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James Tynion IV Funds B.O.D.E.G.A., Launches A New Brooklyn Comic Con

James Tynion IV chairs B.O.D.E.G.A., launching a new Brooklyn comic convention, BEC, for Thought Bubble weekend...

James Tynion IV, Bryce Gold, and Courtney Menard have just launched the Brooklyn Organisation Dedicated to the Endurance of the Graphic Arts (B.O.D.E.G.A.), a new nonprofit organisation that states it is dedicated to supporting and sustaining comic and graphic arts in Brooklyn and the greater New York area. Formerly of Comixology and Kickstarter, Bryce Gold serves as Executive Director. Comic book writer of Something Is Killing The Children, Batman and Exquisite Corpses, and founder of Tiny Onion, James Tynion IV, will serve as Chair of the company's Board of Directors, alongside Gold and Production Director, illustrator, printmaker, and cartoonist Courtney Menard.

B.O.D.E.G.A.'s inaugural initiative is the Brooklyn Expo of Comics (BEC), a two-day comics festival taking place on the 14th and 15th of November 2026, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at Our Lady of Mount Carmel church. And yes, that means it will totally clash with Thought Bubble.

BEC states that it will spotlight exceptional comics talent from New York and around the world (maybe not Harrogate) while sparking newfound appreciation for independent comics and zines. The festival will feature a varied slate of panel discussions with leading creators and industry voices, alongside a convention where over one hundred artists will showcase and sell their work. Courtney Menard and Bryce Gold will co-direct the Brooklyn Expo of Comics. Chris Ware (Acme Novelty Library, Rusty Brown) and Lisa Hanawalt (I Want You, Coyote Doggirl) will attend the debut convention as guests, with more guests to be announced in the coming months.

BEC will also debut the B.O.D.E.G.A. Comic Arts Trophy (CAT), honouring standout publications presented at the convention with a mid-convention award ceremony, and launch the Brooklyn Annual of Graphically Elevated Literature (BAGEL), a new magazine showcasing comics storytelling and talent from New York-based cartoonists, with future editions premiering annually at BEC. B.O.D.E.G.A. states that it will continue to champion comic artists and audiences through exhibitions, independent educational programming, live readings, artist talks and signings, and direct financial grants for New York creators and community-driven comics projects. B.O.D.E.G.A. honours the legacy of comics legends from New York who instigated the comics industry and follows in the tradition of Brooklyn-based cultural institutions like Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and The Center for Fiction,

"When I started publishing comics and zines in New York, resources for comics creatives outside of educational institutions were few and far between," said Gold. "So much of my approach to comics was through a 'do it yourself and figure it out' ethos, and I've always strived to pay that knowledge forward, providing the next generation of creators more accessible support than what was available when I was in their shoes. B.O.D.E.G.A. is here to reshape that relationship, and I am so excited to offer future comics creators new opportunities to learn, create, and flourish here in Brooklyn."

Illustrator and educator Christina Lee joins B.O.D.E.G.A. as Communications Manager. Comics literary agent Paloma Hernando will serve as Outreach Manager. Desert Island Comics founder and Smoke Signal publisher Gabe Fowler joins as Panel Coordinator for BEC. Menard previously worked with Fowler on Comics Art Brooklyn, or CAB, an annual independent comics festival run by Desert Island, which operated from 2013 to 2019.

"Working with Gabe on CAB let me see firsthand what a great comics festival can do for the Brooklyn independent comics community," said Menard. "It lets us get out of our own heads and apartments, and into a space where we can shake off the dust and celebrate our work with enthusiasts and fellow creators alike. A comics festival that fills that space in Brooklyn is long overdue. CAB set the bar incredibly high, and we feel honoured to have Gabe contributing his experience and expertise to our programming slate." "I can't tell you how many times my customers have begged me to bring back the Comic Arts Brooklyn show, and I'm psyched to join this incredible team to keep the spirit of independent comics alive in Brooklyn," said Fowler.

B.O.D.E.G.A. and BEC are supported by an initial donation from James Tynion IV "I've always loved the full and inspiring breadth of the comics medium, from its most mass market forms in newspaper strips and superhero magazines, to the cutting edge of the indie alternative scene and the brilliant artists pushing the limits of what comics can be," said Tynion. "For years, I've wanted to find a way to use my stature in the industry to help support the people working on that cutting edge, and do what I can to support a thriving scene in the city I love. It's hard to live as a working cartoonist in New York, and we want to do what's in our power to help."

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