The dates for the popular Black Comic Book Festival have been announced.
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture announced the 7th Annual Black Comic Book Festival dates to be held on January 18-19, 2019.
This year’s festival will feature more than a dozen panel conversations with leading creators of color in the comic book industry, book signings, a cosplay show, youth programming at Countee Cullen Library, and a special free screening of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The full festival schedule is included below.
“This is a special time for Black comix creators, writers, and characters,” said Kevin Young, director of the Schomburg Center. “With Black Panther, Black Lightning, Octavia Butler’s Kindred, and many others, there’s a resurgence in using this medium to tell our stories, to engage existing comix fans, and to cultivate new ones. We’re excited to be the premier platform where comix creators of color convene to discuss the industry, its future, and to personally interact with their fans and each other. Plus, as a longtime comic collector since I was a teenager, it’s quite special to find my fellow fans!”
“The Schomburg Center’s Black Comic Book Festival is not only the place where participants can find the comics and characters they love, but it’s also the place where new connections, relationships, and ideas are made,” said Brian Jones, education director at the Schomburg Center. “There’s no better place than Harlem to be the home for Black comix culture. We’re looking forward to the conversations that will happen at the coming annual event, and to the ways in which we’ll continue supporting the Black comix community and nurture its growth.”
Black Comic Book Festival participants are encouraged to wear their favorite cosplay costumes and to register on-site for the annual cosplay show. Participants are also invited to contribute to the Schomburg Center’s growing collection of Black independent comic books by bringing single copies of old or new titles from their home collection. All donations will become a part of the Schomburg Center’s unique and growing archive documenting Black comix and the Black speculative arts movement.
The Schomburg Center’s 7th Annual Black Comic Book Festival art was created by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez (@mredgardonyc), writer & creator of La Borinquena Comics.
Pick your Date ~ Register Here
Check out the schedule of events for 2019!
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is a division of The New York Public Library, and is located at 515 Malcolm X Blvd at 135th Street, Harlem, NYC
Countee Cullen Library (Youth Programming) is located right around the corner at 104 West 136th Street, Harlem, NYC
Did you know that The Schomburg Center has the largest collection of Green Books ~ they house a full digital collection, free and available to the public.
While you’re there, check out the new exhibition, CRUSADER: Martin Luther King Jr. on view through April 6, 2019.
#BlackComicBookFest