2010 Panel

This Year’s Black Panel will be one for the ages. Our focus will be on empowerment, education and real world networking. Our panelists include, Darrell D. Miller, Entertainment Attorney, Nnedi Okorafor, Novelist, Reggie Hudlin, writer, producer and director, Dawn Richard, Diddy-Dirty Money and John Dokes, Marvel Comics.

Once we answer life’s burning questions we will then chill with a salute and Q &A from the audience with actor, writer and director, BILL DUKE.

As always surprise guests who will rock your world!!!

San Diego Comic Con

Room 5AB

Saturday, July 24

10:00-11:30 am

Hosted by Michael Davis
Bill Duke—With a wide range of credits to his name in almost every film discipline, including directing, producing, acting and writing, Bill Duke has founded Duke Media, formerly Yagya Productions, which has been in existence for approximately thirty years. Mr. Duke’s credits as an actor include Films such as, “American Gigolo”, “Car Wash”, “Commando”, “Predator”, “Menace II Society”, “Bird on a Wire”, “The Limey”, “Get Rich or Die Trying”, “X-Men 3” and the independent film “Yellow.” Mr. Duke continues to perfect and display his expertise as a director in multiple television pilots and episodes as well as in feature films such as; “The Killing Floor”, “A Rage in Harlem”, “Sister Act 2”, “Deep Cover”, “Hoodlum” and most recently “Cover” and “Not Easily Broken”. His most recent project is a documentary chronicling the history of Blacks in baseball and “Henry’s Crime” starring Keanu Reeves and James Caan.
Darrell Miller—Darrell Miller is a preeminent attorney in the world of entertainment law. He is the co-founder of the Mason Miller, LLP, and has represented some of the biggest names in Hollywood. He has been inducted into the Black Entertainment & Sports Lawyer’s Hall of Fame, and has even been named one of Black Enterprise’s Top 50 Showbiz Players. He currently works in Los Angeles.
Nnedi Okorafor—Nnedi Okorafor is an award-winning fantasy author. She was born in America to two Nigerian immigrants. Although she is native to the US, she spent a lot of time in Nigeria as a child, and her writing reflects her cultural roots and influences. To date, she has three published novels: Zahrah the Windseeker (2005), The Shadow Speaker (2007), and Who Fears Death (2010). She has also written a large body of short stories, published in anthologies such as Writers of the Future and Strange Horizon. Nnedi Okorafor is currently professor of creative writing at the University of Chicago.
Dawn Richard—Dawn Richard is a singer and former member of the music group Danity Kane. Although the group was dismantled in 2009, Dawn Richard created a comic book series based on Danity Kane that will be released in August 2010, published by eigoManga. Written by Natasha McGough and illustrated by Kim Jimin, the plot follows a young woman who attempts to save her people from an oppressive power. Dawn Richard is currently working on the book, while also performing as part of the hip hop group Dirty Money with Sean “Diddy” Combs and Kalenna Harper.
Reggie Hudlin—Reginald Hudlin is a critically acclaimed director, with both successful film and TV projects under his belt. His film House Party started a trend of teen hip-hop comedies through the 90’s. In the 2000’s he shifted his focus to television, where he did directorial work on The Bernie Mac Show, Everybody Hates Chris, and Boondocks. He also wrote the new Black Panther series, where he worked with John Romita Jr. For the first arc, and reinterpreted the Black Panther mythos.
Denys Cowan—Denys Cowan is an Eisner Award-nominated artist with a prolific body of work in the comics industry. He also has an extensive career in the animation industry, and was a producer for the Static Shock and Boondocks animated series. He co-founded Milestone Media, and co-created Hardware, Milestone’s first title. He most recently served as Senior Vice President for BET Animation.
John Dokes—John Dokes has worked for Marvel for over 10 years in both the Publishing and Digital Media divisions. He has overseen major releases and promotions and was responsible for the 2007 launch of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited. He is now the Senior Vice President of Integrated Sales and Marketing. John has also worked with several world renowned brands including Volkswagen, Chrysler, and MTV Networks. His creative outlets have included writing an issue of X-Force and serving as a vocalist with the George Gee Swing Orchestra, 2010 saw the release of his first CD, entitled “John Dokes Sings, George Gee Swings.”