Schomburg’s 11th Annual Black Comic Book Festival

The 2023 Black Comic Book Festival marks 11 years of bringing together animators, Blerds, bloggers, cosplay lovers, fans, families, illustrators, independent publishers, and writers to celebrate Black comic books and graphic novels and provides a platform to get the works directly to readers. This annual event features panel discussions, workshops, and cosplay showcases, and highlights the work of creators from across the country.

#SchomCom2023 | SchomCom Art by T.J. Sterling

The 11th annual festival from April 14—15, 2023, will include a mix of in-person and virtual events. Keep checking our Eventbrite page for updates as we add more events.

SchomCom Exhibitors will be onsite at the Schomburg Center on Friday, April 14 from 10 M- 8 PM & Saturday, April 15 from 10 AM- 8 PM.

Friday, April 14

10:30 AM – 12:15 PM | Black Comic Futures (Curated by Black Comics Collective)

Generation Z: The Future of Comics

The panel will focus on young comic book artists and young comic book enthusiasts. How comic book culture has informed their journey as aspiring artists. What their ideas are as young storytellers, Where the industry is and where it’s going, and how they see themselves fitting into/creating that future.

Guests: AK Lovelace, Kayin Bann, Marley Alburez (Harlem School of the Arts)

Little Apple Universe Screenings

An interactive discussion and look inside the TV shows and school curriculum activities of Little Apple Universe.

Guests: Riley Wilson, Little Apple Universe Young Actors

Please Note: These programs are strongly suggested for school and youth groups. Please email schomburged@nypl.org if you would like to register your group. K-12 students who attend the event will receive a free festival gift!

1 PM – 2 PM | Banned Books and Diversity in Comics

Book bans across the U.S. are targeting graphic novels and comic books, especially those that take up issues of race, gender, and sexuality. This will be a conversation about how to advocate for stories that represent the full range of experiences for youth and adults.

Guests: Joe Illidge, Dr. Monique Couvson, Mike Haynes-Pitts, Kadia Tubman

Book signing to follow in Latimer Gallery.

3 PM – 4 PM | The Creator Symposium

Hosted by Women in Comics Collective International, this conversation will explore the ways in which multimedia and comic book professionals working in comics can continue to grow and thrive in an ever-changing industry.

Guests: Regine Sawyer, Janicia Francis, Shauna Grant, Javier Cruz Winnik, Barbara Brandon-Croft, Ben Ha Meen

Book signing to follow in Latimer Gallery.

5 PM – 6 PM | The Business of Comics and Sequential Narrative

A conversation on the business of comics and moving in the industry beyond just publishing.

Guests: T.J. Sterling, Alitha Martinez, Shawn Martinbrough, Gamal Hennesy, Dedren Snead

6:45 PM – 7:45 PM | Access Guide’s Black Comics Trivia Challenge!

Access Guide to the Black Comic Book Community hosts the first SchomCom Trivia Night. This “Jeopardy” style event features the panelists and audience members in a nerd-off of Black characters and events from comics, tv, movies, and the culture, for ultimate bragging rights. Attendees will be able to play along on their phones or tablets to see if they are as knowledgeable as our panelists.

Guests: Tatiana King, Karama Horne, John Jennings, Regine Sawyer

Book signing to follow in Latimer Gallery.

Saturday, April 15

11 AM – 12 PM | How to Draw Black Superheroes & Comics

Join Tim Fielder (Infinitum, DieselFunk Studios) for a master class on drawing comics. This program is open to all ages, but it is especially geared towards young people ages 5 and up.

Guest: Tim Fielder

Book signing to follow in Latimer Gallery.

1 PM – 2:30 PM | Speaking for Ourselves: Black Women & Marginalized Voices in Comics

A conversation hosted by the Nerds, Erbs and Words podcast featuring industry experts about the nuances of Black women, LGBTQ, and other marginalized voices in comics and storytelling — voices that mainstream media often misses.

Guests: Erika Hardison & Keisha Parks (Nerds, Erbs and Words), Shauna Grant, Karama Horne, Elizabeth Colomba, Barbara Brandon-Croft

Book signing to follow in Latimer Gallery.

3:30 -PM – 4:30 PM | Black in the Future: Afrofuturism in Comics & Graphic Novels

A conversation highlighting the powerful relationship between Afrofuturism, comics, and graphic novels.

Guests: John Jennings, Ytasha Womack, Tim Fielder, Ayize Jama-Everett

Book signing to follow in Latimer Gallery.

5:30 PM – 7 PM | Cosplay Showcase

The SchomCom Cosplay Showcase is open to attendees of all ages and skill levels. The showcase will take place on Saturday, April 15 at 6 PM. If you want to participate, you can sign up at the Schomburg Center on Friday, April 14 from 10 AM – 8 PM, or Saturday, April 15 from 10 AM- 3 PM. The last registration for the cosplay showcase is at check-in on Saturday, April 15.

Guest DJ: Greg Wilson (@gregorywilson)

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard
New York, NY 10037

FREE EVENT w/RSVP HERE