If  you thought NYC was conned out you are wrong! Today it’s Diversity Comic Con, a full day of panels held at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The event is FREE to FIT students, faculty, and staff.

Ad also free to the public with an Eventbrite ticket, starting at noon. 

The event is organized by artist/publisher Ramon Gil and I will be moderating two panels, both of which feature yet more cool folks to listen to.

(Yes I should have posted this before, but I can only deal with one con at a time.)

As for the mission, while it showcases, yes, the wide range of people in creative fields, it’s also about the interdisciplinary potential of comics:

While the medium of comic books has been around for almost a century, the visibility and participation of minorities have been sorely lacking. But times are changing, and the causes and visibility of multicultural arts and stories are more crucial than ever.

More and more, the lines between print and screen media are blurring and merging as stories that were once the domain of comic books become the movies and television shows of today. Comic books are the beginning of visual storytelling.

Diversity Comic Con gives students an opportunity to be exposed to careers that are truly multidisciplinary while providing a venue to showcase their work to publishers, professionals, and the general public. This event gives them an invaluable experience and will widen their horizons.

Thursday, October 11, 2018, 10 am to 6 pm
The Great Hall at FIT
West 28th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues

Panel Discussions and Workshops

10:30 am – Noon Room A Careers/Breaking In:Gain some insight into how to launch and have a career in comics, animation or publishing from these industry pros. Panelists are Kiara Valdez, Doug Lovelace, Reilly Brown, Lynne Yoshii; Heidi Macdonald, moderator.
Room B The Art of Cosplaying: Get tips and advice from some long-time veterans of the cosplay scene. Panelists are Heir of Glee, Geisha Vi, Nicole Le Aiossa, Amy Overman; Tea Fougner, moderator.
12:30 – 1:50 pm Room A Diversity in Comics: Explore the history of creators of color in American comics and what the terrain looks like today. Panelists are Micheline Hess, Janice Chiang, Vivek Tiwary, and Trevor Von Eeden; Heather Antos, moderator.
Room B LGBTQ in Comics: A look at the contributions of LGBTQ creators in the past and the present to the comic book culture. Panelists are Joan Hilty, Ivan Velez Jr., and Jay Edidon; Tea Fougner, moderator.
2 – 3:20 pm Room A History of Comics as an Art Form: In the past, comics has been considered a disposable media. But not anymore! Panelists are Dean Haspiel, Janice Chiang, NC Chris Couch, and Larry Hama; Brendan Leach, moderator.
Room B Self Publishing: With today’s technology, anybody can be their own publisher. But it’s not as easy as you think. Get first-hand knowledge from those who do it regularly. Panelists are Jerome Walford, Vivek Tiwary, and Kristen Gudsnuk; Robyn Chapman, moderator.
3:30 – 5 pm Room A Comics from Around the World: A discussion of comics and the comics industry abroad. Panelists are Dennis Crisostomo, Brendan Leach, Regine Sawyer, and Lynne Yoshii; Andrea Colvin, moderator
Room B The Future of Comics: The comics industry is vastly different from what it was 10-20 years ago. What will it be like 10-20 years from now? Panelists are Heather Antos, Sasha Matthews, and Jim Salicrup; Heidi MacDonald, moderator

Schedule Subject to Change

Main Stage Program

Noon Opening Remarks — Ron Milon, Chief Diversity Officer at FIT
12:05 pm Keynote — Vivek Tiwary
5:00 pm Cosplay Pageant
Rules/Registration for Cosplaying

Exhibition

Drawn to Diversity – An exploration of diversity in American comic books” was created in 2006 by Alfred University with support from MTV and Marvel Comics. The exhibit draws parrellels between comics and equal rights. Art Force 5 summer internships. Stop by the Art Force 5 craft table and inquire with Dan Napolitano about joining a summer team of superheroes working on NYC’s Governors Island.

Portfolio Reviews

Throughout the day, at all professional artist tables.

1 COMMENT

  1. Sorry I missed you at the event, Heidi — I had a doubleheader with a children’s book event and did not stay all afternoon. Above and beyond the value of inclusion on its own — after all, we’re ALL better when everyone’s voice is heard — I love shows like this, mostly because they are free / practically free, and because they are all about the content and content makers!

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