12PM Create Your Own Pokemon with John Gallagher
Are you ready to create and draw your own Pokemon creature? John (Max Meow) Gallagher will show you how to mash up an animal with a power to make a super-fantastic pocket monster that will choose you!

1PM Comic Costume Academy with Carolyn Belefski
Every hero needs a logo! Join artist and designer Carolyn Belefski (Curls) and learn how to incorporate graphic design elements to create an icon and establish your own powerful visual identity. Kids can then place the logos on the provided capes, and… up, up, and away!*

*Kids Love Comics does not guarantee kids will actually fly

2 PM Making your own comic – and their first comic!
Robert Deans, writer and artist of picture books, chapter books, and comic books, will help your child learn the basics of comic storytelling, including the components of comic strips and comic books.  Deans will also guide your child in creating a fantastic character of their own to star in your child’s story.  Deans will talk about what makes a compelling story, and what kind of characters make a good story.  During the panel kids will create their own multi-panel comic strips and a character to headline the story.

3PM Paper Bag Puppet Adventures with Beth and Ryn
Miss Beth (Guys & Dolls) and Ryn Gallagher (Zoey & Ketchup Adventures) will help kids make their own paper bag puppets, using markers, crayons, scissors, and a whole lotta imagination! What fantastic character will you make? Who knows?!

12 Noon Create Mythical Heroes with Arsia Rozegar
Create a modern mythical adventure with artist Arsia Rozegar (Iron Man, Hulk, Shahnameh For Kids), in this fun drawing lesson. What legendary character will be created— powerful? Scary? Silly? Only the fates know for sure!

1 PM Monster Mash Fun with Sam “Kidlet” Deans
Join artist/illustrator Sam Deans (HippoFartamus),  and learn how draw a spooky (or silly) monster, to be used in THE NEXT HIPPOFARTAMUS BOOK! Slimy tentacles, creepy eyes, and chompy teeth will be drawn, and the result will be BOO-tacular!

2 PM Flying Cats and Cosmic Wiener Dogs With John Gallagher
Comic creator John Gallagher (Max Meow) shares his insight on making comics and shows how he uses simple shapes to create Max Meow and Rex Rocket—as well as a brand new robot character! MEOW-ZA!

John Gallagher

John has loved comics since he was five. He learned to read through comics and went on to read every book in his elementary school library. When he told his mom there was nothing left to read, she said “Just because a book’s over doesn’t mean the stories end. Why don’t you tell me what happens next?” And so John began creating comics to continue his favorite stories. John never stopped drawing comics. He’s now the art director of the National Wildlife Federation’s Ranger Rick magazine and the co-founder of Kids Love Comics, an organization that uses comics and graphic novels to promote literacy.

www.maxmeow.com

Carolyn Belefski

Carolyn Belefski is a versatile artist, illustrator, and comic creator. She has constructed many published works, exploring themes ranging from slice-of-life humor to introspective narratives. Carolyn writes and draws the comic strip, Curls. She collaborates with Joe Carabeo on the comic books Black Magic Tales, French Fry Club, and The Legettes. Carolyn serves as Washington, DC chapter chair of the National Cartoonists Society.

Website: www.carolynbelefski.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/carolynbelefski

Joe Carabeo is a northern Virginia based award winning creative with a BFA in Photo and Film from VCU. Joe has produced film, commercials, music, podcasts, and festivals. Joe is the Program Director for the Awesome Con Short Film Festival and DC Shorts International Film Festival. His films have won awards in photography, cinematography, acting, local, best in show, and best narrative categories.

Website: www.joecarabeo.com

Sam “Kidlet” Deans
Sam “Kidlet” Deans is not your typical young adult. Currently navigating the peculiar landscape of post-pandemic academics balanced with a growing art resume, Kidlet’s art career is flourishing, especially exhibiting a passion for inking and coloring. Kidlet dabbles in writing in collaborative projects with her parents from time to time for their Deans Family Productions, including Brewing Tolerance (2021) and the ongoing series The Mighty Hippofartamus. Beyond her artistic work, her parents are convinced that Sam is just a human Bernadoodle.

 samkidlet.com  ●  patreon.com/samkidletart  ●  instagram.com/samkidletart

Arsia Rozegar first broke into the comic book industry in 1999 as a Color Artist on Spawn: Dark Ages and Kiss: Psycho Circus for Todd McFarlane and Image Comics.  Shortly after, he began coloring different comics for Marvel, enjoying extended stints on flagship titles such as The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. His latest endeavor is as creator and author of an illustrated children’s book series retelling ancient Persian myths and legends called Shahnameh For Kids.

Visit arsiarozegar.com and ShahnamehForKids.com to see more.

J. Robert Deans has doodled all of his life. During his nearly ten-year career selling comics, he started drawing them with CRASS FED, a webcomic featuring his signature sense of humor. Wondering what was next after being laid off, a silly idea struck: a cow lost in space. That idea became MOO THOUSAND AND PUN, which was the first in the SHAKES THE COW series of children’s picture books. Spy adventures for young readers followed with the BEAR FROM AUNT graphic novel series. Other series include the “choose your own” inspired series STEER YOUR OWN STORY, and the soft-boiled noir series of serialized short stories exclusive to his Patreon, GRAND PUNWICK MYSTERY THEATER.

– www.grandpunwick.com

– patreon.com/jrobertdeans

Elinda’s role at Deans Family Productions has grown dramatically since starting as Robert’s cheerleader.  She is now a creative powerhouse of her own, jumping from her Flying Pork recipe blog to being a creator in her own right.  She is the creator/writer of the MooseLambs picture books, and her FLYING PORK mascot, Chrysaur the Flying Pigasus, is now a regular Grand Punwick character.  Elinda’s most notable creations are the amazing hand-made plush seen on grandpunwick.com or our convention tables. Having crocheted since childhood, Elinda makes her hard work look effortless, creating toys of great quality and huggability.