Julie Fiveash (The Froggy Library), Jose Pimienta (Luminous Beings, Halfway to Somewhere), Jasmine Walls (Brooms, The Last Session, Vol. 1: Roll for Initiative), and Shannon Watters (Lumberjanes, Hollow).

Saturday March 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 211

1: Programs, Animation, BIPOC, Books, Cartooning and Comic Strips, Comics, Kids, LGBTQIA+, Superheroes

4:00pm PDT

Family Is Community: Middle-Grade Graphic Novels

Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Room 211

Moderator Erinn Pascal (author stewardship manager at PJ Library) and creators Gabriel Valentin (Digital Lizards of Doom Volume 5), Julie Fiveash (The Froggy Library), and Scott Peterson (Phineas and Ferb: A-MAZE-Ing Creature Double Feature) explore how relationships—at home, at school, and beyond—shape their characters and highlight that stories grounded in connection and belonging help middle-grade readers grow.

Saturday March 28, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Room 211

1: Programs, Art and Illustration, Books, Cartooning and Comic Strips, Comics, Education, Kids, Writers & Writing

4:30pm PDT

Discovering Our Unique Superpowers: A Creative Workshop for Families

Saturday March 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT

Room 210

What superpowers of the body, mind, or heart do you have? This family-friendly interactive workshop is led by Angel Halo Chang, a former preschool teacher and children's book author-illustrator who is passionate about creating diverse and inclusive spaces for all children and families. Pencils and paper provided. Coloring pencils and crayons are encouraged, not required.

Saturday March 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
Room 210

1: Programs, BIPOC, Education, Kids, Seminars & Workshops

4:30pm PDT

Science of Disneyland

Saturday March 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT

Room 208

Disneyland is just down the road, so this panel takes a virtual field trip to explore the parks from a different point of view. Topics will include physics, the psychology of play and Disney adults, the history of witches and magic, and the role of technology and automation in the happiest place on Earth. Panelists include astrophysicist Lisa Will, historian Beth Pollard, psychologist Drea Letamendi, art historian Roland Betancourt (author, Disneyland and the Rise of Automation: How Technology Created the Happiest Place on Earth), paleontologist Stuart Sumida (advisor, Matterhorn animations and co-author, Disneyland Rocks! The Geology of Disneyland and California Adventure), and biologist Elizabeth Rega (consultant, Hall of Presidents). Moderated by science writer Melissa T. Miller. All are Disney fans eager to help attendees experience Disneyland from a whole new angle.

Saturday March 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
Room 208

1: Programs, Fandom, Kids, Technology - Science - STEM

5:00pm PDT

Avengers Assemble! Suiting Up and Serving Others with Marvel Causeplay

Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT

Room 300E

Marvel fans! Are you interested in cosplay but not sure where to begin? Or have you suited up before and want to learn how to use your fandom for a good cause? Members of the Avengers Initiative, a national fan organization of Marvel cosplay volunteers, fill you in on how to get started in cosplay and how to give back to communities via charity service events, visiting kids in hospitals, and more. The panel also explores how cosplay can be used to inspire and support others. Bryan Lee (head executive officer, Avengers Initiative) hosts Karen Katich (head membership officer, Avengers Initiative), Ron Alix (volunteer member, West Coast Avengers of California), Tom Iwata (membership officer, West Coast Avengers of California), Kate Tidwell (executive officer, West Coast Avengers of California), Coby Thornton (executive officer, Avengers Mid-Pacific of Hawaii), and Victor C. Joe, M.D., MBA, FACS (UCI Health Regional Burn Center).

Saturday March 28, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Room 300E

1: Programs, Cosplay, Costuming, Education, Fandom, Kids, Superheroes

5:30pm PDT

From Weird Jobs to TV Writing Jobs

Saturday March 28, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT

Room 300C

Do all screenwriters get their first writing job right out of college or as soon as they move to Los Angeles? Usually, no. Not only that, many screenwriters have worked some of the oddest jobs imaginable. TV writers Patrick Rieger (Batwheels, Frog and Toad), Mark Fujita (Hello Kitty Supercute Adventures, WWE NXT), and Alyssa Stratton (Firebuds, Batwheels) chat about that one weird job they had before they got that first writing credit and how those odd jobs affect their careers today. Moderated by Alyssa Feller (Universal Basic Guys, Frog and Toad).

Saturday March 28, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
Room 300C

1: Programs, Animation, Education, Kids, Podcasts, Seminars & Workshops, Television, Writers & Writing

8:00pm PDT

Turn Your Hobby into a Career: The Art of Toy Photography

Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT

Room 303AB

Raymond Montemayor (founder, PixelPlex; stop-motion animator at Star Wars Toy Stories), Jax Navarro (owner and founder, Plastic Action), Isaiah Takahashi (artist and toy photographer, BLKSRS), and Jason Yang (toy photographer, Work More Or Less; creative director, Invisible Element) discuss toy photography through breakdowns delving into the equipment and techniques involved in the art, as well as their journeys elevating their hobbies to a professional level. Susan Damon (marketing director, Elhoffer Design) moderates and closes with an audience Q&A.

Saturday March 28, 2026 8:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Room 303AB

1: Programs, Action Figures - Toys - Collectibles, Art and Illustration, Cartooning and Comic Strips, Education, Fandom, Kids, Superheroes

8:30pm PDT

The WonderCon 2026 Masquerade

Saturday March 28, 2026 8:30pm - 11:00pm PDT

North 200A

The annual onstage costume competition celebrates the amazing cosplay creativity and talents of WonderCon attendees. This is not a dance or party, but a series of onstage presentations of fan-crafted costumes, with trophies, generous cash prizes, and other awards, judged by professional costume designers. The show emcee is Ashley Eckstein, founder of the Her Universe fashion and lifestyle brand and the voice of Ahsoka Tano for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: Forces of Destiny, and more. There is also special entertainment during the judging break, with a new performance by the talented Corps Dance Crew and a big new Star Wars–inspired show by the Lucasfilm-approved Saber Guild lightsaber group. Doors open at 8:00 for audience seating, but the line for choice seating always starts to form earlier. No flash photography, please.

Saturday March 28, 2026 8:30pm - 11:00pm PDT
North 200A

1: Programs, Anime & Manga, Comics, Cosplay, Costuming, Historical, Horror and Suspense, Kids, Movies, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Superheroes, Television, Video Games

12:00pm PDT

Comics as Counter-Narratives: Teaching the History They Tried to Erase

Sunday March 29, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Room 303AB

Barbra Dillon (Fanbase Press), John Jennings (Eisner Award–winning creator and NAACP Image Award winner), Tara Madison Avery (Stacked Deck Press), Shane Hawk (Bram Stoker Award nominee), Samuel C. Spitale (How to Win the War on Truth), Justin Tracy (Little Brainstorm), and moderator Lorran Garrison (school psychologist and educator) discuss how comics and graphic novels challenge dominant histories and amplify overlooked voices. They will explore how visual storytelling supports counter-narratives, critical thinking, empathy, and student storytelling in classrooms and communities.

Sunday March 29, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 303AB

1: Programs, Art and Illustration, BIPOC, Books, Cartooning and Comic Strips, Comics, Education, Fandom, Historical, Horror and Suspense, Humor & Satire, Kids, LGBTQIA+, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Seminars & Workshops, Superheroes, Tributes, Writers & Writing

12:00pm PDT

Nerdy Arts and Crafts for All Ages 20 to 80 and Beyond

Sunday March 29, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Room 213CD

Arts, crafts, and cosplay are fun for all ages. Sarah Scheidegger (artist/cosplayer), Amber Frakes (seamstress/cosplayer), and Summer Pull (crafter/cosplayer) participate in a discussion with Q&A moderated by Phil Acosta (cosplayer), answering questions about painting, sewing, crafting with reclaimed items, among other topics.

Sunday March 29, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 213CD

1: Programs, Cosplay, Kids

12:00pm PDT

Panels, Prose, and Personality in Graphic Novels

Sunday March 29, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Room 209

From visual storytelling choices to character-driven voice, moderator Ashley Ferguson (My Girlfriend the Witch) speaks with fellow authors Dora Wang (Pocket Peaches: Game On), Eugene Yelchin (I Wish I Didn't Have to Tell You This: A Graphic Memoir), Joey Spiotto (Max, a Little Axolotl), and Raúl the Third (Tough Times) as they break down the craft behind the page, revealing how their experiences and personalities create immersive worlds, emotional impact, and unforgettable reading experiences.

Sunday March 29, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Room 209

1: Programs, Art and Illustration, Books, Cartooning and Comic Strips, Comics, Education, Kids, Writers & Writing

1:30pm PDT

Breathe Life into Your Toys: The Art of Stop-Motion Animation

Sunday March 29, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT

Room 213AB

Raymond Montemayor (founder, PixelPlex; stop-motion animator, Star Wars Toy Stories), Jax Navarro (owner and founder, Plastic Action), and Jacob McCann (stop-motion animator, mccannimation) discuss bringing toys to life through stop-motion animation by breaking down shots and delving into the equipment and techniques involved in the art. They will also share their journeys, elevating their hobbies to a professional level. Jamie Costa (actor/writer/producer, Half-In Productions) will moderate and close with an audience Q&A.

Sunday March 29, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
Room 213AB

1: Programs, Action Figures - Toys - Collectibles, Animation, Art and Illustration, Education, Fandom, Kids, Superheroes

3:00pm PDT

Let's Make a Board Game!

Sunday March 29, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

North 153

Creating your own board game is not only fun, it's also educational. Attendees learn about game systems and the iterative process, teamwork, time and resource management, research, critical analysis, and even science, history, math, and language development. This workshop takes participants through the rapid prototyping process for a board game, and by the end, they'll have the basics of their own board game. Led by Aaron Vanek, who has been teaching analog game design to middle-school students for ten years.

Sunday March 29, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
North 153

D: d4 Tabletop Creative Conference, Games, Tabletop Games, Education, Kids, Seminars & Workshops | 1: Programs, Games, Tabletop Games, Education, Kids, Seminars & Workshops

WonderCon 2026

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