2017 Schedule

PANELS, PRESENTATIONS & OFF-SITE EVENTS!

OFF SITE: Friday, September 8, 8:00 PM Pre-Party Meet and Greet at Austin Books & Comics, 5002 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin TX 78751

Saturday, September 9: Show Hours 11 AM – 6 PM, in the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex Theater 

12:00 PM: Storytelling and Empathy: Using Product Design Tools to Tell a Better Story: In Austin’s high-tech businesses, designers use narrative to put users at the center of what they do. In this hour, experts from Fjord will show you the tools they use to build apps and websites and how you can leverage user research and product design methodologies to tell better, more empathetic stories of your own.

1:30 PM:  A 2-in-1 panel by Ngozi Ukazu!

  • Starting A Webcomic – Storytelling & Self-Promotion: Whether you want to launch a bi-weekly gag comic or finally share your multi-chapter epic, webcomics are all about churning out content and finding an audience. Come get some quick tips from the creator of Check, Please on how to get started–the rest is up to you!
  • Jock Strips: Writing for Inclusion & Progression in Sports: The world of sports is filled with rules and traditions–which makes it a perfect genre for pushing boundaries. The creator of Check, Please discusses how the sports genre is fertile ground for telling complex and progressive stories.

3:00 PM: Red, White, Black & Blue: A Cartoonist’s Look at Police Brutality: Award-winning gentleman cartoonist Keith Knight (the K Chronicles, (th)ink, the Knight Life) brings his world-famous slideshow showcasing 25 years of his cartoons addressing police brutality and racism in the U.S.  Using humor, story-telling and statistics, he makes the case that the country is at a moral and spiritual crossroads when it comes to the rights of all its citizens. The slideshow has been brought to universities, churches and museums worldwide, garnering Knight a Belle Foundation Grant and an NAACP History Maker nod.

4:30 PM Comics in the Classroom: An Educator’s Roundtable: Educators and comic book professionals discuss how comics can be used in education — from how to make comics, to analyzing the medium, to using them to teach various subjects as part of curriculum or in workshops. This roundtable will share insights and best practices, sharing ideas and inspiration for raising readers, writers, and artists. Audience participation is encouraged!

OFF SITE: 9:00 PM – Midnight. Live Art Show Benefit for KOOP at Rio Rita, 1203 Chicon St.

Sunday, September 10: Show Hours 12 AM – 6 PM, in the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex  Theater

1:00 PM: Comics Writing: Tips and Tools for Beginners and Seasoned Pros – Join New York Times bestselling comics author Paul Benjamin for a one-hour tutorial derived from his recent classes at Austin’s writing retreat “The Writing Barn.” Paul will share some of the practical tools and techniques he’s used to write comics and video games such as Marvel Heroes, Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel Adventures Hulk, World of Warcraft: Shaman, Disney Princess, and more!

2:30 PM: Where the Hell are the Pictures? – Austin authors gather to chat about their work in the horror, crime, science fiction, and fantasy genres. They’ll be talking about novels and short stories – the ones they recommend, and the ones they’ve written. But don’t get judge-y; a couple of them have written graphic novels and comics too!

4:00 PM – Understanding the Legal Issues facing Visual Artists. A Presentation by Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts – A brief overview of the copyright, trademark, right of publicity, publishing, and business law issues facing visual artists along with a question and answer format aimed at making sure everyone leaves the seminar with more knowledge and understanding. Topics include entity formation, copyright registration, fair use, collaborating with other artists, fan fiction, and whatever else you may be curious about.