Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo Fundraiser

Press Release:

Calling all fat cats! You’re invited to attend the MICE fundraiser on Sunday, June 24, 2018 from 3 – 6 PM at Alley in Harvard Square, Cambridge. Join us for an afternoon gala supporting the comic arts! Admission is free, though donations are encouraged with raffle tickets available at the door for prizes and a carnival of activities. Fancy digs are requested but not required!

Our fundraiser event is family friendly, so join us for a live drawing competition, featured artists, board game demos, drawing demos, karaoke, along with snacks and refreshments. We can’t wait to see you there.

RSVP on Facebook!

Alley
10 Ware Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
(646) 710-3208

MICE 2018 Opens Exhibitor Applications

Exhibitor Applications for the 2018 Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) are now open! They will close Monday April 23rd (in 3 weeks). Please be sure to read the guidelines and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions!

Apply at the link…

 

MICE 2018 Announces Dates

Press Release:

The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) 2018 will be held the weekend of October 20−21, 2018, at Lesley’s University Hall in Porter Square, Cambridge, MA. For our 9th annual event, MICE will continue to bring you special guests and comic creators from New England and beyond along with a full schedule of hands-on workshops and engaging panel discussions. We here at MICE HQ are busy planning another great year and can’t wait for you to join us!

Applications to exhibit at MICE will open April 2nd. Keep an eye out for our registration guidelines in the weeks to come.

Further information available on the website: www.micexpo.org

MA – MICE 2017 Kick-Off Party

Kazu Kibuishi, Isabel Greenberg, Jason Shiga, Liz Prince, Michael DeForge, and Mark Siegel appear at Hub Comics on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 7:00 PM for the MICE (Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo) 2017 Kick-off party!

RSVP on Facebook!

Hub Comics – Union Square
19 Bow Street, Somerville, MA 02143
617-718-0987

MICE 2017 Programming Schedule Announced

Press Release:

MICE will feature two full days of comics programming with workshops and demonstrations by professional artists, along with panel discussions on topics central to comics. All of our panels and workshops are appropriate for all-ages, but look for the Kid-Friendly tag for activities geared toward families and young readers. MICE is free and open to the public.

Saturday, October 21st

Panel to Panel 
11:00 AM – 12:00PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Lesley Room
A picture can say a thousand words, but two pictures can say even more! Cartoonist Braden Lamb (Adventure Time Comics) leads experiments in putting different random pictures together to come up with all new stories and ideas. Then create your own comic that’s more than the sum of its pieces!

Instructor: Braden Lamb

Character Evolution
11:30 AM – 12:30PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Eliot Room
Discover the secrets of character design through a fun exercise led by cartoonist and animator Bob Flynn. Create your own creature that starts simple, then levels up into an awesome monster!

Instructor: Bob Flynn

Comic Storytelling and Pacing
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Lesley Room
The art of comics is not just about writing or drawing, it’s how the pictures go together to tell your story. Explore different visual storytelling methods with comic creator Dirk I. Tiede. Exercises in outlining and thumbnailing will help you establish a sense of time, mood, and pacing between panels, across a page, and throughout an entire book.

Instructor: Dirk I. Tiede

Iron Cartoonist
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Amphitheater
MICE pits top cartoonists against each other in a live drawing event. Utilizing themed “ingredients,” three artists will compete for the title of ultimate cartoonist and earn prizes for audience members!

Host: Zack Giallongo; Contestants: Luke J. Howard, Luke B. Howard, Abby Howard Judges: Christina Kelly, Mark Siegel, Zach Clemente

Fuzzy, Funny, Fierce! Drawing Animals
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Eliot Room
Do you love comics starring animals? Do you want to draw your own? We’ll talk about our favorite animals, how to draw them, and how to tell their stories in our comics. Art supplies will be provided, so be ready to DRAW!

Instructor: Zoe Piel

Writing for Comics Workshop
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Lesley Room
Explore the dual languages of comics and discuss the parameters of the form with cartoonist Josh Neufeld of the Solstice MFA Program’s Graphic Narratives Concentration. Then jump into the comics-writing process: visual thinking, encapsulation, and scripting. We’ll end on a short exercise that will leave you excited about writing your next comic! Sponsored by PINE MANOR COLLEGE, Solstice Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program

Instructor: Josh Neufeld 

Comics and Islam
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017
Muslim identity and practices are featured more comics than ever, from mainstream titles like Ms. Marvel to independent graphic memoirs. This panel takes stock of this important growing field — including the brand-new book Muslim Superheroes: Comics, Islam, and Representation — and presents the perspectives of both academics and creators.

Moderator: Hilary Chute; Panelists: Hussein Rashid, A. David Lewis, Sara Alfageeh 

Cartooning Adventure
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Lunder Arts Center
Join Amulet series creator and celebrated graphic novelist Kazu Kibuishi in this interactive workshop. Be ready to draw and learn how to start your own quest in comics! Admission to this workshop is free but there is limited seating available. It will be held at the Lunder Arts Center (1801 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA) next door to the main MICE venue.

Kazu Kibuishi is the creator of Amulet, an exciting fantasy adventure series of graphic novels from Scholastic. Kazu’s earlier work includes his webcomic Copper and his debut graphic novel, Daisy Kutter: The Last Train, which won the YALSA Best Books for Young Adults Award. As the editor and a contributor to the Flight and Explorer anthologies he fostered a showcase for innovative creators working in all-ages fantasy, adventure, and sci-fi comics. Kazu lives in Washington state with his wife and two children.

Comic Life Drawing
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Lesley Room
This introduction to figure drawing gives cartoonists of all skill levels an opportunity to draw from a live model! Explore the basics of dynamic movement, weight, and human anatomy. Easels, paper, and conte crayons will be supplied.

Instructor: Cara Bean

Inspiration and Influence
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017 | Amphitheater
All artists are affected by the work of others, whether it be giants of the past or contemporaries. Four exciting comics creators reveal the artists who have informed their storytelling and graphic styles. Stylistic chameleon R. Sikoryak leads the discussion on the nature of artistic influence.

Moderator: R. Sikoryak; Panelists: Ethan Rilly, Michael DeForge, Katie Skelly, KL Ricks

Worldbuilding in Comics
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Saturday, October 21, 2017
Inhabiting an imaginary universe is one of the great pleasures of comics, for creators and readers alike. In this panel, four adept world-builders discuss the development and design of their fictional universes, and how they use the medium to reveal and explore them in a narrative context.

Moderator: Evan Dahm; Panelists: Isabel Greenberg, Mark Siegel, Anne Szabla

Sunday October 22nd

Making Mini-comics: The One Sheet Wonder
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017 | Lesley Room
Grab a single sheet of paper and be ready to draw your next comic! Cartoonist Laura Terry (Graveyard Shakes) shows you how to make make the simplest of mini-comics from start to finish.

Instructor: Laura Terry

Queer Fantastic
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017 | Amphitheater
How do LGBTQ themes, character and creators blend with worlds of fantasy, science fiction and the supernatural? What happens when queer stories take place in imaginary or science fiction realms? A panel of creators discuss their work at this juncture of genre and identity.

Moderator: Melanie Gillman; Panelists: Mildred Louis, Blue Delliquanti, Ashanti Fortson, Olivia Li

Interactive Comics
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017 | Eliot Room
Go behind the scenes with Jason Shiga (Demon, Meanwhile) and his 20 year career making choose-your-own-adventure style comics. Jason shares his one of a kind experiments and methods so you can learn the secrets of creating your own interactive comics!

Jason Shiga is an innovative cartoonist from Oakland, CA whose graphic novel Meanwhile (Amulet Books, 2010) broke new ground in comic storytelling with a “pick any path” format. His most ambitious project is his webcomic Demon, a dark comedy about an immortal man’s misadventures in finding a way to die. The four-volume series – an L.A. Times Book Prize finalist, an NPR Best Book of the Year, and Eisner Award winner – is now published by First Second Books.

Drawing from Imagination
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017 | Lesley Room
Images can be more powerful and blend better with words in comics when they come from your mind’s eye. Kurt Ankeny will guide you through techniques to exercise your visual memory and hone your ability to distill the essential image of an object from observations or photographs.

Instructor: Kurt Ankeny

Making Comics (When Everything Sucks)
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017 | Amphitheater
Combining the personal and political in a timely manner, this panel will discuss the challenges and rewards of creating comic art during difficult times. Like everyone, cartoonists grapple with issues of emotional, mental, and physical well-being, which many of us are finding exacerbating by the political environment. How do comics artists remain creative, finding and making meaning through their work while struggling to pay the rent, get through the next petition or Facebook rant while still take caring of ourselves?

Moderator: Heide Solbrig; Panelists: R. Sikoryak, Liz Prince, Luke J. Howard, Whit Taylor

Non-fiction Visual Storytelling Techniques
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017 | Eliot Room
Discover what make memoir and nonfiction comics tick with cartoonist Sophie Yanow. Explore long-form and short-form autobiographical comics, and then try out exercises and techniques to help you kick-start a daily diary comics practice.

Instructor: Sophie Yanow

Inking Techniques Workshop
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017 | Lesley Room
Markers, brushes, crow quill pens… There are many different inking tools you can use in comics, and each can inform the mood and feel of your drawings. Now you can test them out for yourself! Comic artists Clay McCormack and Jesse Lonergan lead demonstrations and exercises to familiarize you with some of the tools used by professionals.

Instructors: Clay McCormack, Jesse Lonergan

Comics & Migration: Moving Visual Language Into America
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017
Comics represent a unique format for capturing a cartoonist’s life, history, family, and memory in a way that visually recalls cultures, customs, and traditions that are new to a wide swath of readers. In this panel, we will explore the benefits of using the universal language of comics to demonstrate cultural identity to readers in order to open them up to the world and experiences of the cartoonist.

Moderator: Jason Rodriguez; Panelists: Julia Alekseyeva, Dave Ortega, Iasmin Omar Ata, Leila Abdelrazaq

Fold Up Comics
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017 | Eliot Room
There is a wide variety of folding and book construction techniques that can help create a truly unique reading experience. Cartoonist Jerel Dye (Pigs Might Fly) will introduce you to accordion book design to make your next comic something that everyone will want to open up!

Instructor: Jerel Dye

Comics and Poetry
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM | Sunday, October 22, 2017
There is an ongoing relationship and cross-pollination between comics and poetry. Comics creators, poets and critics will explore the formal elements and energies that link the two art forms, as well as discuss recent experiments in poetry comics.

Moderator: Hilary Chute; Panelists: Steph Burt, Madeleine Witt, Franklin Einspruch, Christopher Spaide

MICE (Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo) will be held at Lesley University’s University Hall at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue in Porter Square. The hours of the show are Saturday, October 21st, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, and Sunday, October 22nd, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Admission is free. Further information available on the website: www.micexpo.org

RSVP on Facebook!

MICE 2017 Celebrates Independent Comics and Graphic Novels on October 21 – 22

Press Release:

MICE is back! On October 21 – 22, 2017 independent graphic novelists and cartoonists will converge on University Hall in Cambridge’s Porter Square. The event is free, family friendly, and offers a weekend of activities as the Boston area’s only show dedicated to independent and alternative comics. This year’s show will also welcome a full line-up of special guests — professionals from the world of independent comics and graphic novels including: Michael DeForge, Kazu Kibuishi, Liz Prince, Jason Shiga, Mark Siegel, and Isabel Greenberg!

MICE attendees are invited to discover their new favorite comic books from over 200 comic creators from the Boston area and beyond. The exhibition area at MICE will present a wide range of art and books: hand-made mini-comics and zines, anthologies, graphic novels, art prints, and sketches. Panel discussions will provide insightful conversations about the world of contemporary comics and graphic novels. Artists will share techniques, tips, and tricks for creating your own comics in a variety of workshops for all ages and skill levels.

MICE (Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo) will be held at Lesley University’s University Hall at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue in Porter Square. The hours of the show are Saturday, October 21st, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, and Sunday, October 22nd, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Admission is free. Further information available on the website: www.micexpo.org

RSVP on Facebook!

Sponsors for MICE 2017 include Lesley University and The Million Year Picnic.

MICE 2017 Opens Exhibitor Applications on March 1st

Press Release:

Exhibitor Application period for MICE 2017 opens March 1 – 31. We have some guidelines to maintain a fresh, local, and comics-centered show, while working with the limited space of our venue. We are interested in providing our attendees with a healthy mix of local talent, first-timers, exhibitors working in print comics, and exhibitors with new work for 2017. Our goal is maximize the diversity of our exhibitor roster in several senses of the word: diversity of genre, of styles, and of voices. Additionally, as the Boston area’s major independent comics show, we strive as much as possible to give a platform for local and regional creators. Using these criteria, exhibitors will be selected by a combination curation and lottery system. With the addition of the Eisner level last year, MICE has allowed an opportunity for a bit more table space, but we appreciate your understanding that while interest in MICE grows, our available space remains limited.

• We need to review your comics.
  In the upcoming application we’ll ask for a link to an online portfolio or shared file with samples of your comics – we can’t consider you without them! Please make sure your portfolio contains specific and clear examples of your comics work. We won’t go hunting for examples of your work.
• Comics should count for at least half of your show material.
  You’re excited about comics and so are we. Let’s have a comics show!
• Exhibit new comics.
  We encourage all returning applicants to introduce material that wasn’t at last year’s show. We want to see you continue to do great work, and so do our attendees!
• Consider applying for a Shared Table Space.
  If you only have 1 or 2 comics to sell, be a pal and apply for a 2 foot space at a table shared with other exhibitors. Plus, you’ll have the advantage of a discounted table fee!

Pricing

Shared Table Space (2 feet): $60 – For students, newcomers, or individuals with 1 or 2 comics to sell
Half Table Space (3 feet): $85 – For individual exhibitors
Full Table Space (6 feet): $170 – For Groups of 3 or more exhibitors
10% off any option for high school and college students.

Exhibitor Application period opens March 1 – 31, 2017.

Please contact us at micexpo@gmail.com with any further questions.

MICE 2017 will be held the weekend of October 21−22, 2017, at Lesley’s University Hall in Porter Square, Cambridge, MA. Details at the website: www.micexpo.org

MICE 2017 Announces Dates

Press Release:

The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE) is super excited to announce that 2017 will be held the weekend of October 21−22, 2017, at Lesley’s University Hall in Porter Square, Cambridge, MA. Once again, MICE will feature special guests and comic creators from the New England area and beyond as well as engaging workshops and panel discussions. Everybody here at MICE HQ is counting down the days! We can’t wait!

Applications to exhibit at MICE will open March 1st. Keep an eye out for registration guidelines in the weeks to come. Details at the website: www.micexpo.org

MA – MICE Guests Signing

Artists Nate Powell (March, Year of the Beasts, Any Empire, Swallow Me Whole) and Kerascoët (Beautiful Darkness, Miss Don’t Touch Me, Beauty) appear at the Million Year Picnic on Friday October 28th from 5:30 – 7:00 PM! They will also appear that weekend at the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE).

Nate Powell is a New York Times best-selling graphic novelist who began self-publishing at age 14. Nate illustrates the March trilogy – the acclaimed graphic novel autobiography of civil rights icon John Lewis – in his distinctive loose yet sophisticated style. He also creates comics of his own, such as You Don’t Say, Any Empire, and Swallow Me Whole, which further showcase his skills as a thoughtful storyteller.

Kerascoët is the shared pen name of illustrators Marie Pommepuy and Sébastien Cosset. The duo are best known in the US for their Eisner-nominated graphic novel Beautiful Darkness, where their fanciful cartooning frames a grim tale of mortality. The married couple met while attending the Olivier de Serres art school and now work together in comics and animation.

RSVP on Facebook!

Million Year Picnic
99 Mt Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 492-6763

MA – MICE 2016 Kick-Off Party

Hub Comics hosts the MICE kick-off party on Friday October 28th from 7:00 – 9:00 PM featuring artists Faith Erin Hicks (The Nameless City), Wren McDonald (SP4RX), Jeremy Sorese (Curveball),  Sara Varon (Sweaterweather), Drew Weing (The Creepy Casefiles of Margo Maloo), Greg Cook (Friends Is Friends), Joel Gill (Bessie Stringfield) and Jason Rodriguez (Colonial Comics)! They will also appear that weekend at the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE).

RSVP on Facebook!

Hub Comics – Union Square
19 Bow Street, Somerville, MA 02143
617-718-0987

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