Thursday, April 25th
Interactive Storytelling Experience w/ Chickaloonies
4:30pm @ Alaska State Library, Archives, and Museum
Join Dimi Macheras and Casey Silver, creators of the graphic novel Chickaloonies in an interactive workshop teaches students to learn how to think visually and express their inner storyteller through the medium of the graphic novel. This special Thursday workshop is geared towards youth participants 18 and under. Space is limited and free registration is suggested for participation.
After School Special Concert
7pm – 9pm @ Gold Town Theater
The After School Special concert is full of Mr. Rogers, Schoolhouse Rock, Sesame Street, Homestar Runner, and Animaniacs, plus original tunes you’ll enjoy. We’ll have goldfish, fruit snacks, capri suns and graham crackers (plus popcorn and movie theater candy and seltzers). You are invited to fold origami or paper airplances or scribble with crayons during the show; silent gadgets and drawing tablets welcome. Featuring Mollylele, Marian Call, Seth Boyer, Sophie Lager and friends. More details & tickets here.
Friday, April 26th
School Visits
Guest artists will be making appearances throughout the day at classrooms and libraries in schools all over Juneau. Please contact your librarian or art teacher for more information about events at your school.
Mini-Con Kickoff Event @ Mendenhall Library
5:45pm Snacks & 6pm Variety Show
Join us at the Mendenhall Valley Library as we introduce several of our visiting guests through a musical variety show. This family friendly event features short presentations, readings and music. It’s a delight. Free to the public.
Saturday, April 27th | 10am – 5pm
Alaska Robotics Mini-Con @ APK Alaska State Libraries, Archives, & Museum
See our FULL LIST OF EXHIBITORS! Graphic novels, zines, costumes, board games, workshops, presentations, drawing hangouts and more! Things get started at the APK Alaska State Libraries, Archives & Museum building at 10am.
Convention Floor Hours
10:00am – 5:00pm – Exhibitor List
Board Games @ State Library Sky Bridge
10:00am – 5:00pm – Hosted by Platypus Gaming
Book Signings @ The Alaska Robotics Booth
There will be book signings throughout the day at the Alaska Robotics Booth. Check back for complete signing schedules.
Presentations @ APK Lecture Hall
11am – 12:00pm ~ Debut Graphic Novels w/ Debbie Fong & Lonnie Mann
Debbie Fong is an Ignatz-nominated cartoonist and illustrator. She has illustrated multiple children’s nonfiction books, including the best-selling How To Be a Person (Storey Publishing).
Her debut middle grade graphic novel, Next Stop, came out from Random House Graphic in March 2024. Currently, she’s working on a graphic novel series for early readers, to be published in 2025. Debbie lives in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY with her spouse and a menagerie of animals and plants.
Lonnie Mann‘s first major foray into comics was in 2015, when he self-published a travelogue comic called “Thoughts From Iceland”. He’s had shorter comics published in a few anthologies, including “American Cult” from Silver Sprocket in 2021.
His biggest project to date is a graphic memoir about his experiences growing up gay in an Orthodox Jewish community. It was published February 6, 2024, by Street Noise Books.
Outside of comics, his day job is User Experience Designer in Japan, where he lives with his partner Rai, and their pet rabbit Kinako. He loves all sorts of video games, board games, (audio) books, learning/practicing Japanese, and trying new foods.
12pm – 1pm ~ Victoria Ying
Harvey Award winning graphic novelist Victoria Ying loves comics in all their forms for every audience. She’s written her own original graphic novels including “Hungry Ghost” and “City of Secrets” as well as illustrating for DC and Marvel.
1pm – 2pm ~ Lucy Knisely
Lucy Knisely is an author/illustrator specializing in graphic novels for kids and adults; cats, babies, bicycles, reproductive medicine, and blended families. With multiple published picture books, middle grade GNs and adult comics, she is a NYT bestselling author. She has two books coming out in 2024 (a picture book and collection of comics, both from Random House Graphics).
2pm – 3pm ~ Chickaloonies
Join Dimi Macheras and Casey Silver, creators of the graphic novel Chickaloonies in an interactive workshop teaches students to learn how to think visually and express their inner storyteller through the medium of the graphic novel.
3pm – 4pm ~ Music Time
Featuring music by Mollylele, Marian Call, Seth Boyer, and FySH.
Workshops @ APK Classroom
11am – 12pm ~ Creature Creation with Kat Klockow
Kat Klockow, aka RedCat, is a comic book creator, editor, and founder of Corpse Flower Press, a horror and occult-themed small publisher of graphic novels, zines, and comic books. Come draw creatures in this hands-on creature creation workshop.
12pm – 1pm ~ Stamp Making w/ Mercedes Campós Lopez
Mercedes Campos López is a cartoonist/illustrator based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She has a BA in biology from Oberlin College and an MFA from the Center for Cartoon Studies. She is the creator of the MICE mini-grant awarded comic Sleepover Sleuths. She is passionate about using comics in education and science communication.
1pm – 2pm ~ Cosplay Drawing Hangout
Are you dressing up for the convention? Come pose for this figure drawing session! Do you love to draw people, come join us drawing people in fun outfits!
2pm – 3pm ~ Zines w/ Ari Watkins & Bekka Mueller & Filipa Estrela
Zines are tiny books, inexpensive to make and easy to distribute. Come learn about this magic medium from Zine experts Ari Watkins & Bekka Mueller & Filipa Estrela
3pm – 4pm ~ Webcomics w/ Jason Poland
For two decades, Jason Poland has been delighting readers with his heartwarming and hilarious comics. His breakout series, ‘Robbie and Bobby,’ spanned over a thousand strips, and he has served as the co-editor and publisher of several pop culture fanzine anthologies. Currently, he draws the fang-tastically uplifting webcomic ‘My Dad is Dracula,’ where a father shows his son that he can become anything, by literally transforming into EVERYTHING. Jason resides in Houston, Texas, with his wife and is also the proud dad of two cats. When he’s not creating comics, Jason enjoys hiking, playing tabletop games, and reading fantasy novels, especially those featuring a map at the beginning.