Fall is the busiest comic con season for me, kicking off with the spectacular New York Comic Con. But in the last two years, it’s had a sweet finish in the form of JewCE, the Jewish Comic Experience. This small con taking place in the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan is the opposite of the modern mega-con in every way. It’s hosted in a museum rather than in a convention hall, the panels celebrate history and legacy rather than looking forward to upcoming events, and comics still rule here—with dozens of mostly small-press vendors getting a big spotlight for their books.
The con typically has three parts. The first is an expo hall where I often spend way too much money picking up books from talented indie creators. The selection will vary each year, of course, but some of the highlights from last year were the works of Daniel Kalban, one of the most passionate community advocates we have and a fast-rising comic creator; the charming all-ages graphic novels of Yehudi Mercado, who brings a unique biracial Mexican-Jewish perspective to his works; and the brilliant Hereville trilogy by Barry Deutch, a truly unique Yiddish-inspired fantasy grounded in the incredibly realistic relationship between a willful adventurer of a girl and her traditional stepmother.
When you’re done browsing, you can take in a series of fascinating panels throughout the day. The museum has one main auditorium and several smaller panel rooms, so this is usually a pretty intimate gathering where top Jewish creators gather to discuss the state of the industry and Jewish representation. As one might expect, these panels often get pretty feisty and irreverent! A hilarious back and forth between The Golem of Venice Beach creator Chanan Beizer and the late, great cartooning legend Trina Robbins was one of last year’s highlights for me, and this year’s con will be dedicated to Robbins’ towering legacy. One of the most exciting highlights this year looks to be the “80 Years of Batman” panel, which discusses the roots of comics’ most iconic Jewish hero, moderated by the legendary Danny Fingeroth.
Finally, the JewCE awards are the signature event of the convention, gathering all the top talent to give out awards in around a dozen categories. Last year, everyone from legends like Jules Feiffer (who recently put out a new graphic novel at 95 years old) to up-and-coming creators like Dani Colman of The Unfinished Corner had their moment in the sun. While the event took place on Saturday night last year, this year it’s been shifted to Sunday night after the con. It’s going to be a one-day event but a full day of pride, purpose, and great comics. I, for one, can’t wait to see this event keep growing every year, so make sure to grab your ticket and follow JewCE on social media to keep updated on all the latest announcements! The event also debuted a short documentary about the Jewish roots of comics at NYCC, and it will be running on JLTV regularly.
