College is supposed to prepare you for what comes after graduation. One way that the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Sequential Art Department does that is through the annual Mini-Comics Expo. After a two-year hiatus, the family-friendly and free comics expo returns to Haymans Hall on Saturday for its 14th year.
David Allan Duncan, professor of Sequential Art, said the Mini-Comics Expo has been held all over SCAD’s campus starting as an addition to the Savannah Record Fair.
Credit: Photo provided
Credit: Photo provided
“The building we’re in now has a lot of room and is a convenient location,” he said. The 130 to 140 vendors will also be spread out over three floors.
While the expo is a great chance to see what students, alumni, local artists, and faculty have been creating recently; Duncan said it’s also a good introduction to the world of presenting at shows and comic conventions for his students.
“For our students specifically it is an opportunity to showcase the work they’ve been working on and to put it out there in ways that’s not just in the classroom in front of your friends. It’s showing it to the community and connecting with your audience.
Credit: Courtesy of SCAD
Credit: Courtesy of SCAD
"Conventions and zine fairs and comic shows are a big part of our industry, so this is like a soft practice for them. Most of these students will end up doing bigger shows around the country or even around the world. For a lot of them, this is their first show and it helps them get used to the process of sitting down with your work, talking to people about your work, and maybe making a couple of bucks.”
Attendees can expect to see mini-comics, zines, pins, stickers, original art, and sketches covering everything from autobiographies, humor, horror, superheroes, young adult, all ages, webtoons, and manga. There will also be demonstrations on how to draw and create comics led by SCAD faculty and graduate students.
“I think that’s what I’m most proud of about our department. Because of the diversity of our students, all the places they come from, and the wide range of interest… it’s this beautiful mix of this cool stuff from all over the place.”
SCAD alumnus Pranas T. Noujokaitis, who is known for graphic novels like “The Totally Awesome Epic Quest of the Brave Boy Knight” and work on “Uncle Grampa” and “Adventure Time,” will also be speaking.
Credit: Photo provided
Credit: Photo provided
The 14th annual SCAD Mini-Comics Expo is set to have plenty of things for comic fans, but Duncan said he’s looking forward to his students taking their first steps into the professional world of comic creators.
“I can tell students are nervous. They know that it’s something important. That’s why we put a lot of emphasis on this show every year because it’s comfortable. but they have that experience.” Duncan said some students are already talking about other shows they’re signing up for this year.
“There’s a lot of students who are ready to [participate in conventions and shows], but they were stalled [by COVID]. They’ve been revving up for two years.”
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: SCAD sequential art students get the chance to showcase work at 14th annual Mini-Comics Expo
