NJ – Secret Identities Panel

Larry Hama, Natalie Kim, Robin Ha, and Adam WarRock join Jeff Yang, Keith Chow, and Jerry Ma for a panel at Rutgers University on April 15th at 8:30 pm in the Multipurpose Room of the Rutgers Student Center as part of Geek Week!

Press Release:

Four years ago, “Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology,” the ground-breaking graphic novel collection of original stories of Asian Americans told through the narrative of heroes and villains, was launched right here at Rutgers.

On the heels of releasing their second anthology, “Secret Identities, Volume 2: Shattered”, SI comes back to Rutgers. Joining SI editors Jeff Yang, Keith Chow, and Jerry Ma will be nerdcore rapper Adam WarRock, Marvel Comics and SI artist Robin Ha, co-host of InkedTV and creator of the web series Super Twins Natalie Kim, and writer, artist, editor, and creator of the GI Joe mythology Larry Hama!

Join the panel for an in-depth multimedia presentation on Asian American identity, comics, and more. The panelists will need audience assistance to create an original hero and villain on stage. Don’t miss out!

For more information, visit the Secret Identities website.

Free admission. RSVP on Facebook!

DE – GI Joe Launch Party

Fred Van Lente and Larry Hama kick off the new GI JOE Series on Saturday, February 16th at The Comic Book Shop with special guest Mark Bellomo! RSVP on Facebook!
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The Real American Heroes are beginning a new era with a new ongoing series from IDW Publishing and we couldn’t be more excited!

Writer FRED VAN LENTE (Comic Book History of Comics) will be at our shop to showcase his new direction for the team, whose secret identities have been exposed!

Joining him will be GI JOE LEGEND and writer of the original comic book series LARRY HAMA who is once again writing GI JOE: REAL AMERICAN HERO!

Toy and Pop Culture authority MARK BELLOMO has made special arrangements to attend so he can speak geek with us! He’s written THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GI JOE: 1982-1994, ART OF TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON, and TOTALLY TUBULAR 80′S TOYS.

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RALLY THE TROOPS FOR A DAY OF GI JOE!

**SALE on ALL GI JOE Comics and Action Figures!**

**GI Joe Costume Contest!**

**Raffles for GI Joe Comics and Toys!**

*****All proceeds from the raffles PLUS a portion of the day’s sales will be donated to soldiers in need! *****

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You may know FRED VAN LENTE’s work from Valiant’s relaunch of ARCHER & ARMSTRONG, last year’s ALPHA FLIGHT series, CHAOS WAR, HULK: SEASON ONE, INCREDIBLE HERCULES, several volumes of MARVEL ZOMBIES, and indie favorite ACTION PHILOSOPHERS!

Now he’s bringing our favorite elite fighting force into modern situations – and on US soil – including new characters which reflect updated tech and current environments that our real life soldiers face every day.

The flagship series will be drawn dark and moody by Van Lente’s long-time collaborator STEVE KURTH (Iron Man: Legacy.)

The Comic Book Shop
1855 Marsh Road, Wilmington, DE 19810

Walt Simonson & Larry Hama Appear at Epic Proportions Booth for NYCC 2012

Press Release:

Epic Proportions announces that comic book legends Walter Simonson (Thor, Manhunter, Batman, Avengers, Judas Coin) and Larry Hama (GI Joe, Wolverine, Barack the Barbarian, Bucky O’Hare) will both be signing at our booth 1113 during New York Comic Con!

What’s the connection between these two legends and us you ask? Well they both have done exclusive original art tshirt designs for our Signature Tee Line!

Walter Simonson will appear at the booth Saturday October 13, 2012 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

Larry Hama will make his only appearance at the con at our booth! Meaning, there is no other place you’ll find him at the con! And he’ll be with us all day on both Saturday and Sunday!

So bring all your Thor and GI Joe comics to get signed by these two legends! And pick up one of their Signature tees!

These tees will not be reprinted. So this could be the last chance to get any of them.

NYC – Marvels & Monsters/Alt.Comics Opening Reception

 

Press Release: 

The Museum of Chinese in America is pleased to announce the launch of two new exhibitions exploring the relationship between Asian Americans and comic books – Marvels and Monsters: Unmasking Asian Images in U.S. Comics, 1942-1986 and Alt.Comics: Asian American Artists Reinvent the Comic Book, on view from September 27, 2012 through February 24, 2013. The opening reception will be on Thursday September 27, 2012 from 6:00 – 8:00pm.

Recently donated to the NYU Fales Library & Special Collection, Marvels and Monsters is drawn from what is widely considered the world’s largest archive of comic books featuring images of Asian and Americans, painstakingly collected over four turbulent decades (1940s to 1980s) by science fiction author and cultural studies scholar William F. Wu. The compilation offers a unique glimpse into America’s evolving racial and cultural sensibilities, as depicted by wartime images of racist propaganda and xenophobic anxiety over Chinese immigration to lasting archetypes which continue to define America’s perception of Asians today.

According to curator Jeff Yang, “All of the key elements that have shaped who we are as a people have occurred during this time: Pearl Harbor, Japanese internment camps, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, ethnic enclaves, the Asian American rights movement, and the economic rise of Japan and China. What Wu has done is to collect images shaped by political forces to tell a narrative of how America views Asians.”

Marvels and Monsters is a selection of the most indelible images from Wu’s collection, placed within a historical context and juxtaposed with insights from contemporary Asian American writers and artists Ken Chen, Larry Hama, David Henry Hwang, Vijay Prashad, and Gene Luen Yang. The exhibition also incorporates elements meant to encourage direct engagement with the archetypes, such as life-size cutouts allowing visitors to put themselves “inside the image” and an installation called “Shades of Yellow” which matches the shades used for Asian skin tones in the comics with their garish Pantone TM color equivalents.

Alt.Comics extends the conversation of Marvels & Monsters into the present, showcasing the efforts of Asian American artists to establish a new and authentic identity by subverting stereotypes and juxtaposing disparate images. The exhibition focuses on alternative and independent comic spaces, particularly in the hubs of San Francisco and New York, which produced many of the most prominent artists in the independent scene. The exhibition features work by: Larry Hama, Alex Joon Kim, Derek Kirk Kim, Jerry Ma, Christine Norrie, Thien Pham, Lark Pien, Jason Shiga, GB Tran, and Gene Luen Yang.

This exhibition includes excerpts from Secret Identities Volume 2: Shattered, a follow-up to the groundbreaking compilation using the comic format “to upend, re-envision, re-imagine – to shatter – the distorted and negative images that have shadowed Asian Americans since the earliest days of our arrival in this country.” The Secret Identities component includes the work of: Jeremy Arambulo, Jef Castro, Louie Chin, Johann Choi, Ming Doyle, Robin Ha, Kripa Joshi, Eric Kim, Alice Meichi Li, Jerry Ma, Jamie Noguchi, Saumin Patel, Tak Toyoshima, GB Tran, Glenn Urieta, and DaFu Yu.

Marvels & Monsters is curated by Jeff Yang and organized by the A/P/A Institute at NYU. It was originally exhibited at NYU Fales Library, and was recently shown at the Asian Arts Initiative in Philadelphia. Alt.Comics is curated by Jeff Yang for the Museum of Chinese in America.

These exhibitions are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts (Museums Program), celebrating 50 years of building strong, creative communities in New York State’s 62 counties, and with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Additional support is provided by Museum members.
About William F. Wu, Collector

Nominated five times for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards, William F. Wu has published over a dozen novels, including the best-selling 1996 STAR WARS: Tales from Jabba’s Palace and Avon’s young adult SF series Isaac Asimov’s Robots in Time. His most acclaimed book, Hong on the Range, was chosen for the Wilson Library Bulletin’s list of science fiction “Books Too Good To Miss,” a selection for the American Library Association list of Best Books for Young People, the New York Public Library’s Recommended Books for the Teen Age, and was also a Young Adult Editor’s Choice by Booklist. A prolific short story writer, Wu’s works have appeared in a wide variety of magazines and anthologies; his short story “Wong’s Lost and Found Emporium” was a multiple award nominee that was adapted into an episode of the television series The Twilight Zone. He has a Ph.D. in American Culture from the University of Michigan, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation, published in book form as The Yellow Peril: Chinese Americans in American Fiction, 1850-1940 (Archon Books, 1982).

About Jeff Yang, Curator

Jeff Yang began reading and collecting comics at the age of eight, and hasn’t allowed distractions like adulthood, marriage and fatherhood to deter him since. He has written the column “Asian Pop” for the San Francisco Chronicle for the past six years, and penned a series of acclaimed and bestselling books — Eastern Standard Time; I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action (the action icon’s official autobiography); Once Upon a Time in China; and, most recently, the seminal graphic novel collection Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology. He began his career as founding editor and publisher of the pioneering Asian American periodical A. Magazine and as a cultural critic for New York’s alternative weekly the Village Voice. He can frequently be heard as a contributor on NPR’s Tell Me More, PRI’s The Takeaway, and other public radio programs. He, his wife Heather and his sons Hudson and Skyler live in Brooklyn, New York. He writes a column for the Wall Street Journal online called Tao Jones.

About Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA)

MOCA’s mission is to celebrate the living history of the Chinese experience in America, to inspire our diverse communities to contribute to America’s evolving cultural narrative and civil society, and to empower and bridge our communities across generations, ethnicities and geography through our dynamic stories.

MOCA is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution that presents the living history, heritage, culture and diverse experiences of Chinese Americans through exhibitions, educational services and public programs. It began in 1980 as the community-based New York Chinatown History Project founded by community and student activists led by historian John Kuo Wei Tchen and Charles Lai. It has since grown to encompass the stories and journeys of the many communities of Chinese America, both in the New York Metro area and across the U.S., including new immigrants and established multi-generation families.

Since late 2009, when MOCA moved into its new space, designed by Maya Lin and located at the crossroads of Soho and Chinatown, its exhibitions, programs and audiences have grown in size and scope. This was made possible by a unique public/private partnership between collaborative government efforts to rebuild Lower Manhattan in the aftermath of 9/11 and MOCA’s growing community of donors led by its Board of Trustees. Currently, MOCA’s family consists of its many visitors, members, scholars, artists, activists, and families with young children as well as a growing base of young professionals, business leaders and entrepreneurs. For more info and upcoming events, please visit www.mocanyc.org.

The Museum of Chinese in America
215 Centre Street New York, NY 10013
(212) 619-4785

IDW Booth Schedule for SDCC 2012

Press Release:

As the comics industry looks forward to another Comic-Con jam-packed with the industry’s greatest talents, IDW Publishing is excited to give fans a preview of the creators that will be available at booth #2643 throughout the show!

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, your IDW All-Stars!

Wednesday July 11th Preview Night

6:00 – 8:00  SPECIAL EVENT! Richard Starks’ Parker: The Score Launch Party – Darywn Cooke (*Check out the show exclusive hardcover!)

6:00 – 7:00  SPECIAL EVENT! Neal Adams’ Thrill Kill: Artist’s Edition Portfolio Launch Party  –  Neal Adams

 Thursday July 12th

11:00 – 12:00 Deadworld – Gary Reed

12:00 – 1:00 The Cape: 1969 – Joe Hill, Zach Howard (Check out the show exclusive Comic!)

1:00 – 2:30  Richard Stark’s Parker: The Score – Darywn Cooke (*Check out the show exclusive hardcover!)

3:00 – 4:00  Godzilla – Duane Swierczynski

3:00 – 4:00  Love and Capes – Thom Zahler (Check out the show exclusive Comic!)

4:00 – 5:00  TRANSFORMERS – Chris Metzen, Flint Dille, John Barber, Livio Ramondelli, Brendan Cahill, Andrew Griffith, Scott Mairghread, Priscilla Tromontano

5:00 – 6:00  30 Days of Night, Frankenstein: Alive, Alive – Steve Niles

6:00 – 7:00  Smoke & Mirrors – Mike Costa, Jon Armstrong

6:00 – 7:00  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Dan Duncan

Friday July 13th

10:00 – 11:00 Kill Shakespeare – Andy Belanger

11:00 – 12:00 Star Trek: TNG/Doctor Who – Scott Tipton, J.K. Woodward

11:00 – 12:00 Memorial  – Chris Roberson

12:00 – 1:00 The Cape: 1969 – Joe Hill, Zach Howard (Check out the show exclusive Comic!)

1:00 – 3:00  Richard Stark’s Parker: The Score – Darywn Cooke (*Check out the show exclusive hardcover!)

3:00 – 4:00  KISS – Gene Simmons, Chris Ryall, Jamal Igle (*ticketed signing – See employee for details)

4:00 – 5:00  Dungeons & Dragons  – Steve Ellis

5:00 – 6:00  Locke & Key – Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez (*Check out the show exclusive  hardcover & exclusive keys by Israel Skelton!)

6:00 – 7:00  Ghostbusters  – Dan Schoening, Erik Burnham, Tristan Jones, Luis Antonio Delgado, Nick Runge

6:00 – 7:00  Crawl to Me  – Alan Robert

Saturday July 14th

10:00 – 11:00  Night of 1,000 Wolves – Bobby Curnow, Dave Wachter

11:00 – 12:00  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Dan Duncan

11:00 – 12:00  Zombies vs Robots – Chris Ryall, Brea Grant, Jeff Conner

12:00 – 1:00  The Crow – John Shirley, Kevin Colden

1:00 – 2:00  Locke & Key – Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez (*Check out the show exclusive  hardcover & exclusive keys by Israel Skelton!)

1:00 – 2:00  Silent Hill – Tom Waltz

2:00 – 3:00 Star Trek: TNG/Doctor Who – Scott Tipton, David Tipton, J.K. Woodward

3:00 – 4:00  Star Trek: The Next Generation – Brannon Braga, Joe Corroney (Get a free limited signing card!)

4:00 – 5:00  Star Trek – Mike Johnson, Joe Corroney

5:00 – 6:00  Nevsky: A Hero of the People – Ben McCool, Steve Saffel

5:00 – 6:00  G.I. JOE– Mike Costa, Larry Hama (Check out the show exclusive Comic!)

6:00 – 7:00  True Blood – Michael McMillian, Joe Corroney

Sunday July 15th

11:00 – 12:00  Doctor Who – Mark Buckingham, Joshua Fialkov

12:00 – 1:00  TRANSFORMERS – Chris Metzen, John Barber, Livio Ramondelli, Andrew Griffith, Scott Mairghread, Priscilla Tromontano

1:00 – 2:00  Zombies! – Craig Yoe, Steve Banes

2:00 – 3:00  Smoke & Mirrors – Mike Costa, Jon Armstrong

3:00 – 4:00 Danger Girl  – J. Scott Campbell

*Look for more signings to be scheduled! Rocketeer! Joe Jusko! Amanda Conner! All this, plus Ashley Wood and the 3A crew signing all weekend!

Visit IDWPublishing.com to learn more about the company and its top-selling books. IDW can also be found at http://www.facebook.com/#!/idwpublishing and http://tumblr.idwpublishing.com/ and on Twitter at @idwpublishing.

NYC – Leaping Tall Buildings Signing

Comic creators Larry Hama, Dean Haspiel, Joe Infurnari, Kevin Colden, Simon Fraser, and Matt Madden appear at Jim Hanley’s Universe on Wednesday July 25, 2012 at 6:00pm!

Jim Hanley’s Universe 
4 West 33rd St, New York, NY 10001

MA – GI Joe Signing

Larry Hama signs and sketches at Hub Comics on Saturday April 7, 2012 from 11am-4pm! Hub will have plenty of “Classic G.I. Joe” TPBs and IDW’s “Real American Hero” continuation in stock.

RSVP on Facebook!

About Larry Hama:
Larry Hama has been an editor, writer, actor, artist, and musician since the 1970s. he served in the U.S. Army Engineers from 1969 to 1971. During the 1970s, he appeared on the popular television shows M*A*S*H and Saturday Night Live and also created two roles in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures. Hama became an editor at Marvel Comics, where he launched the comic book series The ‘Nam. He also illustrated some of the earliest adventures of the character Iron Fist and is the creator of Bucky O’Hare. Hama has written for the series Wolverine, Nth Man, and Elektra. He wrote G.I. Joe for 12 years at Marvel and has returned to the series for Devil’s Due Publishing and IDW. He is also working with Devil’s Due Publishing to write Spooks with series creator Ryan Schifrin. Hama is married and has a daughter. In addition to his comic book writing, he works with filmmakers to develop independent features, television pilots and screenplays.

Hub Comics – Union Square
19 Bow Street, Somerville, MA 02143

SDCC Announces First 30 Special Guests for 2012

Comic-Con International has announced the first 30 special guests for their 2012 convention.

• » Bill Amend
• » Sergio Aragonés
• » Kate Beaton
• » Mike Carey
• » Geof Darrow
• » Mark Evanier
• » Gary Gianni
• » Larry Hama
• » Gilbert Hernandez
• » Jaime Hernandez
• » Mario Hernandez
• » Klaus Janson
• » N.K. Jemisin
• » Karl Kerschl
• » Jim Lee
• » Paul Levitz
• » Andy Mangels
• » Rudy Nebres
• » George Pérez*
• » Nate Powell
• » John Romita Jr.
• » Brandon Sanderson
• » Doug Savage
• » Mark Schultz
• » Jason Shiga
• » Herb Trimpe
• » Morrie Turner
• » Michael Uslan
• » Trevor Von Eeden
• » Mark Waid

Editor’s Note: George Perez has since announced via his Facebook page that he has had to cancel his appearance there this year.

VA Comicon 25th Anniversary Show October 29-30, 2011 Featuring O’Barr, Suydam, Etc.

Press Release:

The 25th Anniversary show is THIS WEEKEND, Oct 29-30 in Richmond Dear Brett, This is Brett from the VA Comicon…Man-o-man am I excited about the show coming up this wekend in Richmond, VA on Oct 29-30! So many exciting things to announce…from a Female Super-hero figure modeling course on Saturday, to MORE exclusive comics you can ONLY get at the show (like the TMNT Variant with the LEE Momument on the Christmas themed cover, to the Sexiest Witchblade cover EVER)! It all happens THIS weekend in Richmond, VA! Don’t miss the Charity Art auction on Saturday to Benefit the Hero Initiative, and the $500 Cash Costume contest on Sunday…$250 for best group, and $250 best overall. Scope the links below! Stories Comics in Richmond has been kind enough to donate two $50 Gift Cards for the youth prices (12 and under)…one for best group, and one for best overall! We have an awesome lineup of lectures this year, including a frank conversation about Hollywood with James O Barr (the creator of the Crow), and a round-table GI Joe talk with Larry Hama, Herb Trimpe and SL Gallant! Check out all of the links! The show will be GREAT! Go to our website for the schedule! Finally, a reminder Children 12 and under are FREE, and everyone else is $10 for the entire weekend! SKIP THE LINES! Pick up your advance ticket today at the website, and get in 1 hour earlier on Saturday to boot! Children of advance ticket holders get in early for FREE! Check out the headlines below for more fun at our upcoming show! THIS WEEKEND. All info and tickets are at our website. WHEW! http://www.vacomicon.com -Brett

Check out these quick links for more info!Many updates to exclusives!We added Arthur “Zombie King” Suydam to the guest list!  Hero Initiative Original Art Auction info! Lecture Schedule! SMALL PRESS updates! Oct 29-30, 2011 Show! Lecture Schedule! Charity Art Auction! Vendor Registration! Small Press! Show Exclusives! Publishers and Exhibitors! Recent Announcements! Creators! Costume Contest! Location and Times! 2-Day Tickets ON SALE!   Become a fan of us on Facebook to be in the KNOW, here are the most recent posts our fans were lucky enough to be in the know: A candid interview with Iconograph Studios, and a VA Comicon (Oct 29-30) Exclusive Print Revealed! Arthur “Zombie King” Suydam returns as Surprise Guest to Halloween Weekend VA Comicon Oct 29-30! Avatar reveals Lady Death VA Comicon (Oct 29-30) EXCLUSIVE! Ltd 750! James O’Barr, Creator of THE CROW, joins 2-day VA Comicon October 29-30! Takes Commissions! Legendary Wolverine co-creator Herb Trimpe comes to VA Comicon Oct 29-30, 2011! Nira X creator and Parody Press Cover Artist BILL MAUS Joins Oct 29-30 VA Comicon in Richmond! Prelims of Dan (Archie) Parent’s FREE Lady Death VA Comicon (Oct 29-30) Print! Scream Award Winning Author James Kuhoric Returns to the VA Comicon Halloween Weekend Oct 29-30! Ultra-limited Zombie Proof: Zombie Zoo #1 Debuts with smoking VACC variant Oct 29-30! VA Comicon has ALL 3 GI JOE cover artists! SL Gallant and Herb Trimpe AND Larry Hama! Oct 29-30! VA Comicon reveals “Richmond-themed” Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Variant! Oct 29-30!

Please remember, this show is being self-financed by me, Brett Carreras, and is being operated completely as not-for-profit. We do have a VERY limited number of tables still available both days…if your company would like to be a part of Virginia’s BEST comic book show EVER in 25 years, we would love to hear from you! I look forward to seeing everyone at the show! Sincerely, Brett Carreras VA Comicon

A reminder, we are at the CROWNE PLAZA WEST in Richmond, VA, which is NOT the same location as last-year’s show…We have sold the room to capacity the last two years…the best way to not have to WAIT in in line is to pick up an advance ticket for only $10, the same price as at the front door. Thanks!

Kids 12 and under areFREE!

We LOVE having families come to the VA Comicon! In fact, we want WHOLE GROUP participation…That’s why we have a GROUP cash prize on Sunday for our costume contest! Remember…Kids 12 and under are FREE the whole weekend with paid parent admission! Getting an ADVANCE Ticket? Your child can get in 1 hour early with you FREE of charge as well! Online sales will stop on Thursday, so you only have DAYS to take advantage! Get one NOW!

OFFER GOOD ALL DAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OCT 29-30

NYC – Beyond The Funny Pages Panel

Larry Hama, Christine Norrie, Greg Pak, Tak Toyoshima, and GB Tran appear at the Asian/Pacific/American Institute on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 from 6-9pm!

Press Release:

Beyond The Funny Pages: Comics, Culture and Communication Panel

The panel focuses on applications of comic art in venues beyond entertainment —  from politics to preservation of history to a new language for instruction. The  panel features those who are subverting or pushing the boundaries of the form  such as Larry Hama, Christine Norrie, Greg Pak, Tak Toyoshima and GB Tran. Moderated by Jeff Yang.

RSVP: online at www. apa.nyu.edu | apa.rsvp@nyu.edu | 212.992.9653
Free and open to the public.

BIOS
Larry Hama is a cartoonist, illustrator, writer, actor, and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s. While Hama has worked on numerous projects, he is best known to American comic book readers as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics, where he wrote the licensed comic book series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, and created the “file cards” on the backs of the Hasbro G.I. Joe toy packages. The comic ran 155 issues (February 1982-October 1994). He has also written for the series Wolverine, Avengers, Batman, Conan, The Punisher, Blaze, Nth Man, and Elektra. He created the character Bucky O’Hare, which was developed into a comic book, a toy line and television cartoon. Most recently, Hama is the writer of the Barack the Barbarian series, a Conan the Barbarian parody starring United States President Barack Obama. For more information about Larry Hama, please visit the A/P/A Institute homepage: www.apa.nyu.edu

Christine Norrie is an artist and writer of graphic novels and comic books. Her first major work, Hopeless Savages, was an indie hit with the first series nominated for an Eisner Award. Noted books are her original graphic novel Cheat and the teen drama Breaking Up. She has been published by major and independent companies including DC Comics, Oni Press, and Scholastic Books. She is also an illustrator and designer in advertising, fashion, and print. She has created book jackets for Abrams, concepts and storyboards for Andrew Zuckerman, and art for Glamour and Courvoisier. She lives in New York City’s Greenwich Village with her daughter.

Greg Pak is an award-winning comic book writer and filmmaker best known for the feature film “Robot Stories” and comics storylines such as “Planet Hulk,” “Incredible Hercules” (co-written with Fred Van Lente and co-starring Pak’s creation, Amadeus Cho), and “Magneto Testament.” Pak was named one of 25 Filmmakers to Watch by Filmmaker Magazine, described as “a talent with a future” by the New York Times, and named “Breakout Talent” of the year by Wizard Magazine. He is currently writing “Alpha Flight” (with Van Lente) and “Astonishing X-Men” for Marvel and “Dead Man’s Run” for Aspen and Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla. For more about Pak’s work, please visit www.gregpak.com twitter.com/gregpak and gplus.to/gregpak.

Tak Toyoshima is the creator/illustrator of Secret Asian Man comics. Since 1999, Tak has been creating strips that examine race, politics, religion, Star Wars nerds and anything else that gets people’s undies in a bunch. In 2007, Secret Asian Man became the first nationally syndicated comic strip featuring an Asian American lead character when it was signed by United Features.

GB Tran is a Brooklyn cartoonist/illustrator whose new graphic memoir Vietnamerica details his family’s journey of survival through the Vietnam War and their refugee migration to the US. Vietnamerica has been featured on ABC’s World News Now, Kirkus’ “12 Can’t-Miss Graphic Novels of 2011″, and Amazon’s Top 25 Adult Summer Reads. The book, which Library Journal describes as “Engaging, challenging, and disturbing, Tran’s family memoir belongs in all public and academic libraries”, has also recently earned GB a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in nonfiction literature. For a preview of Vietnamerica, additional comics, and his illustration work, visit gbtran.com.

Jeff Yang began reading and collecting comics at the age of eight, and hasn’t allowed distractions like adulthood, marriage and fatherhood to deter him since. He wrote the column “Asian Pop” for the San Francisco Chronicle for six years, and penned a series of acclaimed and bestselling books — Eastern Standard Time; I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action (the action icon’s official autobiography); Once Upon a Time in China; and, most recently, the seminal graphic novel collection Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology. He began his career as founding editor and publisher of the pioneering Asian American periodical A. Magazine and as a cultural critic for New York’s alternative weekly the Village Voice. He can frequently be heard as a contributor on NPR’s Tell Me More, PRI’s The Takeaway, and other public radio programs. His column can be found at: www.sfgate.com/columns/asianpop/archive/

A/P/A Institute at NYU
7th Floor Gallery, 41-51 E. 11th Street, New York, NY

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