March 21, 2013

The public is invited to the first annual Comics Conference, hosted by the Comics and Graphic Novels program at Camosun College. The one-day conference will be held 11am-6pm on Sunday, April 7, 2013, located on the third floor of the Young building at Lansdowne campus. Admission is free.

The one-day conference is a celebration of the artistic and literary impact of comics and graphic novels created locally, nationally, and internationally.  Conference attendees will hear and see the process of visual storytelling, and discuss the medium with the creators, teachers, publishers, and other fans.

A conference highlight will be the “artists alley” showcasing the publications and artwork created by the 16 students in this year’s graduating class. There will also be displays by established local creators including Gareth Gaudin, Janine Johnston, Nelson Dewey, Ash Vickers, Glen Mullaly, Simon Roy, and Glen and Kay Lovett.

The day will also include presentations by Paul Chadwick (Concrete), Anne Marie Fleming (The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam), Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas (Haida Manga), and Sam Logan (Sam & Fuzzy).

Contact

Ken Steacy, Program Leader, Comics and Graphic Novels program
250-888-2939, steacyk@camosun.ca
www.camosun.ca/comics

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About the Comics and Graphic Novels program

Unique in the Canadian post-secondary school system, Comics and Graphic Novels was created for students who have a desire to learn the language of visual storytelling. The program focuses on skills-based training for six career paths, which include creation (both in print and online) of comic books, comic strips, web comics, graphic novels, storyboards, and edutainment comics. Camosun currently offers a one-year certificate, and a two-year diploma is in the planning stages to continue the program’s focus on experiential skills-building specific to the requirements of the industry.

Program Leader Ken Steacy has worked in the comics industry for close to forty years as an author, illustrator, art director, editor, and publisher. The recipient of an Eisner and an Inkpot award, he was inducted into the Joe Shuster Awards Hall of Fame in 2009, a lifetime achievement award honouring Canadian comic book creators for their contributions to the industry.

About Camosun

From accountants to welders, professional chefs to nurses and engineering technologists, Camosun College helps transform lives to build a better future.

Camosun College has two campuses and serves approximately 20,000 learners a year in certificate, diploma, bachelor's degree and continuing education programs. Each year Camosun welcomes over 1,000 Aboriginal students from 50 Nations including Métis and Inuit, and over 550 International students from 53 different countries.

Camosun facts

• 20,000 learners annually
• 1,000 Aboriginal students from over 50 nations
• 570 International students from 53 countries
• 160+ certificate, diploma and bachelor's degree programs
• 1,000 employees
• $100 million annual budget
• $816 million economic impact per year
• 94% of recent graduates satisfied/very satisfied with their education
• 87% of graduates live and work in our region
• 97% of graduates live and work in BC