From FanExpo to WonderCon: A Retrospective of Promoting ‘Dasig’ in the Convention Circuit

April 9, 2024April 8, 2024 Lauren Lola

I recently came back from my first time at WonderCon. Surrounded by the stimuli of elaborate cosplayers, autograph opportunities, panels, and exhibitors, it’s a sight that’s become particularly familiar for me in recent months. You see, it was my third convention I was present for in the past four months; the others being LA Comic Con and FanExpo San Francisco. I’ve been present at these conventions not as an attendee, but as an exhibitor.

Comics, Streaming

The End is Near in the Final Season of ‘The Umbrella Academy’

February 15, 2024February 15, 2024 Mike Manalo

It’s been a wonderful four-year journey, Brellies. But all good things must come to an end, and we’ll be tearfully saying goodbye to the Hargreeves family when the fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy hits. And today we have the official date for the final chapter of the weirdest and most wonderful superhero series on Netflix!

Comics, Interview, Marvel

Utkarsh Ambudkar Discusses ‘Marvel’s Voices: Avengers’ #1

December 5, 2023December 5, 2023 Sophia Soto

Utkarsh Ambudkar wrote Iron Man’s tale in the latest anthology in the Marvel’s Voices series, Marvel’s Voices: Avengers #1. The comic book, which hits stands on December 6 and gives Earth’s Mightiest Heroes their Marvel’s Voices spotlight, will also include stories for Captain America, Photon, and Ghost Rider.

Comics, Podcasts1 Comment

The Middle Geeks Episode 60: ‘Squire’ Through the Lens of Palestine with Nadia Shammas

November 20, 2023November 20, 2023 Swara Salih

As the genocide of Palestinians continues in Gaza, we welcome back on acclaimed Palestinian American comic and video games writer Nadia Shammas to discuss their seminal work, Squire, through the lens of Palestine.

Comics, Interview1 Comment

NOC Exclusive: Lauren Lola and Ponsi Alfonso Break Down ‘Dasig’

October 20, 2023October 20, 2023 Mike Manalo

As The Nerds of Color, we’ve been given a great many privileges to speak with some of the greatest, most talented individuals in the industries of film, television, music, and comics. But while it’s wonderful to get the opportunity to meet these terrific strangers and learn more about their respective crafts, it’s an even rarer and greater opportunity to work alongside these talents.

Books, Comics

Popular Novel ‘The Bromance Book Club’ Comes in Comics Form on Manta

August 30, 2023August 30, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Popular romance novel The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams becomes the latest IP to receive the webcomic treatment by Manta Studios. The Bromance Book Club digital comic will premiere on Manta on September 3, 2023.

Comics, Interview, Marvel1 Comment

Iman Vellani Discusses ‘Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant’ and Why the Character is so Timeless

August 29, 2023August 29, 2023 Sophia Soto

Iman Vellani, who additionally stars as Kamala Khan in Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel, is making her Marvel Comics debut with Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant. The limited series will be four issues and the first one will be on sale tomorrow, August 30.

Comics, Interview, Movies

Randall Park on Connecting to the Story of His Directorial Debut, ‘Shortcomings’

August 7, 2023August 7, 2023 Sophia Soto

Randall Park makes his directorial debut with Shortcomings! The film, which is officially in theaters, is based on the graphic novel by Adrian Tomine.

Comics, Fantasy

‘Lore Olympus’ Wins 2023 Eisner Award for Best Webcomic

July 22, 2023July 22, 2023 Edward Hong

The award marks the series’ second consecutive win after taking home Best Webcomic in 2022; the back-to-back win also marks WEBTOON‘s second Eisner Award. Lore Olympus boasts over 1.5 billion views and 6.3 million subscribers, with multiple number 1 New York Times bestselling print adaptations and an animated series in development.

Comics, Movies

Adrian Tomine’s Classic Graphic Novel is Brought to Life in ‘Shortcomings’ Trailer

June 14, 2023June 15, 2023 Keith Chow

During the early aughts, indie comics were the only place to find Asian American stories by Asian American cartoonists. One of the biggest books to come out in that period was Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine. Now, a decade and a half later, that indie comic has been turned into an indie movie at Sony Pictures Classics in Randall Park’s directorial debut.

Books, Comics, Movies, Television

For AANHPI Heritage Month, Here are 50 West Asians in Pop Culture You Should Know

May 25, 2023November 23, 2023 Swara Salih

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a cause for celebration of these many diverse communities. But far too often, many who champion this month have belied and ignored specific groups within this collective, often presenting a limited scope of who counts as “Asian” or “Asian American” in this collective consciousness.

Comics, Podcasts

The Middle Geeks Episode 54: The Palestinian Ingenuity of Nadia Shammas

May 11, 2023 Swara Salih

We finally interview Palestinian comic writer Nadia Shammas on their incredible career!

Anime, Comics1 Comment

Three Romance Comics Make Their Return to Manta

April 7, 2023April 15, 2023 Laura Sirikul

Spring is in the air! So is love — at least, for Manta, a subscription-based digital comics platform.

Comics, Interview

‘White Savior’ Comic Spoofs a Familiar Asian American Movie Problem

February 22, 2023February 22, 2023 Dominic Mah

The new comic book series White Savior is an adventure story which parodies a certain kind of adventure story. Written by Eric Nguyen and Scott Burman, with art by Nguyen, the first and second issues of the limited series from Dark Horse are available now.

Comics, News

Hunter Gorinson Named President and Publisher of Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group

December 1, 2022December 1, 2022 Mike Manalo

Earlier this week we had a chance to talk to some of our friends at Lion Forge about their highly anticipated animated series adaptation of Iyanu: Child of Wonder. And today the company has made a whopper of an announcement as former Boom Studios-exec Hunter Gorinson has joined the team as President and Publisher of the Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group.

Comics, Podcasts1 Comment

Southern Fried Asian: Patrick Michael Strange

September 21, 2022September 21, 2022 Southern Fried Asian

On Southern Fried Asian, fellow NOC fam Patrick Michael Strange is in conversation with Keith about growing up as a military brat across the South! From South Carolina and Mississippi to joining the Navy in Viriginia, Patrick recounts coming to terms with his identity as a Filipino American and as a comic book nerd. They also discuss his own nerd empire and a memorable Comic-Con experience. Finally, Patrick reveals that tocino (and not lumpia or siopao) is his go-to Filipino dish.

Comics, Literature, Reviews

‘The Eightfold Path’ (An Endorsement)

August 20, 2022August 21, 2022 Shawn Taylor

If anything can be said about Abrams ComicArts books, it’s that they are undeniably beautiful. Aside from what lies within their pages, the books themselves are works of art. They are portable museums. The colors, the weight and heft of the paper used, the end paper designs, the cover images chosen, these make the books worth looking at. The stories being told? These make the books worth buying. Their Megascope imprint? These books are worth collecting.

Comics, Podcasts, Poetry

Southern Fried Asian: Greg Pak Returns

June 22, 2022June 22, 2022 Southern Fried Asian

Southern Fried Asian is back and so is one of our previous guests. Keith welcomes back Greg Pak — whose moving new autobiographical project I Belong to You / Motherland is being turned into a choral performance in Austin — to discuss belonging and loss and share memories of his mother and childhood in Texas.

Comics, Streaming, Television

The Cast of ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Discuss Kugelblitzes and Season 3

June 22, 2022June 22, 2022 Mike Manalo

The Hargreeves are back! And this season of The Umbrella Academy, they have some pretty stiff competition in the form of The Sparrow Academy! You may remember at the end of Season 2, after saving the world from yet another apocalypse, the family and Number 5 teleported themselves back into the present. Only now, due to the changes they’ve made to history, it was a completely different present than the one they are used to. They created an alternate timeline! Let the expletives fly!

Comics, Crowdfunding

Get Your Copy of ‘Scorpio’ Volume 1 on Kickstarter

June 4, 2022June 4, 2022 Laura Sirikul

Writer John Robinson IV wanted to tell a story that centered the astrology, particularly the zodiac signs. He had been a fan of the fantasy genre, but rarely saw any comic book stories that told it from a person of color point of view. He decided to combine his passion for writing and fantasy to create a world focusing on astrology and the stars, but with a lead character of color. This is how Scorpio was born.

Art, Comics1 Comment

Carlos Pacheco Homages Superman in ‘La Borinqueña’ Variant Cover

May 26, 2022 The Nerds of Color

Somos Arte just announced the third printing of La Borinqueña #2 will feature a variant cover illustrated by Carlos Pacheco — with colors by Emilio Lopez — that will be an homage to his iconic Superman #654 (2006) cover.

Comics, Toys

Boss Fight Announces ‘La Borinqueña’ Action Figures

February 18, 2022February 18, 2022 Keith Chow

In news we would normally have covered coming out of Toy Fair (which was canceled this year), Boss Fight Studio just announced a line of La Borinqueña action figures. This is just part of the first launch of action figures inspired by the team of superheroes created by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, the Nitainos.

Art, Comics1 Comment

‘La Borinqueña’ Tackles Climate Change

February 9, 2022 The Nerds of Color

In 2016, Eisner Award-winning graphic novelist and philanthropist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez created La Borinqueña to drive conversations around the social, economic, and environmental crises affecting Puerto Rico. As a direct response to Hurricane Maria, he created our La Borinqueña Grants Program which has awarded $165,000 in grants to non-profit organizations across Puerto Rico.