Posted in: Comic Pros, Comics | Tagged: black comicbook conventions, black comics, black comix day, keithan jones, san diego
Black Comix Day 2020 Brings A Cultural Spotlight To San Diego
In a fit of irony, fans and creators of Black comics material will descend on the World Beat Center for Black Comix Day, a two-day celebration of African-descended makers of sequential art and content aimed at that community.
Organized by The World Beat Center's Makeda Dread and cartoonist Keithan Jones, this is the third year this cultural celebration has graced America's finest city and it has only grown from its beginnings at the Malcolm X Library in the city's Encanto neighborhood.
"With the staff of the Malcolm X Library," Jones said, "we came up with a game plan to collect as many Black creators in comics as we could. The original event debuted the day after Black Panther debuted. Since 2018, it's been growing since. I'm hoping for the same success or even larger. I would like to see the show become a hub or hotspot where for example, Ryan Coogler and the cast could debut the trailer for the new Black Panther movie and talk about it. I'd like Black Comix Day to get to that level."
Programming includes a Saturday panel examining the intersections of race and time travel in science fiction with Eisner winners Dr. Damian Duffy and Professor John Jennings, moderated by the winner of the City of Los Angeles Cultural Trailblazer award and Bleeding Cool head comics reviewer Hannibal Tabu.
"I want folks to feel that they're entering a cultural experience that's specific to Black folks," Jones explained of the motivations behind the show. "I liken it to going for Chinese food or Italian food. You want to experience something different. I don't believe most comic book conventions are specific to any type of culture or genre."
Black Comix Day: Heroes Rise 3 takes place from 10AM until 6PM Saturday and Sunday, February 22 and 23, 2020 at 2100 Park Boulevard, San Diego, CA. For more information, there is an Eventbrite page.