George Lucas And Guillermo Del Toro Team Up For Epic Comic Con Panel

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The absolute headliner of San Diego Comic-Con this year, George Lucas, Guillermo del Toro, Doug Chiang, the trio will enter the monstrous Hall H to give audiences their theology on the art of illustrated storytelling while Queen Latifah will be the contrast. Needless to say, this created quite a stir.

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Announcing with a mic drop, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art created a huge frenzy, revealing that the Star Wars visionary now working under the same roof as the Pan’s Labyrinth mastermind and Oscar-winning art director. There is a slick feel about the event poster-black-and-white, washed portraits of the panelists framed in circles as if some sort of artist lineup. George Lucas is looking about like some elder statesman of storytelling; Guillermo del Toro with his trademark beard and fierce, intense gaze; Doug Chiang contributing artistic weight-gold; and Queen Latifah keeping them all together like a boss.

How did the public respond? Instantaneously. “THE MAKER IS COMING TO COMIC-CON?!!!!!!!!!! Goodness gracious me!” this was one insensible reply I have seen thousands of times before. Another comment went with the obligatory Star Wars phrase: “THANK THE MAKER,” because of course, they had to. But it was not all about Lucas; Guillermo del Toro’s presence churned up quite a bit of excitement as well. “GEORGE AND GUILLERMO HELL YEAH. Plus Doug Chiang and Queen Latifah??? This will be so very good,” one commenter screamed. Indeed.

And then they started to meltdown over the logistics: “Scrap all my Sunday plans, I got a new directive.” “Uh oh. Time to change my return flight,” admitted another. The struggle goes on for those missing out on what could well be the panel of the year! For the ones who won’t make it, the room was filled with desperation: “Gosh pls livestream it 😭😭😭😭,” begged one user, in agreement with thousands who won’t be able to get a seat in Hall H.

And these talks aren’t just idle chit-chat either. They provide a preview for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, fast becoming a pilgrimage site for storytelling professionals. “Now I wish I had a way to get to comic con, this is my dream museum,” wistfully posted one fan, and the second responded: “the museum will be in L.A., the talk (museum update) is in hall H at comic con.” Good to have in mind, considering pilgrimage routes were already being chalked out.

Naturally, there was a ton of love garnered for Queen Latifah as the moderator. One wrote, “‘The incomparable Queen Latifah moderates’ is amazing.” And I mean, really, who else could pull that off with such effortless cool?

And, obviously other less glamorous events still came in. “I’ll stay up late in line behind the convention center Sat night to get a wristband for this panel,” one Comic-Con inhabitant formulated. “If I wear my Lucas Museum neckerchief to comic con, can I get a reserved seat?” another joked. Probably not, but hey, worth a shot.

The panel will be an excavation of the potency visual storytelling wields, which all three of them have mastered yet celebrate in utterly distinct mechanisms. Lucas reshaped blockbuster cinema; del Toro is rather unique in his intermingling of fantasy and serious humanism; and Chiang has established worlds, actual ones, designed and conceptual. So, with the addition of Queen Latifah, one could almost say this has all the making of an irredeemable classic.

For those watching this from the sidelines, all hope stands that there will be a recording. “Ohhh awesome sauce. What a phenomenal panel that will be. Hope it’s recorded n available for the whole world to enjoy !!” one adds in comment. Fingers crossed; this is a conversation that needs to be heard way past the walls of Hall H.

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Now pencil this in on your calendar, set alarms, and start brushing up on the skill of waiting in line. Because when George Lucas, Guillermo del Toro, Doug Chiang, and Queen Latifah hit that stage, you are going to want to be there; if not, figure out some way to watch it later.