This workshop celebrates the contributors from African American, Hispanics, Asian and female creators in the sequential arts medium known as comics. Since the inception of this American pop culture, these groups have always played a role as actors, actresses, graphic artists, pencilers, inkers, and writers in the comic industry.

“Marvel Studios released their long-awaited and much-anticipated Black Panther film in February 2018, a cinematic version of the Marvel Comics superhero that artist/storyteller Jack Kirby created back in 1965 as The Coal Tiger, a black superhero without a full-face mask—or mask of any sort—that The Black Panther would eventually wear when he debuted in print in ’66. The circumstances surrounding this drastic change, along with details and insight into the character’s fascinating origin and background that Kirby gave him, and how these are—and are not—reflected in the movie, will be discussed and shown.

As an international explorer and producer of National Geographic, Justin will discuss how getting out of your comfort zone and engaging in new experiences is what truly adds to creativity. He will provide benefits to going outside of the digital world and exploring communities is a win-win proposition.