The comic world's longest-running panel celebrates its silver anniversary with an incredible all-star lineup and celebration that spotlights creators, comics, and fans from 1988 to the present. It was once unthinkable that mainstream companies such as DC, Marvel, and Archie would have bestselling and award-winning titles frontlining gay characters such as Batwoman, Northstar, and Kevin Keller. Now, they hire top-level gay or gay-friendly creators, and independent publishers and creators are publishing unequivocal content spotlighting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered characters, to the cheers of the thousands of fans who are out of the comic book closet and those who welcome diversity among comic book protagonists. This year, founding moderator and best-selling author
Andy Mangels, chairs a new form of panel, a live documentary that will unfold for the audience, featuring a mixture of commentary, images, music and other surprises! Showcased with live appearances and video messages will be an army of awesome creators who have appeared on the previous 24 panels, including
Howard Cruse, creator of
Stuck Rubber Baby and
Barefootz, founder of Gay Comix, and godfather of the gay comic movement;
Roberta Gregory, creator of
Naughty Bits and
Bitchy Bitch and the godmother of the gay comic movement;
Phil Jimenez, amazing artist of
Fairest, Astonishing X-Men, and
Wonder Woman; Alison Bechdel, creator of the award-winning
Fun Home, Dykes To Watch Out For, and the new book
Are You My Mother?;
Charles "Zan" Christensen, founding member of Prism Comics and publisher of gay-themed Northwest Press;
Gail Simone, the writer of
Batgirl, Wonder Woman, and the sexually diverse
Secret Six;
Eric Shanower, respected artist, writer, and publisher of
Age of Bronze and Oz books;
Joan Hilty, creator of the weekly comic strip
Bitter Girl and past DC editor;
Ivan Velez, Jr., writer of
Tales of the Closet and
Ghost Rider; Paige Braddock, the creator of the comic book and newspaper strip
Jane's World;
Joe Phillips, artist and publisher of
Joe Boys, Star Trek, and
The Heretic;
Trina Robbins, remarkable writer and artist whose work on behalf of women in comics has helped redefine the industry;
Dan Parent, writer and artist for
Archie and
Betty & Veronica and creator of Archie's new gay character, Kevin Keller;
Wendy Pini, the creator of
ElfQuest and
Masque of the Red Death;
Chip Kidd, award-winning author, editor, and designer of books such as
Batman: Death by Design, Bat-Manga, and Rough Justice;
Patty Jeres, past DC Comics director of marketing communications, and past Prism Comics co-president;
Joe Palmer, awesome webmaster of Gay League.com;
Ed Luce, writer/artist of the Bear-centric
Wuvable Oaf and small press retailer;
Jeff Krell, creator and publisher of the long-running
Jayson series;
Robert Triptow, legendary cartoonist and past editor of
Gay Comix;
Justin Hall, author of
No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics, creator of
Glamazonia, and Prism Comics talent chair;
Marc Andreyko, author of the fan-favorite
Manhunter series and
Captain America and Bucky;
Sean-Z, erotic artist of Rated-Z Studios'
Myth series;
Steve Englehart, industry legend and creator of comics' first out gay superhero Extrano in 1987's
Millennium;
Jon Macy, award-winning writer and artist of
Teleny and Camille and
Fearful Hunter;
Ted Abenheim, the new president of Prism Comics and heroic and tireless fundraiser for GLBT organizations; and
Roger Klorese, a past president of Prism Comics and longtime comic and Internet trailblazer. This panel will be chock-full from beginning to end, so be on time or you'll miss some awesome surprises that we aren't announcing yet! Afterward, stick around for the celebratory gay comics fan mixer/social, hosted by Prism Comics, with prizes and surprise special guests!
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