Howard Victor Chaykin is a longtime veteran of the comic book business. As a cartoonist — both writing and drawing — he has been a major influence on the direction of comics, referred to frequently as one of the principal architects of the modern comic book. His signature creation, American Flagg!, introduced a new level of narrative complexity, depth of character, and point of view in its text, not to mention a previously unseen level of design and craft to the visual nature of an all-too-frequently staid and timid medium. Chaykin continues to produce work that pushes the envelope of concept, context, and content in comics…in The Divided States of Hysteria for example, a comic book which, thanks to social media, enraged an entire new generation of the willfully ignorant who might have had a better case if they’d actually read the damned book. Chaykin’s new series, Hey Kids! Comics!, is a fictionalized history of the comic book business, a love letter written with just a frisson of acid in the ink, to the field he’s loved and called home for over four decades.
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Creators from the Crossroads
Friday September 8, 2023 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm | Room: Ballroom 3-4
Collecting the creators of the characters that inspired a whole generation of readers and creators AND this year’s Yearbook Art! Mike Grell (Jon Sable, Freelance), Joe Staton (E-Man), Mark Wheatley and Marc Hempel (Mars), Howard Chaykin (American Flagg!), Steve Rude (Nexus), Tom Mandrake (GrimJack), letterer extraordinaire John Workman, and Editor Mike Gold will reunite to talk about the amazing books that they worked on. Hosted by Bob Harrison.
Saturday September 9, 2023 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm | Room: 338
“Some have Tourettes, I have Fourettes.”
An unfiltered session with Howard Victor Chaykin (Hey Kids, Comics!, American Flagg!, Power & Glory!, and many more). Those of you who don’t show up will be reminded by those who do that they have one more thing to regret. Really!
Saturday September 9, 2023 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm | Room: 343-344
“Never draw anything you can copy, never copy anything you can trace, never trace anything you can cut out and paste up.” The legendary Wallace Wood said it — and in this special presentation, we take a fun look at some of the most blatant swipes and homages by some of the greats (and others) of the business. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll never again wonder why Woody and others lived by that dictum. Join Greg Goldstein (IDW Publishing, Topps) and Wood Studio veteran and industry legend Howard Chaykin (American Flagg!, Hey Kids, Comics!) for a wild look at some sneaky (and not so sneaky) artistic shortcuts. Hat tip to the popular Facebook Group Comic Book Swipes — hey if we didn’t swipe the idea, what kind of panel would this be?
Sunday September 10, 2023 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm | Room: 337
Creative content has never been more valuable, but we know from experience that comics creators can be their own worst enemy when it comes to earning a good living from that creativity.
Join legendary creator Howard Chaykin (American Flagg!, Hey Kids, Comics!, Star Wars) and publishing veteran Greg Goldstein (IDW Publishing, Activision, Topps) as they discuss strategies from “both sides of the aisle” for commercial success in these fluid times. Featuring invaluable economic insights, practical tips, and optimism for turning (at least some) lemons into lemonade.