it's yaytime! | dave roman

Autumn Events

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Dave

I’ll be at a bunch of cool events this fall and hope to see you at some of them too!

September 21st Appearing at Princeton Children’s Book Festival, Princeton, NJ

September 28th Appearing at Wildcat Comic-Con, Willamsport, PA

October 4th Signing at Dragon’s Lair in Austin, TX

October 5th Speaking at SCBWI Graphic Novel Workshop, Austin TX

October 12th & 13th Exhibiting at Alternative Press Expo, San Francisco, CA

October 26th & 27th Wanderings around the Quai Des Bulles festival, Saint Malo, France

November 3rd Participating in the Fall Family Festival at the Allentown Art Museum in Lehigh Valley, PA

Princeton bookfest

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Small Press Expo + Cupcake Helicopter

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Dave

Small Press Expo is this weekend (September 14 and 15th) and is totally one of my favorite comic shows of all time! It’s the place where John Green and I created Teen Boat! and it continually provides much fuel to the creative fires.

This year, I’ll be debuting my brand new mini-comic called Cupcake Helicopter!

Small Press Expo:
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
5701 Marinelli Road.
North Bethesda, MD 20852

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Baltimore Comic-Con Saturday

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Dave

Baltimore Comic Con

I will be at the Baltimore Comic Con (SATURDAY ONLY) on September 7th.

Look for me with the Kids Love Comics group of tables. Here’s a complete list of all the kid-friendly creators who will be there.

At the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore Maryland.
Kids 10 and under get in free!

Baltimore Comic Con Kids Area

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Comics Quickfire Video

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Dave

I made a short compilation video featuring fun moments from the Comics Quickfire game shows held over the past 2 years.

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Where it all began…

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Dave

Dave returns to the library photocopier where his publishing career began!

At the North Babylon Public Library

Posted in Blog Entries | 2 Comments

I Was Reading That!

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Dave

Here’s a comic I drew for Reading With Pictures and the Nerdy Book Club.

Nerdy Book Club comic

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San Diego Comic Con photos 2013

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Dave

Loved hanging out at San Diego Comic-Con and catching up with friends and making new ones!

Flight Bolt City SDCC
Bolt City/Flight Comics is always the shining beacon of the convention. So many great people all in one place. Including Kazu Kibuishi, Jason Cafoe, Katie Shanahan, Becky Cloonan, Dik Pose, Johane Matte, Raina Telgemeier, & Tony Cliff.

Dave Raina Ducktales
Raina and I got to jump into Uncle Scrooge’s money bin to celebrate the new Ducktales remastered videogame.

Dave with cosplayers
Loved this family of cosplayers.

Ewok party San Diego
Always good to see the Ewoks getting some love!

Faith Erin Hicks Raina Telgemeier Jeff Smith Kazu
John Green, Kazu Kibuishi, Dave Roman, Raina Telgemeier, Jeff Smith & Faith Erin Hicks (hanging out after her spotlight panel).

Drawing panel SDCC
Awesome kids drawing panel with Jennifer Holm, Jeffery Brown, Kazu Kibuishi & Matthew Holm.

No Face cosplay
I’m not actually sure if No-Face and I are friends or what. He’s kinda creepy at times.

Star Trek flute player
This flute player wearing a classic Star Trek uniform at the Seaport Village sums up my love of San Diego Comic-Con.

Posted in Blog Entries | Tagged comic-con, photos, san diego, SDCC | 1 Comment

San Diego Comic Con 2013

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Dave

Johane Michel Raina Dave John

Here is where to find me at this year’s San Diego Comic Con July 18th-21st

THURSDAY

2:30-3:30pm
Signing copies of Astronaut Academy at :01 First Second Booth #1323

FRIDAY

12-1pm
CBLDF Presents: Raising a Reader
Join an all-star panel of kids comics creators and educators to discuss ways to get children excited about reading, encouraging creativity, and cultivating a love of literature using great graphic novels and comics for younger readers. Panelists include: Jennifer & Matthew Holm (Babymouse), Kazu Kibuishi (Amulet), Raina Telgemeier (Smile), Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), Alex Fajardo (Peanuts), Charles Brownstein (CBLDF), Meryl Jaffe (Johns Hopkins University). Q&A to follow. Room 30 CDE

SUNDAY

10:00 – 11:00am
Kids — Comics in Action! — Comics Battle! Before your very eyes, some of your favorite comics creators — Jeffrey Brown (Star Wars Jedi Academy); Matt Holm (Babymouse); Kazu Kibuishi (Amulet); Rhode Montijo (Gum Girl); Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), and Raina Telgemeier (Drama) — will compete in an action-packed, high-stakes, no holds-barred drawing championship for your approval! Who will win? It’s up to you to pick the best comics! Room 7AB

11:30-12:30 I’ll be in the Autograph Area AA09 for a post panel signing. Copies of Astronaut Academy and Teen Boat! should be available from local book shop, Mysterious Galaxy to purchase.

1-2pm All-Ages Comics Have Arrived
Quality all-ages comics are back and better than ever! We’re not just talking about “kids” comics, we’re talking about amazing comics that can be enjoyed by young, old, and everyone in between. KaBOOM! editor Shannon Watters conducts a lively conversation with all-ages creators Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani (Aw Yeah! Comics, Tiny Titans), Mike Kunkel (Herobear and the Kid), Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Drama), Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy) and Nate Cosby (Cow Boy) about this phenomenal resurgence! Room 24ABC

3:00–4:00 Publisher’s Weekly: What’s Next for Graphic Novels in Libraries—Graphic novels have become one of the hottest categories in libraries nationwide, with reader requests driving more and more libraries to acquire significant collections. Join Publishers Weekly Comics World’s Heidi MacDonald as she explores the latest developments, including content challenges, digital lending, collection development, how authors can connect with libraries, the rise of comics for younger readers and what Common Core will mean for the whole field. With Eva Volin (Alameda Free Library),Karen Green (Columbia University), Josh Elder (Reading with PIctures), Scott Robins (Toronto Public LIbrary, A Parent’s Guide to the Best Kids’ Comics), and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy) Room 32AB

Posted in Blog Entries | Tagged california, CCI, conventions, events, san diego, SDCC | Comments Off

Summer Art Camps

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Dave

Got to participate in some awesome summer camp programs with young artists in the past week!

First was the Imagination Academy at NYPL

Dave Roman art camp

That was followed up with an afternoon with the Summer Illustration Art Academy at Society of Illustrators and a trip to the Hayden Planetarium.

drawing comics

Hakata Soy drawing

Bus ride

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Kids Comics Awards 2013

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Dave

KCR Awards banner

On Sunday June 23rd the first ever KCR! Comics Awards ceremony was held at the Kids Read Comics Festival in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The nominees were selected by a committee of teachers, librarians, and retailers, then voted on by kids online and via paper ballots.

KCR Awards group shot 1

The awards themselves were presented as customized LEGO trophies provided by the Ann Arbor District Library, and included a mix of serious and silly categories from Best Graphic Novel to Excellence in Drawing Delicious-Looking Food.

Lego Awards

Dave Roman and Jerzy Drozd were the hosts, and introduced all of the amazing presenters.

Award hosts Dave & Jerzy

House band The O-Matics (fronted by Happyloo cartoonist Mark Mariano) provided live music and sound cues to help keep things moving!

O-Matics Band

Presenters included comics creators Ben Hatke (Zita the Spacegirl), Rafael Rosado (Giants Beware!), Raina Telgemeier (Smile), John Green (Teen Boat!), Dan Mishkin (Amethyst), Thomas Zahler (Love and Capes) and library superstars Scott Robins and Eli Neiburger.

As each winner was announced, the trophies were stolen by evil kidlit villain Vordak the Incomprehensible (played by the book’s illustrator, John Martin)!

Vordak and Aang

Guest presenters also included Aang and Naruto, performed by Kevin Coppa (Puppetbenders). Sadly, because of their felt arms, these heroes couldn’t stop Vordak from continuing to take the awards from the podium!

Kid Cartoonists

The final award for “Best Cartoonist/Author” was presented by three talented young artists, Natalia, Olivia, and Ellie (who had also exhibited at the Kids Read Comics festival). The trio tried their best to stop Vordak but were no match for his nefarious tricks!

Doctor saves the day

Luckily, the day was saved thanks to a surprise visit from Doctor Who (played by Kevin Coppa), who convinced the thieving Vordak to come along in his time traveling TARDIS and deliver the trophies to their rightful owners.

Dave Roman and Kevin Coppa

The entire ceremony was filmed in front of a live audience, and will hopefully be posted online soon!

Huge thanks to all the presenters and performers, AADL for hosting, Chris Duffy and Nickelodeon Magazine for inspiring, everyone who voted, and the teachers and librarians who encouraged kids to vote!
Let’s do this again, next year!

CONTINUE FOR FULL LIST OF NOMINEES & WINNERS…

Continue reading →

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