SHAWN ALLEYNE
Aizan / Street Team / Pyroglyphics Studios

Shawn Alleyne is a Freelance Artist, Writer and Instructor. He was born and raised on the island of Barbados, but later relocated to Philadelphia in his teens, and has lived there since. From an early age he knew he wanted to be involved in art in some capacity, and is currently working in the demanding field of freelance art. To promote the culture of comics as much as possible he formed the comic book networking group Xion, and also teaches a Comic Book curriculum at various facilities in Philadelphia. Shawn's work is produced under the Pyroglyphics Studios banner, a name roughly translated to mean "Hot Images," to reflect his gritty self-taught style.

KIA BARBEE
Evolve

Kia is a proud native New Yorker, filmmaker and WGA (Writers Guild of America) member with a respectable background as an actress/playwright before venturing into the production side of film and education. Kia always had an active imagination for storytelling and a love of live action superhero, sci-fi and supernatural stories. Evolve marks Kia directorial debut and is the first project produced under Kia's company, Elmhurst Entertainment. Currently, Kia is penning several other genre based scripts in development at Elmhurst.

www.elmhurstentertainment.com

www.evolvetheseries.com/

SYR-IVAN BENNETT

Syr-Ivan Bennett is a Brooklyn Based Illustrator / Storyboard artist with several years of experience working for companies such as Nickelodeon ( Dora the Explorer , Bill Cosby's Little Bill ), Marvel Comics (Spider-Man) , and PBS ( Super Why !).Winner of a Parent's Choice Award for his animated short Jinny Starfly , he is currently working on a graphic novel for kids.

RAY BILLINGSLEY
Curtis

Ray Billingsley is an acclaimed award-winning African-American cartoonist with an impressive 41-year (and counting) career. Over the years, he has done a variety of projects, involving advertising, storyboards, greeting cards, magazine layouts and covers, tee designs, novelty design, graphic posters and a full comic book for the Path system.  Ray was also a regular contributor to Ebony magazine from 1978 to 2007.  He literally grew up in the industry and began regularly selling cartoon art at age 12. He attended Music and Art High School at a time when cartooning for Blacks was unheard of, and attended the School of Visual Arts on a full four-year scholarship. Upon graduating, he went to work at Disney, training to be an animator. A few months later, at the age of 22, he landed his first syndicated comic strip, "Lookin' Fine."

Ray also worked for humor magazines, like the now defunct classic The National Lampoon and Crazy Magazine.  His second strip, CURTIS, was an instant hit and widely received and is publicly credited for opening the doors for many others.  It consistently places high on popularity rating charts and is published in 250+ newspapers worldwide and has an estimated daily readership of 34 million. There are two books, "A BOY NAEMED CURTIS" and "LIVING ON SPONGECAKE," the first in a series of volumes.

BARBARA BRANDON-CROFT
Where I'm Coming From

Barbara Brandon-Croft is the daughter of pioneer cartoonist, Brumsic Brandon, Jr., creator of “Luther,” a newspaper comic strip distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate from 1970 to 1986. Barbara is a bit of a trailblazer herself. She became the first black female cartoonist to be nationally syndicated in the mainstream press in 1989 when her comic strip, “Where I’m Coming From” debuted in the Detroit Free Press. It was later picked up by Universal Press Syndicate in 1991 and distributed internationally until 2004.

"Where I’m Coming From," a weekly feature that followed the trials and tribulations of nine black women, was published in 60 plus papers throughout North America and, for a time, ran in The Gleaner in Jamaica, West Indies and South Africa’s Drum . Barbara and her father make up the only father and daughter newspaper cartoonist dynasty—African  American or otherwise.

BROUSSARD BROS.
Battlemasterz

The Broussard Brothers are the creators of the urban inspired, supernatural, comic and anime, Battlemasterz.  Stationed out of New York their family ran publishing arm, Dormworld Comics, debuted Battlemasterz #2 at the NYCC 13' this past October and have a tentative release for #3 this summer.

JERRY CRAFT
Mama's Boyz | The Offenders

Jerry Craft has illustrated and/or written more than two dozen children's books and board games. He has just completed a middle grade novel that he co-wrote with his two teenage sons, Jaylen and Aren Craft called: "The Offenders: Saving the World While Serving Detention!" -- an action / adventure story designed to teach kids about the negative effects of bullying. His work has appeared in national publications such as Essence Magazine, Ebony, and two Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Jerry is also the creator of Mama's Boyz, an award-winning comic strip that has been distributed by King Features Syndicate to almost 900 publications since 1995. Jerry has won five African American Literary Awards. He is currently illustrating his first book for Scholastic.

www.jerrycraft.net

JAYLEN & AREN CRAFT
The Offenders: Saving the World While Serving Detention!

Teenage sons of cartoonist Jerry Craft. The duo are co writers of The Offenders: Saving The World While Serving Detention! The story of 5 middle school bullies who get superpowers, but instead of turning into cool super beings, they take on the characteristics of the kids who they pick on.

www.jerrycraft.net

JENNIFER CRUTE
Jennifer's Journal

Jennifer started writing comics in 2003. Her cartoons were featured in " BITCH " magazine's 2009 winter and 2012 fall issue.  She was a finalist in Lambda Legal's comics contest. A panelist at Skidmore College and MoCCA museum. Her comics have been on display at the Medialia Gallery in NYC.  Jennifer also continues to develop a body of work in oil and mixed media.  Her books are included in the curriculum at USC.

www.crutecomics.com

ECBACC
The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention
Yumy Odom, Akinseye Brown & Shenkarr Davis

The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) is an annual gathering of comic book & sci-fi artists, writers, their fans and retailers. T he Convention n features special guests, panel discussions, self-publishing and graphic arts workshops for aspiring creators, technology workshops and film screenings of works of veterans and emerging professionals alike , and an all-day marketplace to buy and sell comic books and related items.

This year's ECBACC is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, 2014 - Philadelphia, PA

www.ecbacc.com

PROFESSOR WILLIAM FOSTER

A noted historian whoI has long studied the portrayals of race in comic books, both historically and in contemporary comics. His new book, Dreaming of a Face Like Ours , was recently published by Fine Tooth Press.

“The premise of my book is to continue sharing the un-told history of Black comics. Whenever I make a presentation on the topic, I still meet people who never knew Black comics existed,” Foster said. “That's a shame.”

TIM FIELDER
Matty's Rocket

Matty's Rocket is a galaxy spanning tale about the adventures of space pilot Matty Watty. This animatic series is based in an alternative past where the pulp stylings of Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, and Fritz Lang's Metropolis collide with the real world events of World War 2, FDR, Nazis, the Harlem Renaissance and the oppressive Jim Crow era, Watch as Matty navigates her vessel through a dangerous world filled with evil villains, heroic feats, alien oddities and down home adventure.

Tim Fielder, creator of Matty's Rocket, is an Illustrator, concept designer, cartoonist, and animator born and raised in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He has a lifelong love of Visual Afrofutuism, Pulp entertainment, Comic Books, and Action Films.

http://timfielder.com/

www.mattysrocket.com

RAY FELIX

Ray Felix, is a Bronx native and a graduate of the School of Visual arts. His comics include: " God: The Second Coming." " No-1 Anthology," "O.D's H.H" 1 & 2, "Bronx Heroes," "Runaway Slave" and "A World Without Superheroes."  He is also the Executive Director of the community based organization, Bronx Heroes Comic Con, which promotes literacy and education through the practice of reading and creating comics.

Felix has freelanced with off Broadway productions such as "The Monkey King" from Great small Works (2006), Cathay: Tale of 3 cites in China (2007) with director Ping Chong and designer Stephen Kaplan. In addition, "Generation Buy" (2010) with writer/ Director Phillip Saruaci jr. and he worked on the Comic TV adaption of the Bronxnet Emmy Award Winning show "Bronx Flavor," starring Justin Fornal aka Baron Ambrosia. His film credits include "A Wonderful Christmas: Feliz Navidad" (2005) released by Lionsgate Pictures. Ray is the winner of numerous awards and grants such a "BRIO- Bronx Recognizes Its Own, 2002, CAG Award- Community Arts Grant 2011, 2012, NYSCA, New York State Council on the Arts in 2011 and 2012, The Sherman Foundation, New York Community Trust award, The National Endowment for the Arts, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Lambent Foundation of Tides Foundation for 2011.

ROBERT GARRETT
The Inheritors

Writer/ creator of AJALA:  A SERIES OF ADVENTURES, about a 13 year old Harlem teen who happens to be a secret agent in training for a Harlem based secret society. His other books include INHERITORS and GALTOW.

http://xmoorstudios.com/

JOHN JENNINGS
Black Comix | The Hole

Authors of the art book Black Comix: African American Independent Comics Art & Culture, will be signing and speaking at Afri-Ware Books, 266 W. Lake St., Oak Park, IL 60302, from 6-8 p.m.

http://society6.com/BK3030

MSHINDO KUUMBA

An Art Director / visual artist / Comics creator, cover artist, dancer, martial artist and mentor Mshindo Kuumba I has lent his drawing and painting skills to such comics as Jaycen Wise , The Horsemen , Ebony Warrior , The Fringe , Stormbringers Universe , Urbanstyle Comics Dreadlocks , Batman Chronicle , Nightwing, Impulse . His masterworks have also graced the covers of Queen Afua's heal thyself, Heru Ptah’s A Hip Hop Story , Charles Saunder's Dossouye and Imaro. He was recently (2011) featured in the seminal work exploring the black comics experience, Black Comix hard cover edition by John Jennings and Damian Duffy.

Born in Brooklyn, NY 1964. Mshindo; a self taught artist, moved through his early years developing each aspect of his art one skill at a time. Fascinated by photorealism, he moved from pencil to ink, colored pencil to airbrush etc in a fashion allowing for lengthy study with each technique. Mshindo often teaches art workshops for young people, is the co-author of Food Adventures with Charles the Chef, a children’s book about healthy eating, and is currently developing a property with Wesley Snipes called Omandi Mech 5 slated for motion comics, animation and live action. (2014).

ALITHA MARTINEZ

KEITH MILLER
Tri-Boro Tales

REGINE SAWYER
The Rippers

Regine L. Sawyer is the Owner/Writer/Creator of Lockett Down Productions Publications, is a trans-media company that specializes in cutting edge sci-fi comics, novels, and women's pop-culture apparel. The Company was established in late 2007 and made it's public debut at the New York Comic Con in 2008.

http://lockettdown.com/

ARMANI BARAKA SCOTT
The Mighty Magical Majestics

An action adventure tale about hip, young superheroes who discover their powers and their life's purpose through a family tragedy of global proportions.

ALEX SIMMONS
BlackJack | Archie Comics

Creator of the acclaimed BLACKJACK: BLOOD AND HONOR graphic novel, and winner of the 2010 Glyph Best Writer Award for his work on The CARTOON LIFE OF CHUCK CLAYTON for Archie Comics;

http://kidscomiccon.com/

JEWELS SMITH
(H)Afrocentric

H)afrocentric stars a posse of disgruntled undergrads of color as they navigate their way through Ronald Reagan University.  Follow the self proclaimed radical Black feminist, Naima Pepper (who has a White mama), as she deals with the contradictions of her own life in various ways—lashing out in Tourette Syndrome-like rants about gentrification, white supremacy, and apathy.  Both she and her brother, Miles Pepper, grew up in a mostly White and Asian neighborhood. Miles Pepper reflects a popular culture aesthetic and mindset. As they navigate through the world with their best friends, Renee Aanjay Brown and El Ramirez, their identities and neighborhood start to change in front of their eyes.

http://hafrocentric.com/

ROB TAYLOR
Night Jak | Ghost Fighter

CHICAGO, The windy City. A city being rebuilt to represent itself as a shining beacon for the rest of the world to follow has been taken over by mad street gangs, hi-tech mobsters and super powered villains wanting to make a name for themselves.

Billionaire Thomas Knight of "Knight Technologies" is shot in the back when a gang war breaks out in the downtown area and is crippled in its wake. Shaun Knight (his son) uses his marine training-with a little help from an Asian corporate thief named Michael Yu. With an underground state of the art base of operations-together they stand to fight against the war on crime.

www.superhumanworks.com

TITUS THOMAS

Born and raised in the Bronx, New York City, Titus V. Thomas 's aesthetic is influenced by his surroundings, especially music and the NYC graffiti arts movement during the early 1970's and 80's.

Mr. Thomas has designed for critically acclaimed shows such as Bill Cosby's Little Bill , Dora the Explorer & Backyardigans , which airs on the Nick Jr. television network. He was also the illustrator and designer of the NAPPA award-winning children's book, " Everybody Eats Lunch" (written by Cricket Azima). Additionally, as one of several contemporary African American artists, he has also contributed work to the Illustrated graphic novel, "African American Classics" --a book that presents exceptional stories and poems from America's earliest Black writers including W. E. B.  Dubois, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.

www.tituscandraw.com

DAVID WALKER
Super Justice Force

David Walker is a comic book writer and author of the Young Adult series The Adventures of Darius Logan. The first book in the series, Super Justice Force, introduces hero Darius Logan, an ordinary teenager trying to survive in an extraordinary world. Walker is the co-writer of Number 13 from publisher Dark Horse Comics, and his current series, The Army of Dr. Moreau, is being published by Monkeybrain Comics.

http://superjusticeforce.com/

JEROME WALFORD, Forward Comix
Nowhere Man | Curse of the Griffin | Freeing Violet

Jerome Walford lives in Brooklyn, New York. He has been an illustrator for over 10 years with work featured in The New York Times and The Daily News, recently he began producing work in the comics industry. Jerome is the writer and artist on titles published by Forward Comix, which includes: "Freeing Violet", "Nowhere Man" and the young adult novel, "Curse of the Griffin". He regularly exhibits at shows along the east coast.

www.forwardcomix.com |

GREY WILLIAMSON

http://www.carbon-fibre.me/

AND CHECK OUT THESE OTHER EVENTS THAT PROMOTE COMICS IN OUR COMMUNITY

Kids's Comic Con - Alex Simmons (Bronx, NY)

ONYXCON - Joseph Wheeler III (Atlanta, GA)

ECBACC - (East Coast Black Age of Comic Convvention) Yumy Odom (Philadelphia, PA)

BLACK AGE - Turtel Onli (Chicago, IL)