Book Expo America, once known as BEA, but now acronymed as BEX, starts today with panels and exhibits opening tomorrow. And Marvel will be there!

This panel, to be held Thursday at noon:

Marvel: From Prose to Panels
06/01/2017, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Uptown Stage
Novelists R. L. Stine (Man-Thing) and Margaret Stohl (Mighty Captain Marvel) are joined by other Mighty Marvel Guests to discuss bringing their prose skills to Marvel’s graphic fiction, and the exciting universal appeal of Marvel’s new wave of graphic novels.  This is one panel no fan of Marvel characters or YA fiction should miss!

And as you can see from the above tweet, something concerning Rowell will be revealed at this panel. Could it be the Runaways revival Marvel has been rolling out?

Rowell confirmed she would be writing “her favorite thing ever” on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/rainbowrowell/status/869954306920693760

Rowell is a best selling YA novelist whose books like Fangirl, Eleanor and Park and Carry On are wildly popular and mostly critically acclaimed. Runaways would be a good guess, but is it really her favorite thing ever? Guess we’ll find out in 24 hours.

BTW this comes on the heals of our own analysis of Marvel’s shortcomings in the book market the other day. Marvel has been making some solid efforts to boost this business, though, and getting mainstream authors such as Ta-Nehisi Coates, R.L. Stine, Mararet Stohl and now Rowell on board.

Speaking of BEA, they have three panels on GNs. You can see the main schedule below. Image, Boom! and oNI will also have major presences at the show. And BookCon follows over the weekend. More on that i a bit.

Here’s a partial Gn schedule for BEX::

Handselling Graphic Novels to Your Non-Comics Reading Audience
06/02/2017, 9:30 AM – 10:20 AM, Room 1E07/1E08
How do you get parents, grandparents, literary readers, kids, teens —
anyone who isn’t already reading comics — into this awesome medium? Four booksellers discuss their strategies for convincing reluctant buyers that graphic novels are just as much books (and just as much awesome!) as works of prose. How do you get people of different age groups and interests to take a chance on this new medium? This panel will also include tips for any publishers in attendance on positioning their graphic novels optimally for booksellers to handsell well. Session Takeaways: Learn what good strategies are for handselling graphic novels Find out how handselling graphic novels can increase sales Hear about how booksellers talk to their staff about handselling graphic novels Moderator: Gina Gagliano is the Marketing Manager at First Second Books, Macmillan’s graphic novel imprint. She works with authors like Gene Luen Yang, Faith Erin Hicks, Lucy Knisley, and Ben Hatke.

Hot Graphic Novels of Fall 2017
06/01/2017, 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM, Uptown Stage
Join us to learn about some of the best graphic novels coming up this fall!
Features Nidhi Chanani, Pashmina (First Second Books), Iasmin Omar Ita, Mi(s)handra (Gallery 13), Liniers, Goodnight Planet (Toon Books), Katie O’Neill, The Tea Dragon Society (Oni Press), and Pratap Chaterjee and Khalil Bendib, Verax (Henry Holt). These five amazing graphic novelists will discuss their upcoming works, as well as the explosion of the graphic novel medium and its possibilities for booksellers and librarians.

Marvel: From Prose to Panels
06/01/2017, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM, Uptown Stage
Novelists R. L. Stine (Man-Thing) and Margaret Stohl (Mighty Captain
Marvel) are joined by other Mighty Marvel Guests to discuss bringing their prose skills to Marvel’s graphic fiction, and the exciting universal appeal of Marvel’s new wave of graphic novels. This is one panel no fan of Marvel characters or YA fiction should miss!

Graphic Novels and Nonfiction: Providing Refuge in an Uncertain Climate
06/02/2017, 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM, Room 1E10
The session will highlight the many important contributions to the genres of
Graphic Novels and Graphic Nonfiction that have been made by immigrants to the United States and those fleeing oppression in their native countries. Outstanding works by these creators will be discussed, and the booksellers on the panel will discuss the ways they are using Graphic Novels and Graphic Nonfiction in their stores to provide a “refuge” for Americans who feel threatened by the current political climate. Session Takeaways:

How indie booksellers can use Graphic Novels and Graphic Nonfiction in their stores as a “refuge” to those who feel threatened by the current political climate. · Key works by immigrant creators and those who fled oppressive regimes in their home countries. · What else indie booksellers can do to provide “refuge” to their customers who are looking for “a safe place.” Moderator: Michael Link, Publisher Relations & Events Manager at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, OH Michael Link is the Publisher Relations and Events Manager of Joseph-Beth, which has stores in Cincinnati, OH, Lexington KY, and Crestview Hills, KY. Joseph-Beth just celebrated its 25th anniversary as a hometown “commons” where people gather to explore and share their interests. In the last year alone, Michael has worked with these amazing authors: Gloria Steinem, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Paula Hawkins and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon. Speakers: Zazu Galdos-Shapiro, buyer at Bookloft, Great Barrington, MA Michael Bender, buyer at Community Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY Marika McCoola, buyer at Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA

 

Autographing Session with: Nidhi Chanani
06/01/2017, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Table 9
Signing Pashmina

Autographing Session with: Nathan Hale
06/02/2017, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Table 4
Signing Hazardous Tales: Alamo All Stars

Autographing Session with: Svetlana Chmakova
06/02/2017, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Table 5
Signing Brave

Autographing Session with: Molly Ostertag
06/02/2017, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Table 15
Signing The Witch Boy