By Gina Yarbrough
San Diego, CA–San Diego Comic-Con attendees will be treated to an exciting panel featuring an all-star lineup including Ultimate Fighting and World Wrestling Entertainment champion, actress, and now comic book writer Ronda Rousey.
Rousey will be joined by Eisner and Ringo Award-winning artist Mike Deodato, Jr., AWA Chief Creative Officer Axel Alonso, and actor, producer, and former WWE Superstar Dave Bautista.
The event will be held at the San Diego Convention Center (Room 6A) on July 25 from 10 to 11 a.m.
The panel will discuss the creation and inspiration behind Rousey’s debut graphic novel, “Expecting the Unexpected,” and the Judo champion’s transition from the fighting arena to the world of comic books, showcasing her versatility and passion for storytelling.
Deodato, (known for his works on “Avengers,” “Not All Robots,” and “Wonder Woman”), will provide insights into the artistic process of the novel, and editors Alonso and Bautista will reveal their collaborative efforts and the impact of Rousey’s unique vision on the project.
To ensure the graphic novel’s fight scenes are as accurate as possible, Rousey choreographed and filmed the scenes herself, providing source material for Deodato’s art. Attendees at the panel will get a sneak peek into this process and the collaboration.
In “Expecting the Unexpected,” the protagonist, codenamed “Mom,” is a deadly hitwoman with a fake baby bump filled with guns. On the verge of her big break in the criminal underworld, she makes a fateful decision: sleeping with a potential target who happens to be a top-ranked assassin. A few weeks later, Mom finds her codename becoming literal. The story is a wild mashup of action, adventure, comedy, and romance as a newly pregnant Mom, with a bounty on her head, fights off wave after wave of assassins, falls in love with her baby daddy, and navigates her personal and professional predicament.
The Kickstarter campaign for “Expecting the Unexpected” launches on July 25. Fans interested in the campaign and its reward offerings can sign up here to get project news and updates and to be notified as soon as the campaign is live.
Following the panel, Rousey will be available for a limited signing session at the Sails Pavilion Autograph Area (2nd Floor) from 2 to 3 p.m. This opportunity is open to the first 100 San Diego Comic-Con badge holders who register with their Member ID, under the “Comic-Con 2024 Exclusives Portal” tab.
