The Black Comic Book Festival was founded by Deirdre Hollman, Schomburg Director of Education and Exhibitions, artist and comic book creator Jerry Craft,  (Mama’s Boyz), artist, creator and teacher John Jennings, (Blue Hand Mojo, Kindred) Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of California, Riverside and Jonathan Gayles, artist and Professor of African-American Studies at Georgia State University. This year is the 5th year that the convention is being held at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York and for the first time it will be held on two days instead of one! As always, the event is free and I hope to see many of you there! There are several new and interesting panels to enjoy as well (like the tribute to Jackie Ormes!) and it all happens this Friday, January 13 and Saturday, January 14. If you can’t make the event, be sure to check out the panels on livestream! See below for a schedule of events:

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR TICKETS (It’s free)

Schedule of Events (In-Brief):

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FRIDAY | JANUARY 13, 2017
10:00AM – 6:00PM
Comic Creators Exhibition Tables
10:15AM – 12:00PM
Youth Program: My Creative Life in Comics and Kid Lit
Panelists: Jerry Craft (Mama’s Boyz and The Offenders), David Miller (Khalil’s Way), Zetta Elliot (A Wish After Midnight, Ship of Souls), Alex Simmons (Blackjack, Archie, Kids Comic Con), and Jamar Nicholas (Leon: Protector of the Playground). Moderated by Deirdre Hollman.
Watch on livestream.
1:30PM – 2:30PM
How to Draw Afrakan Superheroes (Lecture/Demonstration)
Presented by Akinseye Brown, Sokoya Productions
Watch on livestream.
2:30PM – 3:00PM
Tribute to Jackie Ormes, 1st Black Syndicated Comic “Torchy Brown”
Watch on livestream.3:30PM – 4:30PM
Curating Comics: Creating Exhibitions in Galleries and in Digital Spaces
Panelists: William Villalongo (Black Pulp!), Tim Fielder (Black Metropolis), John Jennings and Stacey Robinson (Black Kirby). Moderated by Jonathan Gray
Watch on livestream.

5:00PM-6:30PM
Comics are Lit: Graphic Novel Adaptations of Literature
Panelists: John Jennings and Damian Duffy (Kindred), Dawud Anyabwile (Monster), Kyle Baker (Nat Turner), and Andrew Aydin (March Books 1-3). Moderated by Jonathan Gayles.
Watch on livestream.

SATURDAY | JANUARY 14, 2017
10:00AM – 7:00PM
Comic Creators Exhibition Tables

10:15AM – 11:30AM
Black Heroes Matter
Panelists: Mshindo (BlackOps, Indigo, and Anikulapo), Trevor Von Eeden (Black Lightning, Thriller, and Jack Johnson), Marcus Williams (Tuskegee Heirs), and Dewunmi Roye Okupe (E.X.O.-The Legend of Wale Williams). Moderated by David Walker (Powerman & Iron Fist, Occupy Avengers, Shaft).
Watch on livestream.

12:30PM – 1:45PM
SCREENINGS

1:45PM – 2:15PM
COSPLAY SHOW

2:30PM – 3:15PM
Tribute to Dawud Anyabwile, Brotherman: Dictator of Discipline
Moderated by Jonathan GaylesWatch on Livestream.
3:45PM – 5:00PM
Fierce Femininity & Fandom
Panelists: Maia Crown Williams (MeccaCon and BSAM), Ariell Johnson (Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse, Philadelphia), Regine Sawyer (Ice Witch, Eating Vampires, Women in Comics), and Micheline Hess (Malice in Ovenland). Moderated by Ja’nell Ajani.
Watch on livestream.
5:30PM – 6:45 PM
Comics and Hip-Hop
Panelists: Eric Orr (Max the Robot) and Andre LeRoy Davis (The Last Word). Moderated by Jonathan Gray.
Watch on livestream.

Exhibitors List (Alphabetical by Last Name)
Dawud Anyabwile (Brotherman: Revelation, Monster); Eric Battle (freelance illustrator); Andre Batts (Urban Style Comics); Karl Bollers (Watson and Holmes); Kurt Bollers; Antuan Broussard (Battlemasterz); Akinseye Brown (Sokoya Productions); William Campbell (Rosarium Publishing); Chuck Collins (Bounce, DSX); Jerry Craft (Mama’s Boyz); Andre LeRoy Davis (artist); Ray Felix (The Greatest Hero Black Power, Bronx Heroes); Tim Fielder (Matty’s Rocket, Black Metropolis); Prof. William Foster (comic historian); Robert Garrett (Xmoor Studios); Naseed Gifted (P. B. Soldier); Maya Grant-Richardson (Sheeba Maya artist); Norwood S. Harris (illustrator); Micheline Hess (Malice in Ovenland); John Jennings (Kindred, Black Kirby, Black Comix); Mshindo Kuumba (BlackOps, Indigo, and Anikulapo); Darryl “DMC” McDaniels (DMC, Darryl Makes Comics); Keith Miller (RatRonin Studios); Jamar Nicholas (Leon Protector of the Playground); Yumy Odom (ECBACC); Dewunmi Roye Okupe (E.X.O.-The Legend of Wale Williams); Tony Puryear (Concrete Park); Regine Sawyer (Lockett Down Productions); Alex Simmons (Blackjack); Juliana Smith ( (H)afrocentric: The Comic); Jerome Walford (Nowhere Man, Gwan, Forward Comix); David Walker (Powerman & Iron Fist, Occupy Avengers, Shaft); Eric Wilkerson (illustrator); Maia Crown Williams (MECCA Con, BSAM); Marcus Williams (Tuskegee Heirs); Ron Wimberly (Prince of Cats, Black History in its Own Words); and Abrams Comic Arts.

The Shcomburg Center for Research in Black culture is located at 515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10037  CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS

Follow @Schomburgblackcomics on Facebook and Instagram for updates. Or follow their (really long) hashtag #blackcomicbookfestnyc across social media. Even though the event is free, PLEASE REGISTER HERE