Marsters Concert, Buffyfest, Billy Dee Williams, Batman panels Highlight New Orleans Comic Con

Jan. 19, 2011 - PRLog -- NEW ORLEANS, January 19, 2011 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con today announced its diverse programming schedule, featuring a James Marsters concert, unique celebrity Q&A's, artist schools, costume contests and more for the event, set for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 29-30 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Some of the highlights include:

-- A live concert featuring singer-songwriter-actor James Marsters
-- “Wizard Spotlight” with legendary actor Louis Gossett Jr.
-- Rare Q&A panels with Marsters, Julie Benz and Ray Park, as well as popular Comic Con guests Billy Dee Williams, Walter Koenig, Adam West and Burt Ward
-- Two “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer” panels, featuring twins Nicholas Brendon and Kelly Donovon, and Clare Kramer and James Charles Leary
-- ‘Walking Dead’ Q&A with stars Chandler Riggs, Keisha Tillis and Adrian Kali Turner
-- Wizard Art School and Q&A's featuring leading artists like David Mack, Bill Sinkiewicz, Cameron Stewart, Kevin Maguire, Yanick Paquette, Phil Jimenez and others
-- Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con Live Art Show and After Party with Kody Chamberlain and Rob Guillory at Hey! Cafe (4332 Magazine St.)
-- The popular adult costume contest and fun kids costume contest with great prizes

Standard New Orleans Comic Con programming will take place in Room A and Room B at Hall H of the Morial Convention Center.  All programming is included with admission to the event, with the exception of the James Marsters Concert, which requires an additional ticket.  Seating for panels is strictly limited and available on a first come first serve basis and each room will be cleared between panels.

The full schedule is available at http://www.wizardworld.com/programming-neworleans.html.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is located at 900 Convention Center Blvd. in New Orleans.  New Orleans Comic Con is the first stop on Wizard’s 2011 North American tour, which to date has 13 events scheduled.  Hours are Saturday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 30, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m..  Tickets are available in advance or by calling 1-866-882-5860 and online at www.wizardworld.com/neworleans.html at up to a 15% savings over tickets purchased at the door.  Advance adult single-day tickets are $25 ($30 on site); two-day weekend tickets are $40 ($45 on site), and tickets are free for children age 10 and under when accompanied by a paid adult (limit two children per adult).  VIP packages with special entry and exclusive items are also available.

The freshly renovated New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is an essential component of what makes the city's major business events so successful. With 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, the Convention Center is the sixth largest convention facility in the nation, and it consistently ranks in the country's top ten of facilities that hold the most conventions and trade shows annually.

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Gareb Shamus founded Wizard Entertainment in 1991. Today, Shamus publishes consumer magazines Wizard, ToyFare, FunFare and numerous books about pop-culture’s top talent, comic books and toys. Shamus also produces a North American Comic Con tour.