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This was a curious one. Steven Universe is a hugely popular show with a very dedicated fan base, who are themselves pretty diverse. Much of this comes
Posted in: Comics | Tagged: dan slott, diversity, Erica Schultz, HRL, joe glass, Laura Braga, LGBTQ, london super comic con, lscc, Maria Laura Sanapo, panels, women in comics
When No One Tells You You're The Moderator At A Comic Con Panel
Reporting live from the heart of London Super Comic Con's Artists Alley (I'm at table A45 by the way, if you'd like to stop by and say hi and check out my book, The Pride).
Today I had an interesting moment on at the show, as I had my one and only panel here. The panel was Switching It Up: Diversity in Comics, which as you all know is kinda my bag.
Initially, the panel was to have Dan Slott on it, or so I'm told, but he had to drop out and they asked me — one of Dan's favourite people, I'm sure — to replace him. Along with Erica Schultz and Laura Braga, we were going to discuss 'how multiculturalism and a switch to diverse characters has impacted on the modern comic book landscape'.
Of course, although I'd been asked to be part of the panel, I never had a confirmation — so I'd assumed Dan was back until Thursday before the con when I learned otherwise. So all cool.
Then, unfortunately, Braga took ill on the day of the panel, so Schultz swung in to the rescue with a last-minute rescue from Maria Laura Sanapo.
We settled down and were told we were good to start — complete silence. And then I realize everyone is looking at me — and that was when I was told I was the moderator of this panel.
Well, that was a surprise! The audience could tell my shock by my expression, and there were a few awkward laughs. But after a second of "Oh my god, what is my life? I've just done three cons in a row and my brain is meant to function," I grabbed the seat of my pants and just told myself, "Let's do this!"
Thankfully, with the talented Shultz and Sanapo on the panel, and by opening it up to questions early on from an enthused and interested audience, I think we still wound up having a wonderful discussion about the challenges facing diversity in comics and the moves we can all make to help improve the topic.
Just, you know, next time — someone please let me know before the panel.
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