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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Aimee Reeder
Communications Manager
Berkeley Public Library
510.495.4175
areeder@berkeleyca.gov 

Comic Con at Berkeley Public Library is Back for Its Third Epic Year!

Berkeley, California (November 3, 2025) – Calling all comic fans, artists, readers, and dreamers… Berkeley Public Library’s Comic Con is back and bigger than ever! 

On Saturday, November 8 from 10:30am-4:30pm, the Library hosts its third annual Comic Con, an all-day, all-ages celebration of comics, graphic novels, art, and storytelling at the Central Library (2090 Kittredge at Shattuck) in Downtown Berkeley. 

From panels and cosplay to hands-on workshops and a vendor hall, this free community event promises inspiration and fun for fans of every age. 

“Comic Con at the Library has grown into one of our most creative and joyful events celebrating the rich and varied genres and presentations of illustrated works, and all its worlds and AUs,” says Elaine Tai, Supervising Librarian. “We’re so lucky to have an amazing community of talent in the East Bay and Bay Area that comes together to help make this event a success.”

This year’s lineup features award-winning authors, illustrators, and local creators who bring truth, humor, and adventure to the comics page. Book sales and signings will be provided by Eastwind Books. 

For the full schedule and event details, visit berkeleypubliclibrary.org.  Highlights include:

Telling Truths: Personal and Historical Narratives as Graphic Novels
Comics meet real life in this powerful panel featuring Hugh D’Andrade (The Murder Next Door), Dr. Rebecca Hall (Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts), Dimitrea Tokunbo (Long Covid Story Short), and Julia Wertz (Impossible People; Museum of Mistakes), and moderated by Ajuan Mance (Living While Black: Portraits of Everyday Resistance). Discover how and why these creators transform personal stories and historical moments into unforgettable graphic narratives.  - Teens & Adults

HELLA COMIX
A celebration of indie comics read by the original creators from the East Bay BIPOC Cartoonists. - Teens & Adults

Zines Against the Machine: Drop-in Workshop with Shani Ealey
Doomscrolling. AI art. Infinite screens. Our digital lives are wild—so let’s make zines about it! Join artist Shani Ealey for a hands-on workshop exploring how technology shapes our world and our imaginations. - Teens & Adults

Reading & Drawalong with Isabella Kung
Enjoy a reading and live drawing session with picture book author and illustrator Isabella Kung (Nunu and the Sea; No Fuzzball!)Dive into the book’s topics while also a perfect creative break for kids (and their grownups). - Ages 4–8

Meet Me at the Drawing Board: Workshop with Booki Vivat
Help author-illustrator Booki Vivat (Meet on Mercer Street) brainstorm new additions to the Mercer Street neighborhood and watch your ideas come to life in an interactive live-drawing demonstration. You will also get the chance to show off your art skills and draw your very own neighborhood creations. - Ages 6–12

The Real Stuff
Wahab Algarmi (Almost Sunset), Dean Stuart (Cassi and the House of Memories), Booki Vivat (Meet Me on Mercer Street), and moderator Thien Pham (Family Style) share how they bring real experiences—funny, awkward, and heartfelt—to life on the comics page. - Ages 8+

Interactive Comic Workshop with Jason Shiga
Ever wish you could control a comic? Now you can! Join Jason Shiga (Adventuregame Comics) for a hands-on session to make your own interactive choose-your-path comic. - Ages 10+, limited spots

Continuing the Stories: Working on DC & Marvel, Star Trek, Peanuts & More
Step behind the scenes with creators Sara Alfageeh (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Wars), Jessica Fong (DC), Morgan Hampton (Star Trek, Marvel), Chinaka Hodge (Marvel’s Ironheart; Snowpiercer), Katie Longua (Peanuts) moderated by Mychal Threets of Reading Rainbow. Discover what it’s like to bring iconic universes to life! - Kids, Tweens & Adults

What an Awkward Time: Coming of Age Stories
From cringe-worthy moments to beautiful breakthroughs, this panel explores growing up on the comics page with Maia Kobabe (Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding; Gender Queer), Laura Gao (Kirby’s Lessons in Falling, Messy Roots), Kiara Brinkman & Sean Chiki (Rhiannon; Lucy in the Sky) and Briana Loewinsohn (Raised by Ghosts; Ephemera), moderated by Mel Gillman (Other Ever Afters: New Queer Fairy Tales; As the Crow Flies). -Tweens & up

OF IRONHEART
Step into the world of creativity and innovation with a captivating conversation between these phenomenal storytellers Chinaka Hodge (Marvel’s Ironheart; Snowpiercer) and Angela Dalton (To Boldly Go) as they explore Black Women in Sci-Fi. 
- Tweens & up

Riot G*rls of Comics: Hard Femmes Speaking Hard Truths
Bold. Honest. Unapologetic. Diego Gomez (1963 is Not an End But a Beginning; Hard Femme Ex-Men), Lee Marrs (Further Fattening Adventures of Pudge, Girl Blimp), Jon Macy (Djuna: The Extraordinary Life of Djuna Barnes), Gaia WXYZ (SupaClusta), and Rita Sapunor (She the People) take the stage to talk about power, identity, and pushing boundaries in comics. - Teens & Adults

Berkeley Comic Con is free and open to the public. Cosplay is encouraged, creativity is celebrated, and everyone is welcome.

For questions or additional information about Comic Con, please call (510) 495-4175 or email areeder@berkeleyca.gov.

For general questions about Library events, services, hours and locations, please call (510) 981-6100 or visit the Library’s website www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

All Library programs are wheelchair accessible.  For questions, to request a sign language interpreter or other accommodations for library events, please call (510) 981-6195 (voice) or (510) 548-1240 (TTY) at least five working days in advance to help ensure availability.  Please refrain from wearing scented products to public programs.

Founded in 1893, the Berkeley Public Library serves as a vital community hub—providing free access to information, ideas, and inspiration for all. With five locations and a dynamic range of programs, the Library fosters creativity, literacy, and lifelong learning for everyone in Berkeley.

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