Diamond Distributors is hosting its annual SLJTeen Live! virtual event today, an online event that offers several creator appearances discussing the future of storytelling, including freelance comic book artist, writer Emma Kubert, award-winning writer Ed Brubaker, art teacher Meghan Parker, editor Christopher Marlon, and many others.
“With hope on the horizon after an unprecedented, traumatic year, educators, librarians, and students are wondering: ‘Where do we go from here?'” ask the organisers.
“So much of adolescence is preparing for the future – college, careers, adulthood, the next grade – and that’s even tougher when no one knows what the future will look like. As we adjust to a new normal, we must move forward while remembering where we’ve come from. After a pandemic and amid continued tragedies of racist violence, teens and adults alike are called to heal and grow, to learn more, and to further conversations about history and justice.
“Through it all, books reflect and illuminate our lives, telling boundary-pushing stories that take publishing to the next level. As teens consider what comes after childhood, we all must think about what the future holds for students and storytelling.”
Among the many gursts are Emma Kubert, a freelance comic book artist, writer, and graduate of the Kubert School (2018). She has freelanced for various companies such as DC Entertainment, Dynamite Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, and Image Comics. Emma recently penciled, inked and colored for DC Entertainments’ DC Superhero Girls and Teen Titans Go!, and drew layouts for the company’s young adult graphic novel Raven. Though she loves superheroes, fantasy is her favorite genre, and she is extremely pumped to be presenting INKBLOT through Image Comics with her partner in crime, Rusty Gladd.
Ed Brubaker is one of the most acclaimed writers in comics, winning five best writer Eisner and Harvey Awards in the last ten years. His bestselling work with Sean Phillips on Criminal, Incognito, Fatale and The Fade Out has been translated around the world to great acclaim, and Marvel’s movies featuring his co-creation, The Winter Soldier, have all been international blockbusters.
Also on the guest list is Christopher Marlon, who conceived and edited the new collection of Friday Foster, considered to be the first nationally American syndicated comic strip with a black female lead character.
• Check out the full list of featured graphic novels and author chats at this year’s SLJTeenLive! here
¨• Register for the event here
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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