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Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival June 14 & 15!

A2CAF 2025 is almost here, and the excitement is building! The weekend will be fun and FREE for all at the Ann Arbor District Library, so come join us for...

...Hands-on workshops and other programs ...Drawing games ...Over 40 artists and writers in Artists Alley

And our special guests:

Raina Telgemeier

Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award–winning creator of the graphic memoirs Smile, Sisters, and Guts. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novel adaptations, and, with Scott McCloud, the co-creator of The Cartoonists Club.

Scott McCloud

Scott McCloud has been writing, drawing, and examining comics since 1984. Winner of the Eisner and Harvey awards, Scott created the superhero comic series Zot!, along with work on The New Adventures of Abraham Lincoln and on Superman comics. He also created Understanding Comics and other influential non-fiction comics, and, with Raina Telgemeier, is the co-creator of The Cartoonists Club.

Tony Weaver Jr.

Tony Weaver, Jr. is an award-winning writer and educator creating diverse stories that make young people feel seen and valued. After seeing the impact that media stereotypes had on students in his community, Tony embarked on a journey to create narratives that would challenge the status quo. He is the author of Weirdo—a middle-grade graphic novel memoir about an awkward preteen who loves all things geeky but struggles with mental health issues and self-doubt.

More information about programming and guests here.

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A2CAF 2024...with Guests Galore!

A2CAF 2024 is just weeks away and we’ve got a tremendous lineup of guests for you.

Leading the pack are:

Vera Brosgol , children’s book author and illustrator (Leave Me Alone!, Memory Jars) and cartoonist creator of Anya’s Ghost, Be Prepared, and the just-published Plain Jane and the Mermaid.

Nathan Hale, writer and artist of graphic novels like The Mighty Bite, Apocalypse Taco, and the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series.

James Kochalka is both a musician and longtime creator of comics, including the early readers series Johnny Boo, Glork Patrol and Dragon Puncher.

Jen Wang is the cartoonist creator of Stargazing, Koko Be Good, and the award-winning The Prince and the Dressmaker.

In addition, we’ll have Artists Alley writers and artists from Michigan, the Midwest and beyond, with a diverse array of comics to show, to talk about…and of course for you to buy.

Want to know what drew them to a career in comics? What comics they first loved? Who their cartoonist heroes were? Or share yours? It’s easy to do: Having the chance to chat with the people who make comics is one of the best parts of the A2CAF experience!

And if you want to start making comics too, join one of our hands-on workshops and learn how!

 It’ll be a full weekend of fun at the Ann Arbor District Library downtown, June 15 &16.

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See what A2CAF is all about!

Never been to the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival and wondering what the fuss is about?

You’re in luck! This video from our tenth anniversary will show you what a blast you can have at this year’ event.

Already an A2CAF regular? Then remind yourself what you love about it and get ready to meet new artist and writer guests at the Ann Arbor District Library June 10 & 11!

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A2CAF guest Dan Santat on NPR

Listen here for a great interview with one of this year's special guests, Dan Santat, on NPR. He talked about his new comic book memoir, A First Time for Everything.

And be sure to come see Dan--and all our amazing guests--June 10 & 11 at the Ann Arbor District Library!

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A2CAF 2023 Is On—June 10 & 11!

The Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival is back for our first full-weekend show since 2019 and we’re overjoyed to be able to invite the world to the Ann Arbor District Library this June…

...Where you’ll have the chance to meet dozens of comics creators in Artists Alley, take part in comics-making workshops, cheer on cartoonists in our spectacular drawing competitions, browse and buy books, and if we do our jobs right, fall in love with comics all over again!

And it’s all free!

Leading our guest list will be:

·         Gale Galligan (Freestyle, The Baby-Sitters Club)

·         Nate Powell (March, Save It for Later)

·         Dan Santat (The Aquanaut, A First Time for Everything)

·         Jen Wang (The Prince and the Dressmaker, Stargazing)

And if you would like to be a guest at this year’s A2CAF, the application for Artists Alley table space can be found here. Table space is free, and applications are open until February 28. All ages are welcome to apply.

No matter which side of the table you hope to be on, mark your calendar for June 10 & 11!

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WE'RE BACK! A2CAF SUPER SUMMER SATURDAY!

After two years of COVID cancellations, Kids Read Comics and the Ann Arbor District Library are happy to announce a one-day mini-show on July 16!

We'll be welcoming special guests Dana Simpson and Jo Rioux, who will be presenting, signing books, and joining our Artists Alley.

We're thrilled to have them along with returning guests Ruth McNally Barshaw, Matt Feazell, Meggie Ramm, James Anderson, Porche Johnson, Aaron Polk, Bruno Hohn and Chloe Cordero!

Come back here for more info, and mark your calendar for July 16!

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The kids have chosen their favorites!

Every year A2CAF concludes with the Kids’ Comics Awards ceremony, celebrating the creators of kids’ favorite comics. While we couldn’t gather this year, we still held the rounds of nominations and voting, and the kids have chosen their favorite comics of 2019:

Most Epic Adventure

The nominees were:

Glitch, by Sarah Graley (Graphix)

Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl, by Ben Hatke (First Second)

Ghost Hog, by Joey Weiser (Oni Pres)

Marvel Rising: Heroes of the Round Table, by Roberto di Salvo and Nilah Magruder (Marvel)

Sea Sirens (A Trot & Cap'n Bill Adventure), by Amy Chu and Janet K. Lee (Viking Books for Young Readers)

EndGames (NewsPrints 2), by Ru Xu (Graphix)

And the kids chose...

Funniest Comic

The nominees were:

Dog Man: Fetch-22, by Dav Pilkey (Graphix)

Big Nate: Payback Time! by Lincoln Peirce (Andrews McMeel Publishing)

Star Wars: Jedi Academy: Attack of the Furball, by Amy Ignatow and Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Scholastic)

Peter & Ernesto: The Lost Sloths, by Graham Annable (First Second)

Bird & Squirrel: All Tangled Up, by James Burks (Graphix)

And the kids chose...

Favorite Author

The nominees were:

Jerry Craft

Gale Galligan

John Patrick Green

Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

And the kids chose...

Keepin' It Unreal (for sci-fi and fantasy)

The nominees were:

Making Friends: Back to the Drawing Board, by Kristen Gudsnuk (Graphix)

Pilu of the Woods, by Mai K. Nguyen (Oni Press)

Apocalypse Taco, by Nathan Hale (Amulet)

Emiline: Knight in Training, by Kimberli Johnson (Oni Press)

Hex Vet: The Flying Surgery, by Sam Davies (KaBOOM!)

The Midwinter Witch, by Molly Knox Ostertag (Graphix)

The Okay Witch, by Emma Steinkellner (Aladdin)

And the kids chose...

Keepin' It Real (for memoir and realistic fiction)

The nominees were:

Just Jaime, by Terri Libenson (Balzer + Bray)

White Bird: A Wonder Story, by R.J. Palacio (Knopf Books for Young Readers)

Activist: A Story of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Shooting, by Lauren Elizabeth Hogg, Anthony Zuiker, and Don Hudson (Zuiker Press)

Click, by Kayla Miller (HMH Books for Young Readers)

Guts, by Raina Telgemeier (Graphix)

Karen's Witch, by Katy Farina (Graphix)

The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander and Dawud Anyabwile (HMH Books for Young Readers)

And the kids chose...

Favorite Nonfiction/Mythology Comic

The nominees were:

Great White Shark Adventure, by Fabien Cousteau, James O. Fraioli, and Joe St. Pierre (Margaret K. McElderry Books)

Science Comics: Cats: Nature and Nurture, by Andy Hirsch (First Second)

Science Comics: Wild Weather: Storms, Meteorology, and Climate, by MK Reed and Jonathan Hill (First Second)

Hephaistos: God of Fire, by George O'Connor (First Second)

Maker Comics: Bake Like a Pro! by Falynn Koch (First Second)

And the kids chose...

Tales of Friendship

The nominees were:

Sanity & Tallula: Field Trip, by Molly Brooks (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

Stargazing, by Jen Wang (First Second)

Geeky Fab 5 Vol. 2: Mystery of the Missing Monarchs, by Liz Lareau, Lucy Lareau, and Ryan Jampole (Papercutz)

Phoebe and Her Unicorn: Unicorn Bowling, by Dana Simpson (Andrews McMeel Publishing)

And the kids chose...

Congratulations to the winners! Be sure to cast your vote for your favorite comics of 2020 by checking back here in April of 2021!

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There’s Always Next Year!

It’s with huge regret that we announce the cancelation of 2020’s Ann Arbor Comics Arts Festival; and it’s with hope for everyone’s health and safety that we look ahead to 2021.

Kids Read Comics and the Ann Arbor District Library remain committed to our mission of celebrating the joy of reading and creating comics. So please gather with us to share that joy when next we fill the library with artists and writers and fun and games...and memories you can take with you for a lifetime!

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Artists Alley Applications for A2CAF 2020 Now Open!

It’s a new year and we’re gearing up for a new and exciting Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival June 12-14!

To start the new year right, we’re sending out this call for applications to table at our 2020 show.

We're excited (as always!) to assemble:

a wide array of comics creators

working in a range of styles

for a variety of audiences.

Along with our hosts at the Ann Arbor District Library, we love to share our passion for reading and making comics with attendees young and not-so-young at our free, family-friendly event.

Our preconference for educators, librarians and cartoonists will take place on Friday the 12th, and Artists Alley -- plus workshops, drawing games and more -- will be up and running on Saturday and Sunday.

You can find the table application form at this link.and we hope that all who are interested will consider applying -- though sadly, we don’t have space for everyone.

The application period ends on February 28 and we will announce our acceptances and wait list by the end of March.

Again, the application page is https://a2caf.com/apply. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at kidsreadcomics@gmail.com.

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The Kids Have Chosen Their Favorites!

On June 16, 2019, the annual Kids’ Comics Awards Ceremony was held at the Ann Arbor District Library, hosted by Ben Hatke, Zack Giallongo, and Bruno Hohn. The Ceremony was written and directed by fellow host Kevin Coppa. Nominees were suggested by kids via public ballot in April 2019. Our thanks to Jen Vincent, Sharon Iverson, and Travis Jonker, who selected the final nominees using the initial votes as a guide. Kids attending the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival were able to vote for their favorite books and creators via paper ballot, while the wider world was invited to vote via online form.

The video of the ceremony, featuring puppets, jousting, mermaids, and moat-swimming dinogators, will be posted soon. But until then, here are the books and creators chosen by kids!

Most Epic Adventure

The nominees were:

Amulet: Supernova by Kazu Kibuishi

Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks

The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

STAR WARS ADVENTURES Jawa story in issue #8 / Otis Frampton

Encounter

Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules by Tony Cliff

And the kids chose...

Amulet: Supernova, by Kazu Kibuishi

Funniest Comic

The nominees were:

Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey

The Bad Guys in Superbad by Aaron Blabey

Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths by Graham Annable

Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater by Dana Simpson

Bad Kitty: Kitten Trouble by Nick Bruel

And the kids chose...

Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, by Dav Pilkey

Favorite Nonfiction/Mythology Comic

The nominees were:

Ocean Renegades! (Earth Before Us, #2) by Abby Howard

Science Comics: Rockets Defying Gravity  by Anne and Jerzy Drozd

Secret Coders: Monsters & Modules by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes

Lafayette! (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales) by Nathan Hale

Snails Are Just My Speed! by Kevin McCloskey

3x4: A TOON Book by Ivan Brunetti

And the kids chose...

Lafayette! by Nathan Hale

Favorite Author

The nominees were:

Hope Larson

Dav Pilkey

Kazu Kibuishi

Sara Varon

Vera Brosgol

Judd Winick

Jarrett Krosoczka

Svetlana Chmakova

And the kids chose...

Kazu Kibuishi

Bravest Hero

The nominees were:

Far Tune: Autumn

New Shoes by Sara Varon

Tiger vs. Nightmare by Emily Tetri

Hilo Book 4: Waking the Monsters by Judd Winick

The Principal Strikes Back (Jedi Academy #6) by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

And the kids chose...

Hilo Book 4: Waking the Monsters, by Judd Winick

Keepin' It Real (for memoir & realistic fiction)

The nominees were:

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Mr. Wolf's Class by Aron Nels Steinke

All Summer Long by Hope Larson

Kristy's Big Day by Ann M. Martin and Gale Galligan

Crush by Svetlana Chmakova

Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction  by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

And the kids chose...

Mr. Wolf's Class, by Aron Nels Steinke

Keepin' It Unreal (for scifi and fantasy)

The nominees were:

The Hidden Witch by Molly Ostertag

Punk Taco by Adam Wallenta, Makana Wallenta

Monster Mayhem by Chris Eliopoulos

Edison Beaker: Creature Seeker by Frank Cammuso

Sparks!  By Ian Boothby and Nina Matsumoto

5 Worlds: The Cobalt Prince by Mark Siegel, Alexis Siegel

Star Scouts: The League of Lasers by Mike Lawrence

And the kids chose...

Punk Taco, by Adam and Makana Wallenta

Congratulations to the winners! Be sure to cast your vote for your favorite comics of 2019 by checking back here in April of 2020!

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THANK YOU! AND PLEASE COME AGAIN!

Thanks to everyone who attended the fabulous tenth anniversary Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival this past weekend—where we had our highest attendance figures ever—AND to our spectacular artist and writer guests AND to the Ann Arbor District Library, whose leadership has devoted so many resources to our shared mission of putting comics (and the tools to make comics) in the hands of kids, teens and adults.

From the preconference panels and discussions through the workshops and Quick Draws and Kids' Comics Awards to the last-minute interactions at Artists Alley tables when attendees were told that Artists Alley was closed but just couldn't tear themselves away from their favorite creator, the weekend was a huge success!

Thanks also to 826michigan, Vault of Midnight, the Ann Arbor Art Center, Green Brain Comics, and the League of Enchantment for their participation.

And don’t forget: We do this every year!

So look for information about our 2020 show.

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IT’S ONLY HOURS AWAY! A2CAF 2019!

We hope you’ve made your plans to come out to the Ann Arbor District Library this weekend, where you’ll get to meet fantastic comics creators like

Jerry Craft...Lucy Knisley...Raúl the Third... Wendy & Richard Pini...Joamette Gil...Ben Hatke... Judd Winick...Raina Telgemeier...Zack Giallongo…

…And over sixty more artist and writer guests (all of whom are listed on our guest page, so check it out).

Which doesn’t even count hands-on workshops, interactive drawing games, panel discussions, portfolio review, and more!

Come out for the terrific, tremendous, thrilling and triumphant tenth anniversary Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival!

We’ll be waiting for you!

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UNBELIEVABLE! EVEN MORE FANTASTIC A2CAF GUESTS!

Trevor McKee is the creator of the Conspiracy of Birds webcomic and comic book collections. 

Corinne Roberts is the creator of the webcomic Out and About and the books Trip to Trekka and Imaginary Sea 1,2,3!

Patrick Lay is the author of the webcomic Screaming Mimi Kids and artist of the ongoing series Multi-.

Ali Alongi

is the author of the graphic novel

Ankle Biters

.

Ed Cho writes and co-created the Little Guardians comic series and plays guitar in The Shake Ups (performing Saturday at 1 pm).

Ellie Moody is a cartoonist who first tabled at A2CAF way back in middle school (she’s off to college now, so wish her well!).

Angelica Hatke is a cartoonist and taxidermist from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

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YES! YET MORE GREAT A2CAF GUESTS!

Alexandra Filipek is the author of The Oracle, Koekoek and the Last Mammoth, and the upcoming 2000 BC.

Zak Kinsella is a cartoonist for Dark Horse’s Pros & Comic Cons, Burn: A Tale of Ilunea, Outré Veil, Spooks in Savannah, with work appearing in The New York Times, Popular Science, and Suspect Press.

Sam Beck is the creator of the ongoing webcomic Verse, and artist for Songs for the Dead.

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STILL *MORE* GREAT GUESTS TO MEET AT A2CAF!

Kristin Ousley is the creator of Transplant, Dungeon Level, and the Piper’s Mystical Guidance series.

Kristie Good is the author/Illustrator of Epic Cosplay Costumes, SIGNAL, Tangerine Wings, and the TalOS webcomic.

Eric Davies is the creator of The Hero Machine series and app, and the standalone comic Normalville, Supertown.

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MEET EVEN *MORE* GREAT GUESTS AT A2CAF!

Megan Kearney is best known for her writing on the Disney Princess series, and for her award-winning adaptation of Beauty and The Beast.

Britt Monday is the creator of Clutches, Red Velvet, and the Something with Knives webcomic.

Andrea Shockling created Subjective Line Weight, an ongoing comics series featuring women sharing the stories of our bodies we’re not supposed to tell, as well as other autobio and nonfiction work like Mom Privilege and the all-ages World Book, debuting at A2CAF!

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MEET MORE GREAT GUESTS AT A2CAF!

Time is running out to post about all the terrific guests who’ll be coming to Artists Alley at A2CAF this weekend, so let’s see how many more we can cram in with some quick hits!

Kevin Minor is the creator of Mega Awesome Notebook, No Rest for the Wicked, and A Day in the Life of Peanut and Bosco, and illustrator of Gronk: A Monster’s Story.

Christine Kim and Albert Yoon are the creators of the webcomic Meet the Synths.

Phil McAndrew draws the Caveboy Dave series of graphic novels, wrote and drew Crying in Front of Your Dog and Other Stories, and contributes to MAD Magazine, The New Yorker, The Nib, Popula, and many other publications.