“WOMEN IN COMICS” CELEBRATES THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FEMALE CREATORS IN THE SEQUENTIAL ARTS MEDIUM KNOWN AS COMICS. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THIS AMERICAN POP CULTURE, WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS PLAYED A ROLE AS PENCILERS, INKERS AND EVEN WRITERS IN THE COMIC INDUSTRY, BUT WERE NEVER KNOWN BECAUSE OF THEIR PSEUDONYMS WHICH RENDERED THEM SEXLESS AND MISLED THE PUBLIC TO BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE MALES. THE REASONING BEHIND THE PSEUDONYMS WAS RELATED TO GAINING EMPLOYMENT AS A WRITER OR ARTIST.
DECADES LATER, WOMEN TODAY STILL ARE CHALLENGED TO MAKE THEIR MARK IN A CARTOON WORLD OVERSHADOWED BY MUSCLES, TESTOSTERONE AND CAPES. “WOMEN IS COMICS” UNVEILS THE MASK OF THESE HEROINE COMIC ARTISTS, WRITERS, FILM MAKERS, ANIMATORS, CHARACTERS AND SELF PUBLISHERS.
“WOMEN IN COMICS” IS A BRONX HEROES® EVENT AND IS CURATED BY RAY FELIX.
DECADES LATER, WOMEN TODAY STILL ARE CHALLENGED TO MAKE THEIR MARK IN A CARTOON WORLD OVERSHADOWED BY MUSCLES, TESTOSTERONE AND CAPES. “WOMEN IS COMICS” UNVEILS THE MASK OF THESE HEROINE COMIC ARTISTS, WRITERS, FILM MAKERS, ANIMATORS, CHARACTERS AND SELF PUBLISHERS.
“WOMEN IN COMICS” IS A BRONX HEROES® EVENT AND IS CURATED BY RAY FELIX.
the curator
Ray Felix- Curator
Executive Director of Bronx Heroes
Ray Felix, is a Bronx native born in 1973, he is a graduate of the School of Visual arts Class of 1999/ 2000. His comics include, " God: The Second Coming". " No-1 Anthology", "O.D's H.H" 1 & 2, "Bronx Heroes", "Runaway Slave" and "A World Without Superheroes". Ray Felix is also the Executive Director of the community based organization, Bronx Heroes Comic Con, which promotes literacy and education through the practice of reading and creating comics.
Felix has Freelanced with off Broadway productions such as "The Monkey King" from Great small Works (2006), Cathay: Tale of 3 cites in China(2007) with director Ping Chong and designer Stephen Kaplan. In addition, "Generation Buy" (2010) with writer/ Director Phillip Saruaci jr. and he worked on the Comic TV adaption of the Bronxnet Emmy Award Winning show "Bronx Flavor", starring Justin Fornal aka Baron Ambrosia. Ray Felix's film credits include "A Wonderful Christmas: Feliz Navidad" (2005) released by Lionsgate Pictures. Ray Felix is the winner of numerous awards and grants such a "BRIO- Bronx Recognizes Its Own, 2002, CAG Award- Community Arts Grant 2011, 2012, NYSCA, New York State Council on the Arts in 2011 and 2012, The Sherman Foundation, New York Community Trust award, The National Endowment for the Arts, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Lambent Foundation of Tides Foundation for 2011.
Ray Felix, is a Bronx native born in 1973, he is a graduate of the School of Visual arts Class of 1999/ 2000. His comics include, " God: The Second Coming". " No-1 Anthology", "O.D's H.H" 1 & 2, "Bronx Heroes", "Runaway Slave" and "A World Without Superheroes". Ray Felix is also the Executive Director of the community based organization, Bronx Heroes Comic Con, which promotes literacy and education through the practice of reading and creating comics.
Felix has Freelanced with off Broadway productions such as "The Monkey King" from Great small Works (2006), Cathay: Tale of 3 cites in China(2007) with director Ping Chong and designer Stephen Kaplan. In addition, "Generation Buy" (2010) with writer/ Director Phillip Saruaci jr. and he worked on the Comic TV adaption of the Bronxnet Emmy Award Winning show "Bronx Flavor", starring Justin Fornal aka Baron Ambrosia. Ray Felix's film credits include "A Wonderful Christmas: Feliz Navidad" (2005) released by Lionsgate Pictures. Ray Felix is the winner of numerous awards and grants such a "BRIO- Bronx Recognizes Its Own, 2002, CAG Award- Community Arts Grant 2011, 2012, NYSCA, New York State Council on the Arts in 2011 and 2012, The Sherman Foundation, New York Community Trust award, The National Endowment for the Arts, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Lambent Foundation of Tides Foundation for 2011.
the talent
Laura Alvarez- DR. artist
Laura Alvarez was born in Valencia, Spain. She finished the Fine Arts Degree in 2001 in the Universitat Politecnica of Valencia. She also spent a semester on an Erasmus exchange in KIAD (Kent Institute of Art and Design). Always interested in learning more, is always trying new things attending many different workshops such as batik, silk printing, improv, theatre, photography, typography, hand made bookbinding, etc.
After starting the Doctorate in Valencia she has been working in different companies as a creative, graphic designer, theater set designer for the University and Director of Communications and Public Relations in a private school in Valencia. On January 2009 moved to New York. She first started as working as a graphic designer and slowly moved into the educational aspect of her career, teaching different workshops at the New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx Council of the Arts, YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood, YUCA Arts, SoBRO and other institutions in NY and Spain.
After starting the Doctorate in Valencia she has been working in different companies as a creative, graphic designer, theater set designer for the University and Director of Communications and Public Relations in a private school in Valencia. On January 2009 moved to New York. She first started as working as a graphic designer and slowly moved into the educational aspect of her career, teaching different workshops at the New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx Council of the Arts, YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood, YUCA Arts, SoBRO and other institutions in NY and Spain.
kia barbee- film producer
Kia's producing credits include Taharuki (dir Ekwa Msangi-Omari), which has enjoyed a run in several publicized international festivals and screenings (the African Channel and BBC Africa). I’m Not Me (dirs Zak Mulligan and Rodrigo Lopresti) a savvy psychological drama was showcased at the 2010 Project Forum during Independent Film Week (IFP) in New York City.
A prolific writer, Kia has an arsenal of genre based scripts in development at Elmhurst ready for collaboration with like minded producers and directors a la Sydney Lumet. Most recently, Kia wrote, produced and directed the first part of the three part teen supernatural/sci-fi digital series, Evolve. In addition to completing Evolve, Kia is developing a new supernatural thriller, Visions of London.
As an actress-playwright, two of her plays, Pathways Often Crossed, But Seldom Walked and Dare Me, were featured at the National Black Theater festival and Here Theater, among others. Kia is a graduate of Binghamton University where she majored in Cinema. A believer of hard work, good energy and perpetual drive, Kia looks to continue her streak of opportunities as a writer, filmmaker and supporter of all things creative.
Twitter: @KiaBarbee
Twitter: @elmhurstent
A prolific writer, Kia has an arsenal of genre based scripts in development at Elmhurst ready for collaboration with like minded producers and directors a la Sydney Lumet. Most recently, Kia wrote, produced and directed the first part of the three part teen supernatural/sci-fi digital series, Evolve. In addition to completing Evolve, Kia is developing a new supernatural thriller, Visions of London.
As an actress-playwright, two of her plays, Pathways Often Crossed, But Seldom Walked and Dare Me, were featured at the National Black Theater festival and Here Theater, among others. Kia is a graduate of Binghamton University where she majored in Cinema. A believer of hard work, good energy and perpetual drive, Kia looks to continue her streak of opportunities as a writer, filmmaker and supporter of all things creative.
Twitter: @KiaBarbee
Twitter: @elmhurstent
Selina Briggs- international artist
Selina Briggs is the artist and creator of 'The Jelly Empire'. This UK native, now currently living in Brooklyn, has always dreamed of taking over the world with the misadventures of a cute little robot named, Jelly. Starting out as 2D illustration, this little 'empire' of robots has grown and expanded into comics, custom collectible toys, paper goods and other bits and bobs! She also has a collection of stop motion animations featuring some of her custom Jellybot figures over on her official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/thejellyempire).
Selina is currently working on a "Luchabot" series of toys (in which Jelly stars as several Mexican wrestling "Luchador" robots), a childrens book, 'The Jelly Empire Adventures' Comic Book No.2 and much more! Look for her table at NYCC in October 2013, and of course follow her on the interwebs at www.thejellyempire.com, on Facebook, Instagram, Vine and twitter @thejellyempire.
Selina is currently working on a "Luchabot" series of toys (in which Jelly stars as several Mexican wrestling "Luchador" robots), a childrens book, 'The Jelly Empire Adventures' Comic Book No.2 and much more! Look for her table at NYCC in October 2013, and of course follow her on the interwebs at www.thejellyempire.com, on Facebook, Instagram, Vine and twitter @thejellyempire.
delia Gable- artist
Delia Gable was born and raised in New York City by parents in the fashion industry, who encouraged her 3-year old drawings of unicorns killing each other with some misgivings. She previously illustrated the graphic novel "A Ninja Named Stan" (May 2013), a 99-page full-color graphic novel with a little something for everyone: comedy, adventure, crime-solving, friendship, and a romantic spark, all set in the rainbow of multiplicity that is New York. She has also illustrated for MTV Press, independent musicians Radio Eris and Jasper James, Gray Haven Comics and the Belmars Muay Thai Kickboxing Program, and is currently illustrating "Dash," a noir detective serial set in Los Angeles, 1940. Delia has a BFA from the University of Pennsylvania and her MFA from the School of Visual Arts. She shares an apartment with her partner and their 3 cats. You can see more of her artwork at dcgable.com or check out comics previews and updates at aninjanamedstan.com andteamdashcomic.wordpress.com.
Micheline HESS- artist
Micheline lives in NYC and spends her days doing web design and developing graphic novels, short stories and interactive apps for kids. Micheline has always been fascinated by the visual narrative in books and film and is constantly endeavoring to weave her own quirky sense of humorous story telling into both her personal and sometimes professional work. Her self taught skills in interactive design were honed at Parsons School of Design after getting her Bachelors Degree at Sarah Lawrence College in Fine Arts.
Micheline is most adept at creating characters, worlds and stories that provide a safe and fun way to nurture and encourage young imaginations. She is especially fond of trying to reach young girls and through colorful flights of fun and fancy, encourage in them a stronger sense and love of self, curiosity and a hunger to embrace all things new and different. These days you can usually find her ogling dinosaur skeletons in a museum, at home learning new software, reading or resisting the urge to give her cat Figment, more treats as a result of its attempts at controlling her mind.
Micheline is most adept at creating characters, worlds and stories that provide a safe and fun way to nurture and encourage young imaginations. She is especially fond of trying to reach young girls and through colorful flights of fun and fancy, encourage in them a stronger sense and love of self, curiosity and a hunger to embrace all things new and different. These days you can usually find her ogling dinosaur skeletons in a museum, at home learning new software, reading or resisting the urge to give her cat Figment, more treats as a result of its attempts at controlling her mind.
Alitha E. Martinez- artist/ writer
Alitha Martinez is a veteran in the world of mainstream American superhero comics who has recently started her own title, Yume and Ever. Her exquisite attention to detail is a wonder to behold. Her work can be found in issues of Black Panther, Iron Man, Spider-Girl Battlebook: Streets of Fire, Shi, X-Men: Black Sun, Marvel Age: Fantastic Four, Voltron: Defender of the Universe, and NBC’s Heroes. She is also the illustrator of Twisted Journeys #12: Kung Fu Masters, Quest for Dragon Mountain, and Vampire: My Boyfriend Bites for Lerner Publications. She also does political cartooning for the New York Post. She lives in New York City.
shawna "lazy" mills- animator
New York City native, Lazymills is an artist, designer, comic artist, and animator. Throughout her young career she has designed logos, graphic designed, concept designed, and has been a solo producer/ one woman production studio on animated music videos developed for musician MC Frontalot, SYOR RebelYouthSocietyLLC, JA RULE,SHY and more.
She has worked for Titmouse Inc. Her works are featured in BlackComix and the Street Fighter Tribute book -- both in stores nationwide. Her own book of art published in 2012, titled N.A.P. She has been a Storyboard artist and she live paints for events. Shawna is working on her own properties including, comic books, pilots, music videos with Original Art and prints up for sale in galleries in NYC, and stories featuring her created characters.
She is a member of A Squad studios, and as of 2013, became a 2D game designer/Director at Squat Designs/Fantasticards in NYC.
She has worked for Titmouse Inc. Her works are featured in BlackComix and the Street Fighter Tribute book -- both in stores nationwide. Her own book of art published in 2012, titled N.A.P. She has been a Storyboard artist and she live paints for events. Shawna is working on her own properties including, comic books, pilots, music videos with Original Art and prints up for sale in galleries in NYC, and stories featuring her created characters.
She is a member of A Squad studios, and as of 2013, became a 2D game designer/Director at Squat Designs/Fantasticards in NYC.
Suzannah rowntree - artist/editor
Suzannah currently holds the position of Features Editor at Archie Comic Publications, Inc., where she has edited, designed, and created concept art and character bibles. Her work has included the Eisner-nominated Life With Archie magazine, the GLAAD Award-Winning Kevin Keller and Jinx, a graphic novel series based on the classic Archie Comics property, Li’l Jinx.
Her freelance projects include Editorial duties on the record-breaking kickstarted project Womanthology, and work on Yoe! Books recent publication: Comics About Cartoonists. She is the founder and co-host of Animated Things Club, a blog and podcast about great animation.
You can see more of her work online at suzanimated.com
Her freelance projects include Editorial duties on the record-breaking kickstarted project Womanthology, and work on Yoe! Books recent publication: Comics About Cartoonists. She is the founder and co-host of Animated Things Club, a blog and podcast about great animation.
You can see more of her work online at suzanimated.com
NATASHA SANDERS- artist
Natasha's passion for storytelling was cultivated by her mother's love for comic books. Every month Natasha and her mom would go to various comic book shops all over NYC searching for new books to buy. As the years went on, Natasha found it harder to relate to the narrative in most of the books she was reading. Frustrated, she set out to create the kinds of stories that would include many people that have been systematically misrepresented. On her quest to do so, she attended the School of Visual Arts and the Arts Students League. She shared her love of art and comics by conducting workshops and panels at conventions such as Onna and Big Apple Anime Fest. She, also, began working on her own comic projects such as Orion and Psychos in Love which contained a more diverse cast of characters. In her never-ending mission to diversify comics, she is currently working on the anthology, Sinister Snacks with writer Ellen Goodlett. You can keep up with Natasha and her art @ ysandersart.blogspot.com.
Rica Takashima- international manga artist
Born in Tokyo, Japan. Rica graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts & Music. She founded Peekaboo-kun Art project in 1994 which is a totally new concept in contemporary art, fusing "traditional" Japanese manga and Otaku culture with participatory art. She uses extra thick black lines in her work, reminiscent of another traditional art form, Shodo Japanese Calligraphy.
Rica enjoys working with people and she has taught workshops involving her art at Aomori Art Museum and New York Public Library. Her work appears in both public and private collections including the International Manga Museum, Kyoto, Japan. One of her manga work, Rica 'the Kanji!? was selected as top 10 manga in 2011 by Italian WIRED magazine.
Rica enjoys working with people and she has taught workshops involving her art at Aomori Art Museum and New York Public Library. Her work appears in both public and private collections including the International Manga Museum, Kyoto, Japan. One of her manga work, Rica 'the Kanji!? was selected as top 10 manga in 2011 by Italian WIRED magazine.
Jodi tong-artists
Jodi Tong is an artist who has done work for publishing, online/mobile gaming, product graphics, cartooning and, spot illustration. She's most well known as the author/artist of webcomics, Lang Lang and House of LSD and, the newest printed series, Bunny Mom.
Vanessa Verduga- actress / writer/ director
Actress/ Director: Vanessa Verduga is an actor in New York City. On any given day she can be found playing many parts on stage, on screen and off. In addition to being an actor, Vanessa is a singer, writer, director, producer and a lawyer. She brings real life experiences to her craft. Her sensual, passionate yet sarcastic personality brings life to the characters she plays.
Sha-Nee Williams- artist
Sha-Nee Williams was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design from Braircliffe College in Bethpage, New York. She currently still live in Brooklyn.
Throughout college, Sha-Nee has developed skills in Graphic Design and Illustration. She believes that she is on a creative journey to learn and continue to hone her craft. She also loves visuals and her goals are to learn storytelling as well as creating her own graphic novel one day.
Throughout college, Sha-Nee has developed skills in Graphic Design and Illustration. She believes that she is on a creative journey to learn and continue to hone her craft. She also loves visuals and her goals are to learn storytelling as well as creating her own graphic novel one day.
Sara Woolley- Illustrator
Sara Woolley is an award-winning illustrator and artist living and working in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has been twice recognized by the New York Society of Illustrators, by the Los Angeles Society of Illustrators, and most recently by 3×3 Magazine of Contemporary Illustration. Of Colombian and American ethnicity, Sara’s exploration of cultural identity manifests itself in various forms throughout her work. This can be seen in her MFA series, Views from Macondo as well as in her current project, Los Pirineos: The mostly true memoirs of Esperancita Gómez, a three volume graphic novel written by Sara’s mother, Leila Gómez. Los Pirineos is a fictionalized memoir chronicling a young girl’s upbringing in and eventual exile from Colombia told through the lens of childhood imagination. Researched on location in Colombia with the help of a grant from the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC), Los Pirineos is at once deeply personal while giving voice to a common immigrant experience.
Sara is a proud product of the City University of New York, Queens College where she earned her BFA in Visual Arts with honors Cum Laude. She went on to receive her MFA in Illustration, from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco California. To see more of Sara's work please visit WWW.SARAWOOLLEY.COM.
Sara is a proud product of the City University of New York, Queens College where she earned her BFA in Visual Arts with honors Cum Laude. She went on to receive her MFA in Illustration, from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco California. To see more of Sara's work please visit WWW.SARAWOOLLEY.COM.
Savannah Zambrano Artist
Savannah Zambrano is an artist from Florida. She moved to New York looking for work as an artist. She currently works at an eco friendly boutique and does freelance design & comic work on the side. Her main inspirations are manga, anime, fantasy, sci fi, steam punk, and slice of life. Savannah started a daily comic, www.unlazy.com, in 2006 while in college and continues to work on it even now. She would love to tell more stories with pictures while traveling with her dog, Ace. Her work can be found in various books & websites
Vanessa Verduga
actress/ director
Actress/ Director: Vanessa Verduga (aka Justice Woman) is an actor in New York City. On any given day she can be found playing many parts on stage, on screen and off. In addition to being an actor, Vanessa is a singer, writer, director, producer and a lawyer. She brings real life experiences to her craft. Her sensual, passionate yet sarcastic personality brings life to the characters she plays.