Spanish Cultural Center, 2801 16th St NW Washington, DC 20009
Free, RSVP required.
Spanish comic artists Don Julio and Fran Mariscal join the 2026 Small Press Expo (SPX) to present Portraits: Twelve Lives, Twelve Journeys. Commissioned by the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C., and curated by José Villarrubia, this graphic storytelling anthology reimagines the transatlantic experiences of prominent Spanish figures who spent part of their lives in the United States.
In addition to the panel presentation and book signings, Don Julio and Fran Mariscal will lead an interactive, hands-on character design workshop. The workshop invites participants to explore character design starting from fundamental geometric shapes before blending them into complex figures. Attendees will break traditional design conventions through a playful randomizer drawing exercise, pulling physical traits, character tropes, and personality quirks at random to create original comic characters.
Julio A. Serrano (Puertollano, 1983) holds a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Castilla–La Mancha (UCLM). He has been working for over fifteen years at the magazine El Jueves as a writer and illustrator. He has also collaborated with other publications such as Retranca and El Estafador. In addition to the thousands of pages he has drawn for magazines, he has published more than a dozen books with publishers such as RBA, SM, Bang!, and Fandogamia. He has also served as editor-in-chief at the digital children’s publishing house Makupipe. His best-known works include the history section DesHechos Históricos, the children’s series Cecilia Van Helsing, and the controversial activity books for adults Being a Fascist Is Wrongand Baby Jesus Doesn’t Hate Faggots. He also works as a scriptwriter in animation and video games, most notably on the multi-award-winning short film The Ghost of La Quinta. In addition, he is a comic scriptwriting instructor at Voxel School and at La Escuela Minúscula.
Fran Mariscal (Jerez de la Frontera, 1995) is a comic artist and illustrator trained in Jerez and Barcelona. He has worked as an illustrator for Insólita publishing and on collective works such as Sombras de Aokigahara. In 2025, he published his first full-length work, Moribundo.
And we are so excited for a Sunday evening event (Sept. 13) with award-winning author, cartoonist and illustrator Gemma Correll at 6:30PM. She will be in the store to discuss her graphic memoir Anxietyland. In this funny and poignant book, Correll leads readers through the roller coaster of her mind in the wake of a panic attack. Her book has been featured in the New Yorker and NPR, and is Molly Ringwald's inaugural book club pick!
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The following is a guest post by Julie Seigel, a Reference Librarian in the Serial and Government Publications Division.
Attention comics fans everywhere: Mark your calendars! On Friday, September 11, 12–1 pm, cartoonist and storyteller Kim Deitch will act as your tour guide as you travel into the world of underground comics. The Eisner and Inkpot Award-winning cartoonist will draw from his six-decades-long career; Deitch has authored and illustrated several books, including his latest “How i Make Comics,” a graphic memoir on his creative process and collaboration with partner Pam Butler. Deitch’s work has also previously appeared in The East Village Other, LA Weekly, Heavy Metal, and RAW, amongst other publications.
Following the talk there will be a Q&A. Additionally, Deitch will preview an unpublished work alongside a small exhibit of comics and graphic materials from the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room and the Prints and Photographs Reading Room.An assortment of Kim Deitch’s books. Photo by Julie Seigel.
Event details
Where: James Madison Building, West Dining Room (LM-621)
When: Friday, September 11, 12–1 pm EDT
This event is free and open to the public, no registration is needed. For additional information view the Library’s event calendar.
The event heralds the arrival of Small Press Expo (SPX); an annual comics and graphic arts festival established in 1994 that celebrates artists, writers, publishers (and enthusiasts!) in independent comics. The festival recognizes outstanding work in comics and cartooning with the Ignatz Awards, named for George Herriman’s comic strip character Krazy Kat.
Discover more:
The Femme Art Fair opened tonight at The Square International Square, 5th Floor, 1850 K St. NW, Washington, DC and cartoonist Kayla E. is one of the participants. Kayla has a series of fine art paintings for sale. The show runs through Sunday, August 30.
Her graphic novel Precious Rubbish is for sale in the shop on the ground floor on K St.
There's a lot of interesting art in the show and Bruce Guthrie is taking photos of it as I write this. I'll link to his images later, but here's a few more that I took.
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| Baltimore's Susan Washington with her collages. |
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| Airco Caravan |
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| Our Daughter's Futures Fund |
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| Sarah Brown-Bowers |
https://www.facebook.com/events/1513994657079059/
Instant Noodles & Beyond book launch with Robin Ha
https://www.facebook.com/events/1513994657079059/
This program is free and open to the public and is in conjunction with the culminating exhibition, "Comics, et cetera," for the annual transformer Exercises for Emerging Artists program: E23 DwightMess Comics Lab!
Q&A with Art Hondros
Saturday, Aug 15th 1pm
Transformer , 1404 P Street NW DC
Art will have all four issues of his current historical semi-biographical comic, Dot of the Mid Century for sale at the event.
Join us for a conversation with comic artist and author Sierra Barnes, author and illustrator of the webcomic Hans Vogel is Dead, now collected in two volumes published by Dark Horse.
Sierra Barnes is a comic creator and history buff who currently lives in Washington, DC making webcomics and print comics based on history and folklore. She graduated in 2014 from the College of William & Mary with a double-major in History and German Studies, and graduated in August of 2019 with a MFA in Comics from California College of the Arts.
In Hans Vogel is Dead, Sierra Barnes weaves a rich anti-fascist fairytale about the importance of recognizing past wrongs, even (especially) when it’s easier not to.
If you love comics, fiction, art, folklore, and learning from history, this is an event not to be missed!
Questions about this program? Contact Wheaton Library @240-777-0678. The program will be in the Multi-Purpose Room, on the first floor, off the lobby.
Tuesday, September 1 6:00 PM ET
https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062216952-0
Detective Baby: Dance Team Drama: A Graphic Novel
TEEN TITANS: TOGETHER IS ON SALE NOW
As Teen Titans: Together arrives in bookstores, Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo launch a nationwide tour and preview the next chapter of their partnership: Young Justice
The final chapter of Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo's bestselling Teen Titans graphic novel series has arrived.
Teen Titans: Together is available now wherever books are sold, bringing the creative team's acclaimed reimagining of Raven, Beast Boy, Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, and the Titans to an epic conclusion after six graphic novels and years of storytelling.
To celebrate the launch, Garcia and Picolo are hitting the road for the Teen Titans: Together book tour, meeting readers across the country and discussing the series that introduced a new generation of fans to DC's iconic heroes.
The tour begins August 4 in Los Angeles with a free conversation at the Santa Monica Public Library, moderated by journalist and host Rosie Knight, before continuing to additional stops including The Grove, moderated by host Frankey Smith, and events across the United States.
"Teen Titans has been one of the most rewarding creative journeys of our careers," said Garcia. "We've loved telling stories with these characters and watching readers connect with Raven, Beast Boy, and the rest of the Titans over the years. We grew alongside these characters, and these characters grew alongside the readers who embraced them from the very beginning."
"This series changed my life," added Picolo. "We've shared so many unforgettable moments with fans around the world, and we're excited to celebrate this final chapter together. I see these characters as my friends. The more I draw them, the more fun it gets. Some of my favorite moments came from drawing these characters the same way I'd draw my own friends just hanging out, and Kami and I are always blown away when fans show up in cosplay inspired by those everyday looks from the books."
While Teen Titans: Together marks the end of the Teen Titans saga, Garcia and Picolo's next adventure is already on the horizon.
The bestselling creative team will reunite in Young Justice: Kid Flash & Blue Beetle, the first book in a new Young Justice graphic novel adventure series starring even more heroes from the DC Universe. Additional details will be announced in the months ahead.
“As sentimental as we are about finishing the Teen Titans series, this is also just the beginning of a new chapter for Gabriel and me," said Garcia. "At the heart of all our books is the idea of becoming who you're meant to be while learning to embrace who you already are. We're excited to bring that perspective to Young Justice and introduce readers to our vision of Kid Flash and Blue Beetle."
“Fans have been asking for Blue Beetle for years," said Picolo. "I've shared sketches of both Kid Flash and Blue Beetle on social media, and now we finally have a chance to put them front and center in one of our stories. Young Justice is a new challenge for us, but we're still focused on the things we love most as storytellers: friendship, everyday life, and helping readers find themselves in these characters. If Teen Titans taught us anything, it's that fans always surprise us. I wouldn't be shocked if we start seeing skateboards and rollerblades showing up in cosplay photos before long."
For tour dates, event details, and the latest updates from the Teen Titans: Together tour, visit DC.com.
from their website:
Founded in 1994, Otakon is an annual convention held in the summer months to celebrate Asian pop culture (anime, manga, music, movies, video games, etc) and its fandom. The event runs from Friday to Sunday and is packed with a schedule that has tons to do.
In 2017, Otakon moved to our new home, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in our nation’s capital of Washington, DC.
“For fans, by fans”, Otakon is run all by volunteers under the non-profit organization Otakorp, Inc.
Fish and Water follows the chance romance of two men in an unassuming friendship. Akira, a business sales administrator, and Koji, a freelance writer, quickly become close buddies even as social-distancing regulations bar most connections during the pandemic. One day, during a visit with a farm client, Akira is offered a case of freshly picked cabbage. Since no one at his office wants it and he is a disaster in the kitchen, Akira decides to see if Koji (who loves to cook) might be interested. Koji accepts and invites Akira to join him for dinner. Lonely in the midst of pandemic-related shutdowns, Akira welcomes the chance, and one meal becomes many. They become quite relaxed with each other, creating an amusing but emotionally perplexing scenario. Eventually, Akira and Koji grapple with deciding if they are just friends, or something more.Available in-store and on our website: https://stores.comichub.com/fantom_comics/products/fish-and-water
Photo credit: Bruce Guthrie
John Gallagher is an art teacher, an art director, a cofounder of the literacy organization Kids Love Comics and a leader of workshops teaching kids how to create their own comics. Gallagher lives in Virginia with his family, including a cat, Millie, and dog, Cody (who appears in the “Max Meow” books). His new graphic novel, “Rex Rocket: Cosmic Wiener Dog,” is featured at the 2026 National Book Festival and is the first volume of the series.
Photo credit: Ellen B. Wright
John Patrick Green is a human with the human job of making books about animals with human jobs, notably the graphic novel series “InvestiGators.” Green is a New York Times bestselling human author and not just a bunch of animals in a trench coat pretending to have a human job. With over four million copies of “InvestiGators” in print, Green is a successful human being with only two hands and a normal amount of fur. He lives in New York City. The most recent addition to the series, “InvestiGators: Weather or Not,” is featured at the 2026 National Book Festival.
Photo credit: Jenn Florence
Shannon Hale is a New York Times bestselling author of over 50 books for preschoolers, kids, teens and adults. Her award-winning novels include “The Goose Girl,” “Book of a Thousand Days,” “Dangerous” and Newbery Honor recipient “Princess Academy.” Hale is the cocreator of the popular “Princess in Black” illustrated chapter books with Dean Hale and LeUyen Pham. Her graphic novels include Eisner-nominee “Rapunzel's Revenge,” cocreated with Dean Hale and Nathan Hale, as well as her bestselling memoirs with art by LeUyen Pham, “Real Friends,” “Best Friends” and “Friends Forever,” along with many other titles. Hale lives in Utah with her four magnificent children and two ridiculous cats. The new graphic novel edition of “Princess Academy” is featured at the 2026 National Book Festival.
Dan Santat is a children's book writer, a commercial illustrator and the creator of Disney's animated hit, “The Replacements.” He lives in California with his wife, two kids, a rabbit, a bird and a cat. His new graphic novel and start of a new series, “A Fishboy Named Sashimi,” is featured at the 2026 National Book Festival.
The lineup of more than 80 authors can be found here.
Please note that the author lineup is subject to change.
Attend the Festival: New This Year, Tickets Required
Click on this image to register for your free tickets!
The National Book Festival will take place on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. The festival is free and open to everyone. For the first time this year, free tickets will be required for festival entry, but not for individual programs within the festival. Tickets can be reserved at loc.gov/bookfest.
TOMORROW! 
