Ten from SDSU present panels at 52nd annual San Diego Comic-Con International

Afrofuturism, Kumeyaay visual storytelling, Black horror, the history of comics in libraries, and how to use comics to teach social justice are featured topics at the 52nd annual Comic-Con International held July 25-28 in downtown San Diego.

This year SDSU’s Center for Comics Studies welcomed 25 teachers from across the U.S. to the NEH-funded Summer Institute for K-12 Teachers. The institute participants will attend Comic-Con with Elizabeth Pollard and Pamela Jackson, co-directors of the center, and some will join the first panel discussion 5-6 p.m. on Thursday, July 25 at the Shiley Special Events Suite, San Diego Central Library.

Here are descriptions of the SDSU panels —

Thursday, July 25

“Just Wrapped: NEH K-12 Institute: Using Comics to Teach Social Justice”
San Diego State University faculty from the Center for Comics Studies, Pamela Jackson, comic arts curator and co-director of the Center for Comics Studies, Elizabeth Pollard, professor of history and co-director of the Center for Comics Studies, and Katherine Sciurba, professor of literacy education share the curriculum of SDSU’s NEH-funded Summer Institute for K-12 Teachers, entitled “Using Comics to Teach Social Justice,” and select K-12 teachers who participated in this year’s Institute reflect on lesson plans developed over the course of the two-week institute that wraps up with four days at Comic-Con. 

“Afrofuturism — Black to the Future VII: CosPlay Heaven”
Are you tired of Kosplay Karens telling you that your depiction of a fictional character isn't realistic because you're Black? Meet the Black content creators and actors who are pioneering the imaginative use of characters of color in film and television. They're about to do to cosplay what they've done for entertainment, sports, and medicine. Trust them — they didn't get all dressed up for nothing! The distinguished panel will discuss emerging techniques in character portrayal and how Black performers and cosplayers will uniquely impact the entertainment industry. 

Panelists: Kevin Grevioux, actor, writer, director, producer, comic book publisher; creator, “Underworld” and “I, Frankenstein”; Rico Anderson, actor, “The Orville, Star Trek: Renegades,” “Grey's Anatomy,” and “S.W.A.T.”; Ajani Brown, lecturer, Africana Studies will introduce the participants and panel moderator will be creator Jimmy Diggs, original content producer, screenwriter, “Star Trek: Voyager,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”

Friday, July 26

“Comics Catalog: A History of Comics in Libraries”
Hosted by Fanbase Press, library professionals and comics historians will discuss the incredible history of comics being embraced by libraries, as well as the opportunities and challenges present in providing access for library patrons to the breadth of comic book content now available. 

Panelists: Barbra Dillon, editor-in-chief, Fanbase Press; Moni Barrette, director of collection development and publisher relations, Library Pass: Jack Phoenix, graphic novel selector, Brodart; Pamela Jackson, comic arts curator, co-director of SDSU Center for Comics Studies, Jason Larsen, comics studies librarian, Michigan State University.

“From Candyman to The Blackening: The Spectrum of Black Horror”
The panelists will focus on both film and TV, discussing representations of Blackness in horror and the subsequent impacts on racial identity and mental wellness.

Panelists: Ajani Brown, Africana Studies lecturer; Vanessa Hintz, “Umm . . . About That!” podcast; Victor Dandridge, Jr.,Vantage: Inhouse Productions; Stanford Carpenter, Black & Brown Comix Arts Festival; and John Jennings, professor of media and cultural studies, UC Riverside. 

Saturday, July 27

“Honoring Kumeyaay Nation’s Past, Present, and Future through Visual Storytelling” 
Kumeyaay elders and historians will develop a community engaged comic that speaks from the perspective of the Kumeyaay people, on whose land Comic-Con is held every year. This comic is a way to tell stories of Kumeyaay people from past to present and engage with their own communities, schools, and beyond. In this panel, the audience will hear more about how tribal historians are driving the work of this visual storytelling project as a creative team brings it to life. Find out about opportunities to engage locally and access tools you can use to dive into a similar project with your community.

Panelists: Ethan Banegas Luiseno-Kumeyaay, lecturer in American Indian Studies and San Diego History Center historian, Michael Connolly Miskwish Campo Kumeyaay Nation, Kumeyaay historian, Lorraine Orosco Kumeyaay-Ipai, education executive director for San Pasqual Band of Indians, and Stanley Rodriguez Kumeyaay, instructor of Kumeyaay language and director of the board at the Kumeyaay Community College have teamed up with Jen Shannon, program manager and curator at the National Museum of the American Indian, John Swogger, archaeologist and comics creator, and Jewyl Alderson innovation division, San Diego County Office of Education. 

“For All Mankind: Historic Fiction, Real Science”
With stations on the moon and missions to Mars, humanity is entering another era of the space race. Local scientists take a look at the imagined history in Apple TV's “For All Mankind” as well as explore the science behind the upcoming space missions. What does it take to live on the moon? Is medicine ready to keep astronauts healthy and fit on long-range missions to Mars? When can we expect to use cryo-sleep technology to explore even more of our galaxy? And what does another space race mean for humanity? 

Panelists: The Fleet Science Center, Kokila Shankar, neuroscience and biomedical sciences; Laine D'Augustine, Space Exploration, Laura-Isobel McCall, associate professor, San Diego State University, bioanalytical chemistry; Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra, associate professor in sociology, UCSD; Adam Burgasser, professor astronomy and astrophysics, UCSD; Lisa Will, professor in physics, San Diego City College, resident astronomer, Fleet Science Center; and moderator Andrea Decker, scientist engagement manager, Fleet Science Center geek out with local scientists over “For All Mankind” and its science.

“Comic Bans: On the Front Lines”
Challenges to graphic novels and manga are taking place throughout the country in numbers that are sure to increase as election day draws near. In this panel, comics retailers, publishers, educators, students, and fans will join the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s Bob Wayne, Jeff Trexler, and Dale Cendali; attorney Marc Greenberg; and San Diego State University Lecturer Mary Ellen Stout to share their experiences – and strategies – on the front lines of what can seem to be a never-ending battle to protect the comic arts.

Sunday, July 28

“One for the [Comic] Books: A Curriculum Transformed”
San Diego State University faculty and an alumna from the Center for Comics Studies share insights from their now-completed two-year grant to develop ten courses and a comics certificate focused on the unique power of comics to address social justice issues.

Panelists: Elizabeth Pollard, professor of history and co-director of the Center for Comics Studies; Pamela Jackson, comic arts curator and co-director of the Center for Comics Studies; Kishauna Soljour, professor of classics and humanities specializing in public humanities and African diaspora studies; Michael Domínguez, professor of Chicana and Chicano studies; and Grace Dearborn, B.A. history, 2024).

(Check the official Comic-Con schedule for times and room locations.)