midwestbsfa Events

Queen City Black Comix Day Participant: Matt “Sebastain” Hexx

received_1323501671116745Cincinnati cosplayer Matt “Sebastian” Hexx will attend Queen City Black Comix Day on Aug. 11!

Matt started cosplaying strictly for fun back in 2012 and has steadily built a platform to showcase the many ways that cosplay is for everyone. A big advocate of race and gender bending characters, Matt believes any gender, race, size and shape can cosplay whoever and whatever they want.
When he isn’t attending conventions, he cosplays for kids at the local children’s hospital as well as the Ronald McDonald House, and for events and parties. Matt hands also wrestled for 14 years, which adds to his arsenal of awesome.
Be sure to stop by his table!
Queen City Black Comix Day, Aug. 11, 1 to 5 p.m., Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County, 6233 Montgomery Rd., Pleasant Ridge (Cincinnati, OH 45213).
midwestbsfa Interviews

Queen City Black Comix Day Alum Wins Fellowship

Zakiyya-S.-AsheQCBCD alum Zakiyya Ashe won the national competition for the 2017-2018 Thomas J. Watson Fellowship prize of $30,000! Starting this month, her year-long project, “Hidden Minorities: Connection through Animation and Graphic Novels,” will take her through Australia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, and France. We recently talked to the Berea College grad about her project and what she hopes to accomplish.  Continue reading “Queen City Black Comix Day Alum Wins Fellowship” →

midwestbsfa Musings

Midwest BSFA Celebrates Its Second Anniversary!

We made it around the sun once again and today, the Midwest Black Speculative Fiction Alliance celebrates its second anniversary! This has been a whirlwind of a year, full of programs and conversations and debates and friendship building and I look forward to more in 2017!

Here’s a short recap of what we got up to this year:

  • In April, we chatted with University of Cincinnati Professor Charles Jones about Afrofuturism 2.0: The Rise of Astro-Blackness, the book he co-edited with Reynaldo Anderson, co-founder of the Black Speculative Arts Movement. I also made my second appearance on the BLKBOARD podcast.
  • In May, we had a table at the Cincinnati Library Comic Con at the main branch. We did trivia on the show’s black recurring characters and guest stars.
  • In June, we hosted the 2nd Queen City Black Comix Day, showcasing local and regional comics artists and creators. We were also featured on Ghettoblaster Magazine‘s website.
  • In September, we had a table at MECCACon in Detroit and hosted a steampunk character building workshop for adults.
  • In October, we hosted a sci-fi short film night in honor of Black Speculative Fiction Month.
  • In November, we hosted a panel on cyberfunk at Pandoracon, a three-day sci-fi convention in Cincinnati. I also served as the Queen of Diamonds for the event.

Thanks to the rest of the Midwest BSFA crew for making these last two years so much! I look forward to doing bigger and better programming with you in the years to come!