TICKETS
Tickets are $20 for a one day pass and $40 for a 3-day pass and will be available online as of August 1, 2003.

GUESTS
George Pérez (Guest of Honor), Jim Lee, Joe Quesada, Marc Silvestri, Kurt Busiek, Talent Caldwell, Paul Dini, Paul Jenkins, Michael Lark, Darick Robertson, Peter Steigerwald, Mike Turner, Skottie Young

Cover scan by Tom Smith, photograph from Comics Continuum.

Convention program book cover by George Pérez and Tom Smith:

WIZARD WORLD TEXAS CONVENTION PROGRAM 2003 (Nov 2003)

WIZARD WORLD TEXAS
by David Hopkins

(excerpt)

DAVID HOPKINS and GEORGE PEREZ at WIZARD WORLD TEXAS 2003 (21-23 Nov 2003)

I volunteered at the Actor booth for the entire weekend. Comic book veteran George Perez came by frequently to hang out.

K -pow!
Posted on Fri, Nov. 21, 2003

Wizard World Texas brings out superstars of the comic-book world By John Austin

(excerpt)

"These events are like live versions of what we do in the magazine every month," said (Gareb) Shamus, who publishes Wizard: The Comics Magazine. "It's a big club; everybody's invited."

That includes Perez, who says he's delighted at the opportunity to meet fans.

Perez was a poor kid from a Puerto Rican family. His folks encouraged him to read comics to improve his English.

"I would read as much as I could on my allowance," he says. He then began creating his own artwork. "To be living a child's dream is still a wonder to me."

Now, original Perez works can fetch up to $10,000 each. Fans won't have to spend that kind of money to get figurines representing their comic heroes at Wizard World Texas, but merchandisers will provide plenty of opportunities.

11-24-03: COURT JESTER TAKES OVER TEXAS!!!!

WIZARD WORLD Texas 2003 - Comic Book Convention

SATURDAY November 22nd, 2003

DC, MARVEL, TOP COW @ WIZARD WORLD TEXAS 2003
Nov 23rd, 2003 12:53 pm
posted by Eric J. Moreels

(excerpt)

The inaugural Wizard World Texas convention is well underway this weekend in Arlington, Texas, and live from the con floor Patrick James and Omar A. Safi have provided ComiX-Fan with a wrap-up of news from the first two days.

At the DC Comics panel on Day 1, the publisher revealed a host of news and information as follows:

TITANS: GAMES GN (Dec 2004)

Writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez will complete their New Teen Titans original graphic novel from 1987, Games. Pérez originally completed 73 pages of the project before it was put on hold due to the artist's increasingly busy schedule. Now, the OGN will include a new framing sequence set in current continuity that will lead into the flashback tale. Look for the hardcover in late 2004 or early 2005.

On Day 2, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada held his regular Cup O' Joe panel in which he discussed several topics.

AVENGERS/ JLA #4 (Jan 2004)

JLA/Avengers artist George Pérez announced that issue #4 will be delayed due to stress injury he incurred from the three weeks he worked on the cover to issue #3. Pérez said that the delay should only be about three weeks, and the issue should be out by mid-January. Pérez also stressed that JLA/Avengers has no continuity connections to the previous Marvel Comics Versus DC mini-series'.

WIZARD WORLD TEXAS: 'JLA/AVENGERS' DYNAMIC DUO KURT BUSIEK AND GEORGE PEREZ
by David Michael Wharton, Contributing Writer
Posted: November 25, 2003

(excerpt)

JLA/ AVENGERS (Sep 2003) AVENGERS/ JLA #2 (Oct 2003) JLA/ AVENGERS #3 (Nov 2003) AVENGERS/ JLA #4 (Jan 2004)

During the "JLA/Avengers" Q+A at Wizard World Texas this weekend, writer Kurt Busiek jokingly referred to himself and legendary artist George Perez as "the sickliest team in comics." That's not far from the truth: Busiek is still recovering from a much-publicized case of mercury poisoning, and Perez spent the weekend sporting a wrist brace for his tendonitis. Nevertheless, their respective ailments don't seem to have slowed them down any. Both Busiek and Perez did multiple signings, and Perez turned up Friday and Saturday mornings to sign autographs for the fans queued up around the outside of the convention center. Saturday afternoon, the dynamic duo got together to talk about their twenty-years-in-the-making "JLA/Avengers" collaboration and about the lessons of craft they've learned over the years.

Things kicked off when Busiek was asked if he regretted Mark Waid having to drop out of the project. "Hell no, I get all the money! I tend to think that if me and George are working to put our ideas onto the page, it will be stronger than if it were me and George and Mark. The vision is purer that way."

Pure visions aside, both creators admitted to some good-natured butting of heads while working on the project. "The Captain American versus Batman fight was one of the few fights that actually had some kind of resolution in the original 'JLA/Avengers,' back in the eighties," said Perez. "But the challenge was, how do you draw a subtle feint? The script says, 'They barely move.' Oh, great! That's why, in the issue before, I had Thor conjure up rain, so that I could show movement. I call it my 'Lethal Weapon' sequence."

[ Read more WIZARD WORLD TEXAS: 'JLA/AVENGERS' DYNAMIC DUO KURT BUSIEK AND GEORGE PEREZ ]

BUSIEK & PEREZ WIZ TX PANEL
posted 11-25-2003 05:13 PM
BY BRAD WALKER, PULSE CONTRIBUTOR

(excerpt)

GEORGE PEREZ (22 Nov 2003), at WIZARDWORLD TEXAS 2003. Photograph by Brad Walker, from Pulse

On Saturday, George Perez and Kurt Busiek teamed up again in Texas for a panel. The two fielded questions from the audience about Avengers/JLA, inspirations, pet peeves, and more.

After greeting the fans and discussing a few things, the attendants were able to ask Perez and Busiek questions on anything and everything. Here’s a portion of the transcript of the Q and A session.

QUESTION: Were there any Avengers stories that you didn't get to do that you wanted to do together?
KURT BUSIEK: Any time George is available to do a project, I'll make myself available. [applause]

GEORGE PEREZ: Marv Wolfman, when we worked together on Titans, set the bar very high on collaboration. Working with Kurt was very much like working with Marv on Titans.

BUSIEK: Bouncing off each others' ideas is what makes collaboration rich. If you agree on everything right from the start, well, where's the interaction, where's the fun, you don't find anything new outta that.

[ Read more BUSIEK & PEREZ WIZ TX PANEL ]

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL
Saturday, November 22
written by Michael Dolce

(excerpt)

The morning began with tremendous crowds lining the hallways and even spilling out onto the streets of the Arlington Convention Center, waiting to be the first ones in. Guest of Honor George Perez even helped crowd control, signing autographs up and down the line for everyone waiting. Upon entering the convention floor the crowds were noticably impressed with all the signings and events lined up including the Jim Lee signing at the DC booth, Marc Silvestri and Paul Jenkins at the Top Cow booth and Joe Quesada at the ACTOR booth. But the most overwhelming buzz was over two of Hollywood's most notable directors - Guillermo Del Toro, the director of Blade and the upcoming Hellboy movie, and Kevin Smith director of such fan-fave flicks such as Clerks and Mallrats along with his cohort Jason mewes (Jay and Bob Strikes Back ) - and their Q&A panels being held later in the day.

WIZARD WORLD TEXAS: DC COMICS PANEL
Saturday, November 22, 2003

(excerpt)

AVENGERS/ JLA #4 (Jan 2004) TITANS: GAMES GN (Dec 2004)

JUSTICE LEAGUE

* JLA/Avengers artist George Perez, who has a hand injury, said that the fourth and final issue won't be out in time to meet its originally solicited Dec. 31 release.

"It'll probably be out two or three weeks after that," Perez said. "Do not blame Marvel or DC or Kurt (Busiek, the writer) or anybody else. Blame me. I am the sole person to blame."

TEEN TITANS

George Perez reunites with Marv Wolfman to complete The New Teen Titans graphic novel Games, begun in 1989.

...

Perez said that the final graphic novel will be about 160 pages.

WOLFMAN, PEREZ, AND THE TITANS: GAMES
11-21-2003 07:20 PM
posted by MattBrady

(excerpt)

TITANS: GAMES GN (Dec 2004) NEW TITANS #50 (Dec 1988) NEW TITANS #51 (Dec 1989) NEW TITANS #52 (Jan 1989) NEW TITANS #53 (Feb 1989) NEW TITANS #54 (Mar 1989)

As announced at today’s WizardWorld Texas DCU panel, 2004 will see the release of Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s long (and we mean long) awaited Titans graphic novel, Games. Newsarama caught up with Perez, Wolfman, and even a surprised Mike Lovitz to get the story of this legacy project and see some art.

First, a little history on the graphic novel. The setting for Games is just after the “deluxe” or “baxter” series changes its name from The New Teen Titans to The New Titans, circa 1988. “The Judas Contact” was a memory, Dick Grayson had become Nightwing, the Wildebeast was around, Perez had left the series, and had just come back with issue #50, the “Who is Wonder Girl?” four-part arc.

Actually – there’s a funny story about that arc. As it turns out, Games is the second Titans graphic novel.

“The irony of all of this is that the ‘original’ Titans graphic novel was going to be the ‘Who is Wonder Girl?’ story that ended up being issues #50 to #54 of The New Titans when I came back to the book,” Perez said. “Marv and I had already started that as a graphic novel, but when I came back, we decided that we could put the story into continuity, and get it out of the way. But that was the original graphic novel, so when that was printed, we had to start fresh with a whole new story, and that became Games - so, if you want to get technical about it, this is my second Titans graphic novel.”

So – on to Games.

It was originally started sometime between 1986 and 1989, when Wolfman was in New York visiting the then Titans editor Barbara Kesel. “Barb and I were going to meet at George's house in Jamaica, Queens to discuss doing the first Titans graphic novel,” Wolfman recalled. “When I got there I told them the rough basics of what I thought might make a good story, and then we sat down and plotted out the novel. George fleshed it all out and went to work drawing what I thought was some of absolute best Titans material he had ever done.”

WIZARDWORLD TEXAS' DC PANEL
11-21-2003 06:59 PM by MattBrady At today’s DC panel at WizardWorld Texas, the publisher showed up with a slate full of announcements – some cementing previously hinted at projects, and some coming out of the blue. Newsarama’s got ya covered for a quick run down of what’s coming, and what will raise eyebrows.

(excerpt)

Completing George Perez’s duo of flashback projects, DC will publish his and Marv Wolfman’s New Teen Titans Graphic Novel which originally began production in 1988. Perez had over 70 of the pages draw before the plug was pulled, and the final page count of the GN should run in the 120 page range.

Set in the era of the “classic” Wolfman/Perez Titans, the OGN will include a new framing sequence by Wolfman and Perez that will allow the story to stand in current continuity.

RETURN OF THE TITANS
Friday, November 21
written by RICHARD HO

Perez and Wolfman reunite to finish 17-year-old Titans project

(excerpt)

The Teen Titans story 17 years in the making finally heads to a comic book shop near you. The classic New Teen Titans creative team of Marv Wolfman and George Perez have reteamed to finish their original graphic novel Teen Titans: Games as announced moments ago at Wizardworld Texas.

Originally started back in 1987, DC plans to release the long-awaited story as a hardcover in late 2004 or early 2005. With 73 pages already completed by Perez, Teen Titans: Games was put on hold due to Perez's busy schedule, and nearly two decades passed by before it was finally revived in late 2003. With the current Geoff Johns/Mike McKone series selling like crazy and a popular Cartoon Network animated series to boot, the time was ripe for Games to finally see the light of day. "For the past fifteen years I've tried to push every Titans editor to revive the project," revealed Wolfman."At the time we worked it out with then editor Barbara Kesel, both George and I felt it may have been the best Titans story we'd ever come up with. And George had done over 70 of the absolute best Titans pages he'd ever drawn, and I thought it a crime not to publish them. But DC never wanted to unless George finished them himself."

DC WIZ TEXAS NEWS '03
posted 11-21-2003 02:03 PM
BY JENNIFER M. CONTINO

For those of you not deep in the heart of Texas, no worries. We have information on all the projects from DC COMICS. At their panel, the publisher revealed some big plans involving some of comics top creators. Chuck Dixon is going to be writing for the imprint again on a Richard Dragon series with Scott McDaniel. The much anticipated sixteen year old New Teen Titans graphic novel that was half complete by Marv Wolfman and George Perez is finally going to be released. Plus DC talked about its Focus line, new First Appearance action figures, and several new series, including the return of Wetworks.

...

When people learned that the George Perez/Marv Wolfman New Teen Titans graphic novel from 1987 was not going to be completed due to Perez suffering a creative block, some Titans fans were crushed. Off and on through the years, Wolfman and Perez would mention the unfinished project, never going into too many details, but always with the sentiment hoping it would be finished someday. That day appears to be December 2004. The graphic novel features the original New Teen Titans team as well as Jericho and Danny Chase.

MORE DC TEXAS NEWS '03
posted 11-21-2003 03:53 PM
BY CHRIS MEDELLIN, PULSE CONTRIBUTOR

George Perez, Dan Di Dio, Kurt Busiek, Paul Dini, Jim Lee, Tom Raney, Mike Turner, Talent Caldwell, were guests on a Bob Wayne moderated panel today at Wizard World Texas. Along with the other DC News PULSE is already reporting, several other projects were mentioned, including a SANDMAN related one, and further details about some of the properties already reported upon were released. Michael Turner, Carlos Pacheco, Frank Miller, Joe Kelly, and several others are all knee deep in DC projects.

ON the New Teen Titans graphic novel, artist George Perez commented, “This is a story fifteen years in the making.” He told attendants that one collector had all the pages he’d drawn so far, but that he gave them to Perez for use in this project. The graphic novel was drawn well before the World Trade Center collapsed, but DC decided not to have the pages that feature the WTC redrawn. DC is considering this to be an “untold tale.” As reported the GN features Troia, Starfire, Changeling, Cyborg, Danny Chase, Raven, Nightwing, and Jericho.

....

Perez also commented on the reason JLA/Avengers was late was due to a hand injury.

WIZARD TEXAS 2003 COVER (2003), art by Pérez, colors by Tom Smith

Perez /Smith Wizard World Texas Avengers/JLA cover Posted by Tom Smith on Friday, November 21 2003 at 04:46:50 GMT Hi guys.. For those of you not attending the con here is a sneak peek of the cover George and I did for the program book cover. For anyone attending .. please grab me a copy and send it to me and I'll send you back a special A/JLA surprise item in return. Tanks.. Tom Smith "A/JLA CAL!"

TITANS: GAMES GN (2004)

Marv Wolfman is excited about his new upcoming project, according to TODAY'S VIEWS (11/18/03). Although he did not name what it was, he did mention that the project will be announced at WIZARDWORLD TEXAS 2003. We all know what it is, but please act surprise.

SATURDAY PROGRAMMING

WIZARD THEATRE
12:30 PM-1:30 P.M.
JLA/AVENGERS: 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING
Writer Kurt Busiek and artist par excellance George Perez take you behind the scenes of the most awaited comics event since...well, ever!

ON THE FLOOR SIGNINGS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
3:00-5:00 p.m Guest-of-Honor George Perez and Kurt Busiek signing in the lobby

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22
3:00-5:00 p.m. Guest-of-Honor George Perez and Kurt Busiek will be signing at the Lobby Signing Area

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23
2:30-4:30 p.m Guest-of-Honor George Perez and Kurt Busiek will be signing in the Signing Room

*All guests, times, events and locations subject to change

DC COMICS HEADS WEST FOR WIZARD WORLD TEXAS
posted 10/28/2003 11:40 pm by Eric J. Moreels

(excerpt)

From November 21 through 23, members of the DC Comics staff and freelance community will be in Arlington, TX, for Wizard World Texas.

DC freelancers scheduled to be at the convention include:

Kurt Busiek (JLA/AVENGERS, ARROWSMITH, ASTRO CITY, SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY)

Talent Caldwell (SUPERMAN)

Paul Dini (JLA: LIBERTY AND JUSTICE)

Ford Lytle Gilmore (THUNDERCATS)

J.G. Jones (WONDER WOMAN covers)

Michael Lark (BATMAN: GOTHAM CENTRAL)

Jim Lee (BATMAN, SUPERMAN)

George Pérez (JLA/AVENGERS)

Tom Raney (OUTSIDERS)

Michael Turner (SUPERMAN/BATMAN)

Dexter Vines (SUPERMAN/BATMAN)

JOIN THE PARTY AT WIZARD WORLD TEXAS!
Friday, September 26

Test your comic trivia and win a free pass to Wizard World Texas and more!

Think you know a lot about comic trivia? Now is your chance to prove it to us! Take our comic trivia quiz for a chance to win a 3-day pass to the biggest pop culture event to hit the Lone Star state, Wizard World Texas – Nov. 21-23 at the Arlington Convention Center.

Ten lucky winners will receive a prize pack containing: a 3-day ticket to Wizard World Texas ’03 and an official Wizard World Texas convention T-shirt.

Just click on the image of this year's Guest of Honor George Perez above to take the quiz! (Deadline to enter is Oct. 31, 2003.)

WIZARDWORLD TEXAS 2003
November 21-23rd, 2003

GUESTS

Guest of Honor: George Perez

Comic Creators
Kurt Busiek (JLA/Avengers, Arrowsmith, Astro City writer)
Talent Caldwell (Fathom artist)
Paul Dini ("Batman Animated" creator)
Paul Jenkins (Darkness, Spectacular Spider-Man writer)
Michael Lark (Batman: Gotham Central artist)
Jim Lee (Batman, Superman artist)
Joe Quesada (Marvel Editor In Chief)
Darick Robertson (Born and Wolverine artist)
Marc Silvestri (Top Cow founder)
Peter Steigerwald (Fathom, Ekos, Soulfire colorist)
Mike Turner (Fathom writer/artist)
Skottie Young (Human Torch artist)
...and more to be announced!

WIZARD ZERØ #0

I received the new Wizard in the mail just before going to work. It only shows two new JLA/Avengers panels if I remember right. One where you see the inside of Jo'nn Jon'zz mind. He's thinking of past JLA members, so you see head drawings of them in his mind.

Then the other panel I think only shows half of the page. a split face with Bats on one side and Cap on the other. At the bottom Batman and Cap are about to fight. Next to the split faces are on one side Thor and Wonder Woman. On the other side Plastic Man, Iron Man, Quick Silver and Scarlet Witch. The rest of the page isn't shown. George says Thor draws first blood. He also says he almost resigned from doing this series believe it or not.

Anyway I know you'll read it tomorrow. By the way, George is listed as appearing at Wizard World Texas in November. Cool huh?