Events

(Video) Raising Heroic Girls – San Diego Comic-Con 2017 Panel

Heroic Girls hosted “Raising Heroic Girls” — it’s first-ever panel — at San Diego Comic-Con this year. The panel was a look at how heroic comics, movies, and toys can inspire girls to be more confident and successful by combatting harmful gender norms that can hold them back.

John Marcotte, founder of Heroic Girls., moderated the panel — but the bulk of the knowledge and experiences was provided by the women of the panel, including:

  • Alaina Huffman (Supernatural, Smallville),
  • Anya Marcotte (Heroic Girls)
  • Audrey Kearns (Geek Girl Authority),
  • Cassandra Pelham (senior editor at Graphix and Scholastic Press),
  • Dr. Janina Scarlet (Superhero Therapy), and
  • Jenna Busch (Stan Lee’s World of Heroes, Legion of Leia)

(Janina’s son Hunter also contributed some valuable insight. but I didn’t think he would appreciate being called one of “the women of the panel” — just for accuracy’s sake.)

Thanks to Steve and Michele Blanchard, who shot the footage used above, and thanks to Ken Blanchard, who cleaned up the audio on that video and removed a horrible echo that was making it impossible to hear the speakers.

 

Disney Debuts #DreamBigPrincess Photography Campaign to Encourage Kids Around the Globe to Dream Big

Renowned Female Photographers Spanning Fifteen Countries Create Inspiring Images and Kickoff $1 Million Fundraising Effort for Girl Up

Glendale, Calif. (Aug. 15, 2017) – Disney today unveiled a global photographic campaign in support of #DreamBigPrincess, celebrating inspiring stories from around the world to encourage kids everywhere to dream big. Nineteen female photographers from fifteen countries have created a series of empowering images showcasing real-world girls and women, as part of Disney’s Dream Big, Princess initiative launched in 2016, which taps into the power of Disney Princess stories to inspire kids. Photographs will be shared on social media to help raise funds for Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s program supporting adolescent girls’ leadership and empowerment.

“The idea that stories, whether real life or fictional like those of Belle or Rapunzel, can inspire kids to follow their dreams is at the heart of the #DreamBigPrincess campaign,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. “We asked some of the most accomplished female photographers to help tell the stories of inspiring women and girls from around the world—and the results are incredible.”

From one of the first female staff photographers at National Geographic to winners of the International Picture of the Year, World Press Photo Award for Nature, Commonwealth Photographer of the Year, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News, the accomplished roster of photographers bring a wealth of experience and talent. Each was challenged to find and document stories with the power to inspire kids.

With subjects including the youngest ever speaker at the UN, a gold-medal-winning Chinese Paralympian, the founder of the first female cycling team in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, a teenage author of a STEM  coding book for kids, and a young surf champion from Brazil, the project aims to spotlight a diverse range of stories to connect with kids and families around the world. The images bring the #DreamBigPrincess message to life in a multitude of ways, including highlighting women who’ve achieved success in the face of adversity or forged successful careers in traditionally male industries, young Girl Up Teen Advisors who’ve already helped make a positive impact on the world, and girls at play who illustrate the importance of imagination in childhood.

As well as inspiring kids with positive images and the stories behind them, the campaign aims to make a tangible difference for girls who face challenges in achieving their dreams, through its collaboration with Girl Up. From August 15-October 11, 2017, Disney Worldwide Services will donate US$1 for any public post of a photo using #DreamBigPrincess or like of such a post on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, for a minimum donation of US$500,000 and a maximum of US$1 million. Girl Up’s leadership program engages girls to take action and advocate for girls around the world, giving them empowering tools to help make a difference.

“Girl Up envisions a world where every girl can reach her full potential and be an advocate within her community for positive change and empowerment.The #DreamBigPrincess campaign is perfectly aligned with our goals and we’re excited to partner with Disney and this incredible group of women to spotlight what it means to dream big around the world,” says Melissa Kilby, Director of Girl Up.

Annie Griffiths, one of National Geographic’s first female staff photographers profiled eight teenage girl leaders at Girl Up Leadership Summit in Washington DC, to showcase their inspiring stories as part of the campaign.

“Every picture tells a story and I’m delighted to be part of an initiative that tells so many stories that are interesting and diverse. I hope that people around the world will be motivated to share their own inspiring #DreamBigPrincess images in support of Girl Up,” says Annie.

Girl Up Teen Advisor Alumna Meg Schwartz, was given the chance to follow her dream of becoming a professional photographer by creating images of Girl Up celebrity Champions, including YouTube influencers Brooklyn & Bailey, actress Katherine McNamara as well as philanthropist and actress Monique Coleman. Meg’s images will be shared as part of the campaign to help raise funds for Girl Up.

In 2016, Disney launched “Dream Big, Princess”, a campaign that encourages kids everywhere to dream big by highlighting key story moments and the inspiring qualities that each Disney Princess showcases through her adventures, such as Merida’s bravery, Cinderella’s kindness or Tiana’s perseverance. While each princess has her own unique and admirable qualities, what they all have in common is resilience and an ability to triumph over adversity to make their dreams come true. The Dream Big, Princess content series, which runs across Disney TV and digital networks globally, brings together a host of inspiring moments from beloved Disney movies with the stories of real-life young role models, who have dreamed big and achieved their goals to show kids what’s possible.

The Dream Big, Princess series has already reached millions of kids and families and the photographic campaign builds on this success by spotlighting women and girls from around the world with stories that have the power to inspire others.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products and interactive media. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $55.6 billion in its Fiscal Year 2016.

About Girl Up

Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s adolescent girl campaign, supports the empowerment of girls everywhere. Since its launch in 2010, Girl Up has funded UN programs that promote the health, safety, education, and leadership of girls in developing countries and built a community of over half a million passionate advocates. Our girl leaders, representing more than 1800 Girl Up Clubs in 90 countries, stand up, speak up, and rise up to support the hardest to reach girls living in places where it is hardest to be a girl. Learn more at GirlUp.org.

About the United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual donors. Learn more at unfoundation.org.

Harley Quinn - photo by Anya Marcotte

SDCC 2017 Cosplay Gallery

We had a special photographer this year at San Diego Comic Con.

Anya – photo by Steve Blanchard

Anya took over photography duties for the first time and put together this gallery of her cosplay photos.

Little Sister – photo by Anya Marcotte
Wonder Woman – photo by Anya Marcotte
Rey – photo by Anya Marcotte
Supergirl and Batgirl – photo by Anya Marcotte
Wonder Woman – photo by Anya Marcotte
Harley – photo by Anya Marcotte
Supergirl, Superwoman and Batgirl – photo by Anya Marcotte
Wonder Woman – photo by Anya Marcotte
Marco and Star – photo by Anya Marcotte
Tracer – photo by Anya Marcotte
Rey – photo by Anya Marcotte
Arrietty – photo by Anya Marcotte
La Muerte – photo by Anya Marcotte
Marco and Star – photo by Anya Marcotte

But since there were two days that Anya cosplayed, her uncle Steve took some photos as well.

Princess Mononoke (Anya) – by Steve Blanchard
photo by Steve Blanchard
Fantasy group – by Steve Blanchard
Trump Stormtroopers – by Steve Blanchard
Samurai Iron Man – by Steve Blanchard
The Watchmen – by Steve Blanchard
Dalek – by Steve Blanchard

“Raising Heroic Girls” – The Comic-Con Panel

Heroic Girls had the honor of presenting their very first panel at San Diego Comic-Con last week, Raising Heroic Girls. Heroic Girls founder John Marcotte moderated the panel which consisted of a variety of experts from the comics and geek community including: Alaina Huffman (Supernatural, Smallville, Stargate SGU), Anya Marcotte (Heroic Girls), Audrey Kearns (Geek Girl Authority), Cassandra Pelham (Scholastic Books, Comix), Janina Scarlet (Superhero Therapy), Jenna Busch (Legion of Leia), We were also joined by Janina’s son Hunter, who wanted to show his support for girls, from a boys’ point of view.

We have some photos from the event, followed by a video at the end.

John and Anya begin the eight-hour drive to San Diego – photo by Anya Marcotte
“We found it!” – photo by Steve Blanchard
John Marcotte, Anya Marcotte, Jenna Busch, Cassandra Pelham, Alaina Huffman, Audrey Kearns, Janina Scarlet, and Hunter – photo by Steve Blanchard
John Marcotte looks on while Anya displays Heroic Girls bookmarks – photo by Steve Blanchard

Supernatural fan Monica D. Photography also attended the panel and got a few nice shots.

Cassandra Pelham, Jenna Busch, John Marcotte Anya Marcotte, Audrey Kearns, Alaina Huffman, Janina Scarlet and Hunter – photo by Steve Blanchard
Post panel celebration: Hunter, Janina Scarlet, Alaina Huffman, Jenna Busch and Anya Marcotte – photo by Steve Blanchard

We did take video … but since we could not plug into the soundboard, the audio turned out horribly. We are attempting to clean it up, but it may be a “fatal error.” At any rate, How to Be A Dad superstar Charlie Capen streamed a good chunk of the panel via Periscope, and you can watch that here.

Edit: Charlie’s Periscope video expired. We are working on reducing the echo in the video we have, and we will post it shortly. In the mean time, enjoy this animated GIF of Gal Gadot.

We will certainly be doing this again at SDCC or other cons around the country. Hopefully, we will see some of you there!

 

2016 Eisner Award Winners Released

It’s time to update your reading lists. The 2016 Eisner Awards for excellence in comics were released over the weekend at San Diego Comic Con. The list of winners (and nominees) is an excellent place to find great stories that you might have missed this year, and some of our favorite creators and series are represented.

Best Short Story

  • “Black Death in America,” by Tom King and John Paul Leon, in Vertigo Quarterly: Black(Vertigo/DC)
  • “Hand Me Down,” by Kristyna Baczynski, in 24 x 7 (Fanfare Presents)
  • “It’s Going to Be Okay,” by Matthew Inman, in The Oatmeal, theoatmeal.com/comics/plane
  • “Killing and Dying,” by Adrian Tomine, in Optic Nerve #14 (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • “Lion and Mouse,” by R. Sikoryak, in Fable Comics (First Second)

Best Single Issue/One-Shot

  • A Blanket of Butterflies, by Richard Van Camp and Scott B. Henderson (HighWater Press)
  • I Love This Part, by Tillie Walden (Avery Hill)
  • Mowgli’s Mirror, by Olivier Schrauwen (Retrofit/Big Planet)
  • Pope Hats #4, by Ethan Rilly (AdHouse)
  • Silver Surfer #11: “Never After,” by Dan Slott and Michael Allred (Marvel)

Best Continuing Series

  • Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover (Monkeybrain)
  • Giant Days, by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin (BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box)
  • Invincible, by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Cliff Rathburn (Image/Skybound)
  • Silver Surfer, by Dan Slott and Michael Allred (Marvel)
  • Southern Bastards, by Jason Aaron and Jason Latour (Image)

Best Limited Series

  • Chrononauts, by Mark Millar and Sean Murphy (Image)
  • The Fade Out, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
  • Lady Killer, by Joëlle Jones and Jamie S. Rich (Dark Horse)
  • Minimum Wage: So Many Bad Decisions, by Bob Fingerman (Image)
  • The Spire, by Simon Spurrier and Jeff Stokely (BOOM! Studios)

Best New Series

  • Bitch Planet, by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro (Image)
  • Harrow County, by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook (Dark Horse)
  • Kaijumax, by Zander Cannon (Oni)
  • Monstress, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Image)
  • Paper Girls, by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang (Image)
  • The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (Marvel)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8)

  • Anna Banana and the Chocolate Explosion, by Dominque Roques and Alexis Dormal (First Second)
  • Little Robot, by Ben Hatke (First Second)
  • The Only Child, by Guojing (Schwartz & Wade)
  • SheHeWe, by Lee Nordling and Meritxell Bosch (Lerner Graphic Universe)
  • Written and Drawn by Henrietta, by Liniers (TOON Books)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12)

  • Baba Yaga’s Assistant, by Marika McCoola and Emily Carroll (Candlewick)
  • Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War, by Jessica Dee Humphreys, Michel Chikwanine, and Claudia Devila (Kids Can Press)
  • Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor, by Nathan Hale (Abrams Amulet)
  • Over the Garden Wall, by Pat McHale, Amalia Levari, and Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios/KaBOOM!)
  • Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson (Dial Books)
  • Sunny Side Up, by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm (Scholastic Graphix)

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)

  • Awkward, by Svetlana Chmakova (Yen Press)
  • Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans, by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
  • March: Book Two, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf/IDW)
  • Moose, by Max de Radiguès (Conundrum)
  • Oyster War, by Ben Towle (Oni)
  • SuperMutant Magic Academy, by Jillian Tamaki (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Humor Publication

  • Cyanide & Happiness: Stab Factory, by Kris Wilson, Rob DenBleyker, and Dave McElfatrick (BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box)
  • Deep Dark Fears, by Fran Krause (Ten Speed Press)
  • Sexcastle, by Kyle Starks (Image)
  • Step Aside, Pops: A Hark! A Vagrant Collection, by Kate Beaton (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • UR, by Eric Haven (AdHouse)

Best Digital/Webcomic

Best Anthology

  • Drawn & Quarterly, Twenty-Five Years of Contemporary, Cartooning, Comics, and Graphic Novels, edited by Tom Devlin (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Eat More Comics: The Best of the Nib, edited by Matt Bors (The Nib)
  • 24 x 7, edited by Dan Berry (Fanfare Presents)
  • Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, vol. 3, edited by David Petersen and Rebecca Taylor (BOOM! Studios/Archaia)
  • Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz, edited by Shannon Watters (BOOM! Studios/KaBOOM!)

Best Reality-Based Work

  • The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978–1984, by Riad Sattouf (Metropolitan Books)
  • Displacement: A Travelogue, by Lucy Knisley (Fantagraphics)
  • Hip Hop Family Tree, Book 3: 1983–1984, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)
  • Invisible Ink: My Mother’s Secret Love Affair with a Famous Cartoonist, by Bill Griffith (Fantagraphics)
  • March: Book Two, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf/IDW)
  • The Story of My Tits, by Jennifer Hayden (Top Shelf/IDW)

Best Graphic Album—New

  • Long Walk to Valhalla, by Adam Smith and Matthew Fox (BOOM! Studios/Archaia)
  • Nanjing: The Burning City, by Ethan Young (Dark Horse)
  • Ruins, by Peter Kuper (SelfMadeHero)
  • Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen, by Dylan Horrocks (Fantagraphics)
  • The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, by Sydney Padua (Pantheon)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

  • Angry Youth Comics, by Johnny Ryan (Fantagraphics)
  • Roses in December: A Story of Love and Alzheimer’s, by Tom Batiuk and Chuck Ayers (Kent State University Press)
  • The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal Omnibus, by E. K. Weaver (Iron Circus Comics)
  • Nimona, by Noelle Stevenson (Harper Teen)
  • Soldier’s Heart: The Campaign to Understand My WWII Veteran Father, by Carol Tyler (Fantagraphics)

Best Adaptation from Another Medium

  • Captive of Friendly Cove: Based on the Secret Journals of John Jewitt, by Rebecca Goldfield, Mike Short, and Matt Dembicki (Fulcrum)
  • City of Clowns, by Daniel Alarcón and Sheila Alvarado (Riverhead Books)
  • Ghetto Clown, by John Leguizamo, Christa Cassano, and Shamus Beyale (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Lafcadio Hearn’s “The Faceless Ghost” and Other Macabre Tales from Japan, adapted by Sean Michael Wilson and Michiru Morikawa (Shambhala)
  • Two Brothers, by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá (Dark Horse)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

  • Alpha . . . Directions, by Jens Harder (Knockabout/Fanfare)
  • The Eternaut, by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano Lòpez (Fantagraphics)
  • A Glance Backward by Pierre Paquet and Tony Sandoval (Magnetic Press)
  • The March of the Crabs, by Arthur de Pins (BOOM! Studios/Archaia)
  • The Realist, by Asaf Hanuka (BOOM! Studios/Archaia)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

  • Assassination Classroom, vols. 2–7, by Yusei Matsui (VIZ)
  • A Bride’s Story, vol. 7, by Kaoru Mori (Yen Press)
  • Master Keaton, vols. 2–4, by Naoki Urasawa, Hokusei Katsushika, and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ)
  • Showa, 1953–1989: A History of Japan, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • A Silent Voice, by Yoshitoki Oima (Kodansha)
  • Sunny, vol. 5, by Taiyo Matsumoto (VIZ)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

  • Beyond Mars, by Jack Williamson and Lee Elias, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/LOAC)
  • Cartoons for Victory, by Warren Bernard (Fantagraphics)
  • The Complete Funky Winkerbean, vol. 4, by Tom Batiuk, edited by Mary Young (Black Squirrel Books)
  • The Eternaut, by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano Lòpez, edited by Gary Groth and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)
  • Kremos: The Lost Art of Niso Ramponi, vols. 1 and 2, edited by Joseph V. Procopio (Picture This Press/Lost Art Books)
  • White Boy in Skull Valley, by Garrett Price, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

  • Frank Miller’s Ronin Gallery Edition, edited by Bob Chapman (Graphitti Designs/DC)
  • P. Craig Russell’s Murder Mystery and Other Stories Gallery Edition, edited by Daniel Chabon (Dark Horse)
  • The Puma Blues: The Complete Saga, by Stephen Murphy, Alan Moore, Michael Zulli, Stephen R. Bissette, and Dave Sim, edited by Drew Ford (Dover)
  • Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: The Don Rosa Library, vols. 3–4, edited by David Gerstein (Fantagraphics)
  • Walt Kelly’s Fairy Tales, edited by Craig Yoe (IDW)

Best Writer

  • Jason Aaron, Southern Bastards (Image), Men of Wrath (Marvel Icon), Doctor Strange, Star Wars, Thor (Marvel)
  • John Allison, Giant Days (BOOM Studios!/BOOM! Box)
  • Ed Brubaker, The Fade Out, Velvet, Criminal Special Edition (Image)
  • Marjorie Liu, Monstress (Image)
  • G. Willow Wilson, Ms. Marvel (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist

  • Bill Griffith, Invisible Ink: My Mother’s Secret Love Affair with a Famous Cartoonist (Fantagraphics)
  • Nathan Hale, Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor (Abrams)
  • Sydney Padua, The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage (Pantheon)
  • Ed Piskor, Hip-Hop Family Tree, vol. 3 (Fantagraphics)
  • Noah Van Sciver, Fante Bukowski, Saint Cole (Fantagraphics)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

  • Michael Allred, Silver Surfer (Marvel); Art Ops (Vertigo/DC)
  • Cliff Chiang, Paper Girls (Image)
  • Erica Henderson, Jughead (Archie), Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (Marvel)
  • Joëlle Jones, Lady Killer (Dark Horse), Brides of Helheim (Oni)
  • Nate Powell, March, Book Two (Top Shelf/IDW)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist

  • Federico Bertolucci, Love: The Tiger and Love: The Fox (Magnetic Press)
  • Colleen Coover, Bandette (Monkeybrain)
  • Carita Lupattelli, Izuna (Humanoids)
  • Dustin Nguyen, Descender (Image)
  • Tony Sandoval, A Glance Backward (Magnetic Press)

Best Cover Artist

  • David Aja, Hawkeye, Karnak, Scarlet Witch (Marvel)
  • Rafael Albuquerque, Ei8ht (Dark Horse), Huck (Image)
  • Amanda Conner, Harley Quinn (DC)
  • Joëlle Jones, Lady Killer (Dark Horse), Brides of Helheim (Oni)
  • Ed Piskor, Hip-Hop Family Tree (Fantagraphics)

Best Coloring

  • Laura Allred, Lady Killer (Dark Horse); Silver Surfer (Marvel); Art OPS (Vertigo/DC)
  • Jordie Bellaire, The Autumnlands, Injection, Plutona, Pretty Deadly, The Surface, They’re Not Like Us, Zero (Image); The X-Files (IDW); The Massive (Dark Horse); Magneto, Vision (Marvel)
  • Elizabeth Breitwiser, The Fade Out, Criminal Magazine, Outcast, Velvet (Image)
  • John Rauch, The Beauty (Image); Batman: Arkham Knight, Earth 2: Society (DC); Runaways (Marvel)
  • Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, BPRD Hell on Earth, Fight Club 2, Frankenstein Underground, Hellboy in Hell, Hellboy and the BPRD, (Dark Horse); Sandman: Overture, Twilight Children (Vertigo/DC), Captain America: White (Marvel), Space Dumplins(Scholastic Graphix)

Best Lettering

  • Derf Backderf, Trashed (Abrams)
  • Steve Dutro, Blood-C, Midnight Society, Plants vs Zombies (Dark Horse)
  • Lucy Knisley, Displacement (Fantagraphics)
  • Troy Little, Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Top Shelf/IDW)
  • Kevin McCloskey, We Dig Worms! (TOON Books)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

  • Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
  • Back Issue, edited by Michael Eury (TwoMorrows)
  • Comic Riffs blog by Michael Cavna, washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/
  • Hogan’s Alley, edited by Tom Heintjes (Hogan’s Alley)
  • Jack Kirby Collector, edited by John Morrow (TwoMorrows)

Best Comics-Related Book

  • Harvey Kurtzman: The Man Who Created Mad and Revolutionized Humor in America, by Bill Schelly (Fantagraphics)
  • King of the Comics: One Hundred Years of King Features Syndicate, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/LOAC)
  • Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts, by Chip Kidd and Geoff Spear (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Out of Line: The Art of Jules Feiffer, by Martha Fay (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel, by Paul Levitz (Abrams ComicArts)

Best Academic/Scholarly Work

  • The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art, edited by  Frances Gateward and John Jennings (Rutgers)
  • Boys Love Manga and Beyond: History, Culture, and Community in Japan, edited by Mark McLelland et al. (University Press of Mississippi)
  • Graphic Medicine Manifesto, by M. K. Czerwiec et al. (Penn State University Press)
  • Superheroes on World Screens, edited by Rayna Denison and Rachel Mizsei-Ward (University Press of Mississippi)
  • Unflattening, by Nick Sousanis (Harvard University Press)

Best Publication Design

  • Beyond the Surface, designed by Nicolas André, Sam Arthur, Alex Spiro, and Camille Pichon (Nobrow)
  • The Eternaut, designed by Tony Ong (Fantagraphics)
  • Eventually Everything Connects, designed by Loris Lora, Sam Arthur, Alex Spiro, and Camille Pichon (Nobrow)
  • King of the Comics: One Hundred Years of King Features Syndicate, designed by Dean Mullaney (IDW/LOAC)
  • Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts, designed by Chip Kidd (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Sandman Gallery Edition, designed by Josh Beatman/Brainchild Studios (Graphitti Designs/DC)

The Heroic Girls’ Guide to Free Comic Book Day 2016

Free Comic Book Day celebrated every year on the first Saturday in May. It’s a day where comic book shops all across the world give away comic books to customers both old and new.

This year, FCBD lands on May 7th. Heroic Girls is giving everything you need to know to find a shop, pick out your books and have a great time.

Not All Shops Are Created Equal

Some shops make FCBD into a massive event, with special sales, in-store signings by local comic writers and artists, raffles, food trucks and more. Other stores barely acknowledge the event at all. There are 50 free comic books available on Free Comic Book Day, but how many each shop will carry varies wildly. Some may only carry two or three, while others will carry the entire line-up. Some will have hundreds or thousands on hand while others will have a few dozen.

Use the local comic shop locator to find the shops near you and call around to see what events each is planning for Saturday and what comics they will have on hand.

Free For You, Not For the Shops

The free comics that the shops are handing out are not actually free. Your local comic shop has to pay for them (although at a steeply discounted rate.) So that brings up two unofficial “rules” for being a good customer on FCBD.

  1. Don’t be greedy — Look over the available comic and only choose the ones that look interesting to you. Don’t grab things you won’t read just because you can. The shops have to pay for those.
  2.  Spend a little money — I know it is “Free” Comic Book Day, but the shops are giving you all this cool stuff, be a good egg and find a little something to buy while you are there. If you’re not sure what to get, ask an employee for a recommendation.

Be Prepared

Below is a list of all the potential comics your local shop might carry. The “Gold” comics are the ones that most stores will carry, while the “Silver” will only be stocked by larger shops or shops doing big events. Make a list of the books you want, check with the shop to make sure they will carry them, and bring your list with you to the shop on FCBD.

Be Early

Check with your local comic shop to find out if they expect there to be a line for the books. Some shops have a line of people waiting every year to get the freebies. The shop can tell you when a good time to arrive is. If you might need to wait, bring snacks, reading material or small games to play to pass the time.

Have Fun

Free Comic Book Day is a blast. Wear a mask! Dress in costumes! Take photos! Live Tweet the event! Share your pics videos and thoughts on social media with the hashtags #FCBD2016 or #FCBD. Then search those hashtags to see what other people are doing to celebrate.

The Comics

Gold Comics

Silver Comics