Articles by Nancy Powell
SDCC ’26: Plenty of cover and art reveals at Marvel’s Midnight Universe, but no major storyline takeaways
Marvel used one of its San Diego Comic-Con panels on Saturday to unveil the visual identity of its new horror imprint, the Midnight Universe line. However, writers Jonathan Hickman, Benjamin Percy, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, and editors C.B. Cebulski, Jordan D. White, Dan Buckley, and Nick Lowe (moderator) made clear from the stage that story specifics are staying locked up until the books actually ship.
SDCC ’26: Why futurist Daniel Rasmus is talking to librarians at Comic-Con
Somewhere between the artist alley and the cosplay lines, futurist Daniel Rasmus spent his week at San Diego Comic-Con doing something that had nothing to do with capes or panels on the next big adaptation: mapping out four possible futures for public libraries in an AI-saturated 2036.
SDCC ’26: Stuart may fail to save the universe, but you’ll have fun trying
This is a public service announcement. I am a huge Big Bang Theory fan. But I am a bigger fan of the lovable doofs who never get their day in the sun. So, when I saw Stuart and Bert finally get their buddy show, the stars were aligned. Naturally, I had to check out the San Diego Comic-Con Stuart Fails to Save the Universe off-site activation (530 Sixth Ave at the Sparks Gallery). First stop: a recreation of Stuart’s comic gallery, but not the one viewers are familiar with on BBT.
SDCC ’26: Fandom journalists push back on the “objectivity” myth
In a San Diego Comic-Con panel on Friday, fandom journalists and content creators challenged a familiar critique of their work: that being a fan disqualifies someone from fairly covering a show. The panel, “The Pitt and Heated Rivalry: Fandom in Entertainment Journalism/Criticism: When Is It Too Much,” included The Mary Sue editor-in-chief Rachel Leishman as moderator, Rachel Tolleson (The Mary Sue), Bobbi Miller, Hope Sloop (Decider), and two guest panelists.
SDCC ’26: Why the graphic novel is built for social change
R. Sikoryak (Declaration Illustrated, Emancipation Illustrated), Rob Reger (Emily the Strange), Jarrett Dapier (Wake Now in the Fire), and Tilly and Susan Bridges (Just Another Summer, DC’s Princesses of the DC Universe) agreed on one thing at the Children’s Book Council’s Graphic Novel Committee San Diego Comic-Con panel, “Drawing Courage: YA Graphic Novels That Speak Up”: Comics don’t just tell stories about social change. They’re built to survive attempts to shut those stories down.
SDCC ’26: Meow Wolf and Titmouse didn’t drop big news, but their panel was still worth the wait
Meow Wolf and Titmouse’s “Weirder Together” panel at San Diego Comic-Con promised a look at the immersive art collective’s growing partnership with the animation studio. What it delivered wasn’t a bombshell reveal, but it did something harder. It proved how these two very different studios tie story into physical spaces. Moderator Dan Casey kept things loose with the help of Meow Wolf’s James Stephenson and Elizabeth Jarrett and Titmouse’s Chris Prynoski and Jeanette Jeanenne.
SDCC ’26: A primer on comic book recommendations (there is no wrong way to read a comic)
Imagine this: you see a wall of comics and have the sinking feeling of where do I even start? Never fear! Two comic book experts sat down to answer that exact question, one audience question at a time, with comic book recommendations to spare at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday.
SDCC ’26: Gundam showcase panel teases new 2027 anime and video game
It’s hard to believe that Gundam turns 50 in 2029, but in anticipation of its golden anniversary, Gundam franchise executive producer Naohiro Ogata teased several new projects in their fully-attended San Diego Comic Con showcase Thursday. The two projects slated for release in 2027 include a new anime series titled Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARZ-Zero and a video game series titled Gundam Rogue Orbit. Description of XARX-Zero, presented at the Gundam Showcase panel, Thursday, July 23, 2026.
SDCC ’26: Too early for the world, THE VALE is right on time for Comic-Con
Abigail Hing Wen has spent years mastering the novelist’s version of total creative control: dialogue, pacing, and interiority. But a decade-old manuscript she once shelved as “too early” is premiering as a live-action/animation hybrid short this week at Comic-Con International in San Diego.
Animation Legend Willie Ito on Disney, Hanna-Barbera, and the two-decade journey of Hello Maggie
Animation legend Willie Ito was prepared to retire after a 50-year career as a pioneering animator at Disney, Warner Brothers, and Hanna Barbera in 1999. However, retirement would have to wait when his childhood friend and collaborator, Shigeru ‘Shig’ Yabu, approached him with an irresistible personal request. “Shig says, ‘I wrote a story, and I thought you might be the one to illustrate it,’” recalls Ito.
WonderCon ‘26: The new obscenity: How “harmful to minor” laws are criminalizing the comic shop
The American constitutional right to free speech is entering a fraught new era. The latest battlefield isn’t in a courtroom or in a legislative chamber—it’s at the local comic shop and the school library. At WonderCon, legal experts and advocacy leaders warned of a rising tide of “harmful to minor” statutes designed to bypass longstanding First Amendment protections.
30 Anticipated manga for winter 2026
Winter and early spring 2026 are stacked with manga that will thrill, chill, and delight readers of all ages. Wah Kee’s My Soul Mate spins a semi-autobiographical tale of two artists connecting across life and death, while Step on a LEGO and S.arang’s Revenge of the Baskerville Bloodhound delivers a darkly satisfying story of vengeance and survival.
30 Anticipated kids graphic novels for winter 2026
Get ready to meet brave heroes, clever inventors, and mischievous creatures! Winter 2026 is stacked with graphic novels that will delight, inspire, and entertain young readers. Our list of 30 anticipated kids graphic novels for winter 2026 span everything from laugh-out-loud humor and wacky adventures to magical quests, thrilling mysteries, and STEM-powered experiments.
61 Anticipated YA and adult graphic novels for winter 2026
Our selection of 61 anticipated YA and adult graphic novels for winter 2026 isn’t just escapism–they’re dispatches, drawn in real time. In a season shadowed by censorship battles, culture-war whiplash, climate dread, and the nonstop renegotiation of who gets to be safe, seen, and believed, comics are doing what they’ve always done best: turning the pressure into story.
SDCC ’25: Demon Slayer Infinity Castle Hall H sneak peek wows
The excitement was palpable in Hall H on Saturday as Crunchyroll unveiled the first 13 minutes of the action-packed Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba–Infinity Castle. This cinematic marvel from director Haruo Sotozaki and director of photography Yuichi Terao showcases striking mise-en-scène, striking realism, and expressive artistry. “I paid very close attention to the lines, kind of thickness of the lines from the manga.
SDCC ’25: Crunchyroll to launch Anime Nights beginning in October
At its press breakfast at Comic-Con, Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini announced the launch of a new monthly anime program called Anime Nights, debuting on October 20 at select theaters around the U.S. Theaters will screen featured anime films every third Monday of the month. The 2025 lineup will kick off with Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid in October, followed by Overlord in November. According to Crunchyroll news, December will feature a sneak peek at an upcoming film.
50 Anticipated kids graphic novels for summer 2025
Our list of kids graphic novels for summer 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting mix of fresh takes on beloved characters and powerful new voices in storytelling. Jeffrey Brown’s offbeat take on Hulk as a teacher is sure to delight young Marvel fans, while Brian “Smitty” Smith and Marz Jr.’s Transformers series brings action-packed adventures to middle-grade readers. Representation is thriving, with stories that highlight diverse perspectives and historical narratives.
85 anticipated YA and adult graphic novels for summer 2025
Our lineup of YA and adult graphic novels for summer 2025 is packed with exciting stories across genres, from romance and sci-fi escapism to horror, academics and the avant-garde. Ray Terciero and Claudia Aguirre’s Anne of Green Gables reimagining in a Southern Baptist community offers a unique perspective on a classic tale. Stephanie Williams and Sas Milledge’s adaptation of The Raven Boys brings Maggie Stiefvater’s character-driven YA fantasy series to life in a new format.
60 anticipated manga for summer 2025
Summer has arrived, and what better way to enjoy the beach vibes and hot weather than by curling up by the pool or on the sand with a nice refreshing drink and escaping into a sizzling romantasy?
Graphic Novel Review: PEARL adds to the canon of World War II comics from the expat perspective
Writer: Sherri L. Smith Artist: Christine Norris Publisher: Graphix Graphic novels exist from the point of view of Japanese American incarceration during World War II, but few, if any, have offered the counter perspective — Japanese Americans caught up in the crosshairs of war and conscripted into service in Japan. Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norris take on the subject gamely in Pearl, and the result is a haunting but uplifting story of identity and survival.
Interview and Exclusive Preview: The WEIRDO manifesto to improving mental health
Some of us might hold fond memories of the good old days of middle school. For all the not-so-happy others tagged as nerds, or worse, middle school was a battleground and battlefield of insult and injury, fear of the unknown meshed with a sinking dread one might make it home in one piece. Because even in middle school, where we should enjoy a peaceful transition to adolescence, many of us can’t forget, which is what Tony Weaver, Jr. and Weirdo hope to ameliorate.
NYCC expands to Wednesday with Retailer Day; new MUTTS collection and more from The Beat for 08/16/2024
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Exclusive Interview: On ‘Slay The Princess – The Pristine Cut’ with Black Tabby Games At the intersection where comics meet video games, the creators of SLAY THE PRINCESS share details on the Pristine Cut in a conversation with Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias.
By Christian Angeles Verified, Heidi MacDonald Verified, Heidi Macdonald, Nancy Powell Verified, Ricardo Serrano Denis
Interview: Pichetshote and Dodson explains why the one shot is special
Pornsak Pichetshote (The Good Asian, Infidel) has long admired the artistry of Terry Dodson (Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil that Men Do, Uncanny X-Men). So, when Pichetshote had the chance, he recruited Dodson to his new creative cause. Friendship blossomed and along with it, mutual respect and appreciation. All this is on full display as the duo sit together to talk about their creative collaboration on the one shot, The Horizon Experiment: The Manchurian.
SDCC ’24: Library catalogs offer a unique perspective on comics history
Comics have come a long way since its print debut in the late nineteenth century. From its birth on the pages of newspapers to its explosive growth as floppies during the Golden Age, the evolution of graphic novels and manga to its adaptation onto digital mediums, comics no longer represent mere child’s play. Comics are serious business, and the public has taken notice when it comes to having access to these reading materials in libraries.
SDCC ’24: On finding family and juggling artistic license with revelatory truth
Families are complicated, and creators often have to juggle artistic license with revelatory truth. On July 27, 2024, Judy Prince-Neeb (youth services librarian, Torrance Public Library) moderated a panel at San Diego Comic-Con that explored what happens when the ties that bind families together begin to fray, tangle, or constrict. Joining Neeb on the panel were Adam Nimoy (The Most Human), Shawnelle and Shawnee Gibbs (Ghost Roast), Eddie Ahn (Advocate) and Thien Pham (Family Style).
SDCC ’24: Great Oak Press amplifies indigenous voices through language revitalization
Tribally-owned Great Oak Press was established a decade ago by California’s Pechanga Tribe and has provided an avenue to nurture and expand the knowledge of indigenous voices. The publishing house was at San Diego Comic-Con on July 26, 2024 to promote two titles in their repertoire and to talk about language revitalization projects through Chag Lowery’s graphic novel, Soldiers Unknown.
SDCC ’24: Three amigos-Yang, Loewinsohn, and Pham-plus one talk food, family and culture
People never know what they sign up for with the panels they attend at Comic-Con. Some panels regurgitate mind-numbingly boring content. Some panelists lack chemistry or enthusiasm, producing much pain and little gain in the hour that stretches painfully to infinity. Then there are those who bring infectious chemistry, enthusiasm, and comedic gravitas to the plate.
SDCC ’24: The terrorism of book bans in dividing communities
Book challenges and censorship show no signs of going away. According to the American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom, public library book challenges , representing a 92% increase since 2020. In 2023, 4.240 unique titles were targeted. Not satisfied with censoring books alone, challengers have ramped up cyberbullying, doxxing, and direct threats against those who create and curate these titles.
SDCC ’24: Librarians use Culture Pass and Discover and Go to extend pop culture to the masses
Librarians are known as arbiters of knowledge, champions of literacy, and gatekeepers of democracy. But prior to the pandemic, librarians were evolving into ambassadors of culture and pushing ahead to full-fledged promotors during the pandemic. At San Diego Comic-Con’s Thursday panel, “National Treasures: A Pop Culture Pass from Your Library,” the Brooklyn Public Library’s Brendan Crain and San Diego Public Library’s Jeffrey T.
SDCC ‘24: BOOM! Studios teases new books, “20 For 20” ahead of its 20th anniversary
In anticipation of its 20th anniversary next year, BOOM! Studios provided a sneak peek at upcoming projects at a packed Saturday morning San Diego Comic-Con panel, “BOOM! Studios: Discover the Future First.” The publisher’s plans follow an announcement of the its acquisition by Penguin Random House.
SDCC ’24: Mattel celebrates BarbieLand with the Mini Mojo Dojo Casa House exclusive
The Mattel displays at San Diego Comic-Con rank as one of the most visited and photographed exhibits during the four-day event. Booth #3029 did not disappoint as gawkers and casual fans packed the displays like sardines on preview night, angling for a snapshot of its latest playthings. Mattel Creations unveiled 12 new collectibles for the 2024 show—including two convention exclusives—with Barbie’s Mini Mojo Dojo Casa House commanding attention with its preview night debut.
Interview: In CYN, world building and spirituality take center stage
Eisner-nominated writer and artist Ibrahim Moustafa (Jaeger, High Crimes) explores themes of redemption, sacrifice and found family in Cyn, the follow-up to his 2021 graphic novel, The Count. Moustafa expands the character arc of Meris a.k.a. Cyn, the governmental cybernetic enforcer and harbinger of death and destruction. Suffering from injury and amnesia, Meris awakens on a remote farm under the care of Ness, an engineer and adoptive father of two orphan girls.
Pushing Back: Librarians at ALA 2024 reaffirm right to freely read and other takeaways
Library love took all forms this past weekend at ALA 2024, but If there was one resounding takeaway that librarians and comics creators shared, it was the right to self-expression and the right of library patrons to read what they choose. This affirmation was echoed throughout by ALA President Emily Drabinksi, the Friday night “Rally for the Right to Read: Voters Unite against Book Bans,” in the speeches of keynote speakers, librarians and from authors who participated at the convention.
If you missed out on SDCC '24 badges, geek out at this weekend’s ALA Annual 2024
While the west’s largest pop culture convention is just a mere month away, San Diego’s other big deal this summer happens to carry the distinction of world’s largest convention celebrating libraries.
John Green and Hannah Marks’ L.A. Times Festival of Books screen debut of “Turtles All the Way Down” gets high marks from attendees
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books debuted Hannah Marks’ highly anticipated screen adaptation of John Green’s bestselling young adult novel “Turtles All the Way Down” on April 20, 2024. When the curtains came down, the standing room only crowd showed rapturous support for this poignant and visceral depiction of how OCD impacts relationships and daily functioning for those who suffer from it.
Moorpark College Mock Trial shapes leaders beyond the courtroom
The Moorpark College Mock Trial team was riding a wave of success two years into its founding, qualifying to the American Mock Trial Association Open Round Championship Series in 2019 before COVID-19 rudely stopped its momentum. Two years post-pandemic, the team has returned to competition. And now, the program is looking for students to join its 2024-2025 team.
Moorpark College students can volunteer three hours and punch their tickets to a day at WonderCon 2024
WonderCon 2024, the sister convention to the San Diego Comic-Con, opens at the Anaheim Convention Center on March 30. While daily tickets for Friday, Saturday and Sunday continue to be available (costs start from $40 on Sunday to $57 on Saturday), Moorpark College students can attend for just the cost of parking and transportation simply by volunteering three hours on their preferred day of attendance.
Asian American Pacific Islander Club seeks to expand membership to all interested students
Sunshine Roth was always interested in sharing Asian culture with her fellow students. While an Asian culture club had existed at Moorpark College many years past, it had lapsed into inactivity. Roth took matters into her own hands and organized the Asian American Pacific Islander Student Association in 2023. “When I saw there wasn’t a club on campus for AAPI students and culture, I decided to start one myself,” explains Roth.
Society of Illustrators receives $99k NYSCA grant for K-12 programs
The New York State Council of the Arts awarded The Society of Illustrators with a $99,000 grant. The NYSCA grant will support SI’s free year-round arts education programs that serve underserved K-12 youth from economically challenged neighborhoods in New York City. The funding comes on the heels of Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement to allocate $46 million in grants for over 1,000 nonprofits and 500 individual artists throughout the state of New York.
45 best manga of Fall 2023
Autumn is an exciting time for manga and manwha as witnessed with The Beat’s expanded coverage in recent weeks. The current list of 45 anticipated manga for Fall 2023 is by no means exhaustive, but it calls out new books that deserve more than a gander. For diehard Haruki Murakami fans (or those about to be), Tuttle Publishing will debut the first of a three-volume graphic visualization of Murakami’s short stories in early October.
55 kids and middle graphic novels out in Fall 2023
Superheroes, D&D, boba and zombie battles rock The Beat’s list of anticipated kids and middle graphic novels for Fall 2023. The action starts in October with fresh takes by Victoria Ying (HUNGRY GHOST), Molly Knox Ostertag (THE GIRL FROM THE SEA), Xanthe Bouma, Grace Ellis (LUMBERJANES) and Penelope Rivera Gaylord on the D&D and superhero franchises. Faith Erin Hicks (who also has a YA book on the anticipated YA and adults graphic novel list for Fall 2023) returns with a new AVATAR story.
10 manga titles to binge after the Thanksgiving feast
Football, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, running the turkey trot, and eating oneself into a food coma are among some of the top Thanksgiving traditions we all like to celebrate. But reading manga? It’s one way to pass the time either before or after the big dinner. We’ve got 10 manga titles to binge post-feast that include food manga, long-running series about friendships, Eisner-nominees and winners such as a Hayao Miyazaki classic, and a couple of webcomics that riff off Groundhog Day themes.
INTERVIEW: Seasons play a pivotal role in Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s adaptation of THE NAKED TREE
In Harvey Award-winning Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s graphic novels (GRASS, THE WAITING), the Korean war provides a rich tapestry in which to explore the plight of women and social class. In THE NAKED TREE, Gendry-Kim continues this narrative with her visually stunning adaptation of Park Wan Suh’s classic coming-of-age novel, mixing history and fiction with emotional immediacy and artistic finesse.
80 anticipated YA and adult graphic novels for Fall 2023
Autumn marks a busy publishing season as October opens with more than half of the titles from The Beat’s list of anticipated YA and adult graphic novels for Fall 2023. History, memoir, coming-of-age and slice-of-life stories top our list of titles, with plenty of romance and humor to add to the mix. Look for the long-awaited and groundbreaking fiction by Daniel Clowes (GHOST WORLD, PATIENCE) and Bill Watterson (CALVIN AND HOBBBES) and a powerful graphic memoir from Amy Kurzweil (FLYING COUCH).
INTERVIEW: Adam Bessie on how GOING REMOTE altered the educational landscape
It has been three years since the COVID pandemic began, and a generation of students are still struggling to recover academically. What had been the great equalizer—the classroom, which allowed students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to socialize together—had suddenly been taken away when schools closed. What was left in the aftermath was an imperfect replacement for the classroom.
SDCC ’23: Publishers dish on manga’s future at the Manga Industry Publishing Roundtable
Manga sales continued to be strong for the third highest year on record (and trending higher than 2020). While the future of manga appears bright from the licensing perspective, ongoing uncertainty about the economy and lingering concerns about the availability of resources weighed heavily on publishers’ minds at Thursday’s Manga Industry Publishing Roundtable.
THE VIGIL's Ram V talks about breaking barriers
At Comic Con Eisner-nominated and award-winning writer Ram Venkatesan, better known as Ram V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, The Swamp Thing) had quite an eventful Comic Con in San Diego. Ram V was there to promote his latest DC projects, including The Vigil with Lalit Kumar Sharma, as well as the next storyline for Detective Comics,a Western-themed arc that will feature Dustin Nguyen (Ascender, Descender) and Jason Shawn Alexander (Gotham Central) on art.
SDCC ’23: Post-pandemic censorship: libraries and the challenges they face
Book bans and legislative control of reading materials are a very real thing. Whether it’s a blue state or a red state, agitators have mounted challenges to libraries across the nation to remove books that provide inclusive content to the public. “Libraries and the Challenges They Face,” the first panel at the San Diego Public Library’s Comic Conference for Educators and Librarians, addressed this issue.
SDCC ’23: The Congressional Popular Arts Caucus launches at Comic Con
Comic Con 2023 may have been notable for the lack of studio fanfare, but a local congressman made headlines on that front. Robert Garcia chose the final day of Comic Con to launch his bipartisan Congressional Popular Arts Caucus. Joining Garcia on the panel launching the caucus were Megan Halsband (Library of Congress librarian overseeing the nation’s comic book collection), Josh Trujillo (writer of DC’s Blue Beetle comics) and Jeff Trexler (interim director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund).
SDCC ‘23: It all sounds like propaganda: Samuel Spitale’s crash course in media literacy
Samuel Spitale offered his version of a crash course in media literacy, covering all the major bullet points of a semester-long college course in little under half an hour. Those attendees who had taken any mass communications class would recognize the history and stories behind the slide show infographics instantly. For those that did not, “Crash Course” would expose the myths behind some of the more popular catchphrases and cleverly disguised publicity campaigns.
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