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6.24.2009

register now for the first-ever asian american comicon


Some more details are coming together for the first ever Asian American Comicon, happening Saturday, July 11 at the Museum of Chinese in America in New York City. Please excuse my fanboy geekiness, but it's going to be freaking awesome. And you, good readers, can register at a discount rate.
WHEN: Saturday, July 11, 2009, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(Invitation-only VIP reception begins at 6 p.m.)

WHERE: The new Museum of Chinese in America
215 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan

VIP Pass*: $75 $65
Adults: $25 $20
Student (age 11 to 18), Senior (65 and over), MOCA or AAWW Member: $15
Child (age 10 and under): Free with Adult
But space is limited, so register now. This unique one-day event will be a gathering of the biggest Asian American creators in manga, mainstream and indie comics, and will feature interactive workshops, interviews, and hands-on opportunities to learn from the top talents in the trade.

Meet and mingle, get autographs, and just bask in the presence of fellow comic book geeks. And take part in provocative panels like:
  • Nerdpop: The rise of the nerds, and why geek chic is changing the game

  • Every Comic Is Asian American: An all-star lineup of novelists and poets reimagine their favorite comic book characters as Asian American

  • Pop Goes East: How the Asianification of American pop culture has reshaped the graphic novel

  • The New Villains: Muslim insurgents, North Korean dictators, and Chinese spies, oh my!

  • Writers' Bloc: Leading comics writers discuss the craft of writing in panels, and show how graphical narratives allow for stories impossible to tell in any other medium

  • Visual Storytelling--The Master Class: Top comics creators show off their individual approaches to telling stories with pictures

  • Can Comics Pay the Rent?: Is there a future for the comics industry? And do you belong in it?

  • Similar Differences: A one-on-one interview with alt-comics wunderkind DEREK KIRK KIM

  • Asians in Boxes--From Chop-Chop to Silver Samurai: A guided tour with science fiction legend William F. Wu, as he shares samples from his collection of thousands of comics depicting Asian images...good, bad, and definitely ugly

  • Hama Time!: A spotlight interview with comics pioneer Larry Hama, creator of the G.I. Joe universe and winner of this year's KIYAMA AWARD celebrating the achievements of Asians in comics!
There will be a special keynote and award presentation honoring comics superstar and G.I. Joe mythology creator Larry Hama. Science fiction legend William Wu will also get the spotlight, talking comics and sharing his vast collection of comic books depicting the history of the Asian image in cartoons--from the good, to the bad, to the very, very ugly.

Other featured guests will include Bernard Chang, Cliff Chiang, Sean Chen, Christina Strain, Fred Chao, Derek Kirk Kim, Christine Norrie, Greg Pak, Khoi Pham, Tak Toyoshima, Misako Rocks!, Kuo-Yu Liang, Sharad Devarajan, and of course, the Secret Identities editors. Like I said, it's going to be awesome. For more information, including full program details, go to the Asian American Comicon website here.