MN Comic Book Community Calendar

Introduction and Editing by Jen Bateman

Welcome to another edition of the MNCBA Newsletter! April is almost here, though you might not know it from the recent cold snaps. While winter weather is still lingering in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, we have been told of a few robin sightings.

…no, not that one.

The flowers may not be blooming yet, but our MNCBA volunteers have already been hard at work getting our MNCBA SpringCon 2025 flyers and posters into book and comic stores. If you would like to help spread the word, please submit a volunteer application and ask to become a part of our street team.

WHAT’S NEWS

MNCBA SpringCon 2025 exhibitor spaces are tentatively sold out, and new applications have gone to waitlist-only status while we finalize the first draft of our floor plan and confirm how much space (if any) is still available. More information about the applications can be found under the “Events” menu on our website.

Jim Keefe at MNCBA FallCon 2024. Panel Moderation by Eric Childs. Videograpy by Rusty Detty.

Last month saw major additions to the MNCBA YouTube channel. All of our panels from both 2024 events are now available to watch — and rewatch! — at your convenience. We hosted an amazing lineup including Jim Keefe, Gene Ha, Joseph Michael Linsner, Christopher Jones, and more. Don’t miss it!

We are in the beginning stages of planning our MNCBA SpringCon 2025 panel programming. If there’s a topic you’d like us to consider, or you yourself would like to participate in a panel at a future show, please share your thoughts with us.

Gene Ha at MNCBA FallCon 2024. Panel Moderation by Eric Childs. Videograpy by Rusty Detty.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Saint Paul Jaycees Foundation, beginning with MNCBA SpringCon 2025 our volunteers will have the option of wearing these fun and functional vests while staffing our events.

Minnesota Comic Book Association (MNCBA) Volunteer Vests

In addition to making our volunteers more easily identifiable for our attendees and exhibitors, the many pockets will help our volunteers keep anything they might need during the day close at hand. We hope you love them as much as we do!

Stay tuned for more MNCBA SpringCon 2025 announcements!

“COMIC BOOKS IN HISTORY: CAPTAIN AMERICA #1” by Stephen Henninger

I always knew about Captain America #1 but didn’t know its history. I always assumed it started in World War II; mainly because the cover had Captain punching Hitler. But no — it was published in December of 1940; about one year before the attack at Pearl Harbor and the USA entering the war. The Great Jack Kirby and Joe Simon both believed the actions of Nazi Germany were wrong, and that the USA should enter the war. So they thought (and rightfully so) that Hitler would be the perfect villain for their new super hero — though a few did disagree.

It is also of note that on 20 February 1939, there was a Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden which drew more than 20,000 people to the arena and more than 100,000 counter-protesters outside. It was a strange time. The phone call Jack Kirby received at the Marvel offices in New York would have been of little surprise.

Mark Evanier describes in his biography Kirby: King of Comics, “…Jack took a call. A voice on the other end said, ‘There are three of us down here in the lobby. We want to see the guy who does this disgusting comic book and show him what real Nazis would do to his Captain America.’ To the horror of others in the office, Kirby rolled up his sleeves and headed downstairs. The callers, however, were gone by the time he arrived.”

Cover of “Captain America #1” by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon

Captain America Comics ended in 1950, after seventy-five issues, as horror comics were becoming more popular. The character was formally reintroduced in The Avengers in 1964, and the self-titled Captain America was relaunched in April of 1968 during the Silver Age. After researching the history of Captain America and his creators, I remember a quote from Jack Kirby, “The only real politics I knew was that if a guy liked Hitler, I’d beat the stuffing out of him and that would be it.”

As a U.S. Army veteran who saw firsthand the horrors of Hitler’s concentration camps, I have no doubt that Kirby would have.

All this made me think about the MNCBA motto, “Something for everyone, and everyone is welcome!” I truly believe that everyone is welcome. But in the context of the “Paradox of Tolerance,” which I understand to be a social contract, I must add:

The intolerant are not following the rules of the social contract of mutual tolerance. They are no longer covered the social contract, and their intolerance should NOT be tolerated. That was so in 1939, and it is still so today.

“KOREAN COMICS: Manhwa and Webtoons” by Sehee Snead

When thinking about comic books, what comes to mind? Personally, I think of colorful images of superheroes taking down villains, animals with human qualities, or satirical imagery that reflects the political times. I’m sure if we were to compare everyone’s lists there would be common themes as to how people view comics from the Western world. What about comics from other countries? How do international comics compare and differ from what we know about American comic books?

Woodcut Manhwa Published in 1908 (via Wikipedia)

In this month’s issue, I will introduce Korean comic books called ‘manhwa’ (만화; pronounced like mahn-hwah). Manhwa can be traced back to some of Korea’s earliest dynasties such as the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Paintings depicted folktales and historical events and later became more rigid in structure that reflected the hierarchical themes of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). However, manhwa began to really form once Japan took control of Korea in 1910. In response to the imposed strict laws and policies, Korean cartoonists leaned into a humorous and satirical tone that made fun of societal issues, norms, and political figures. Some notable authors from this time were Ahn Seok-Joo with Adventure of a Boaster, and Roh Soo-Hyun’s Imbecile’s Vain Efforts which later became a movie.

Korea was liberated in 1945, and manhwa in the post-war era had significant Japanese manga influences and some Western comic inspirations. Manhwa began garnering more popularity and respect as an art form and method of storytelling where stories had complex narratives of overcoming personal and societal issues. Since then, manhwa expanded and grew into other genres and themes that offered deeper insights into the Korean culture and identity. Now, manhwa is more popularly enjoyed as webtoons where readers from a global platform can conveniently enjoy Korean comics through websites or apps like Webtoons, Tapas, and Tappytoon. Some well-known webtoons (with some becoming show adaptations) are True Beauty by Yaongyi, Lookism by Taejun Pak, and Tower of God by S.I.U.

"Spirit Fingers" by Han Kyoung Chal

Want to get into manhwa and webtoons and don’t know where to start? Here are some of my recommendations!

Omniscient Reader by Sing Shong (action, apocalyptic, modern fantasy)
Solo Leveling by Chugong (action, fantasy)
Spirit Fingers by Han Kyoung Chal (slice-of-life)
Wind Breaker by Yongseok Jo (sports)

Comics have a culturally and politically complex history in Korea and this article only provides a fraction of this rich history. Whether this is your first time learning about manhwa or as a seasoned webtoon reader, I hope you enjoyed learning about how comic books made their way in Korea!

Feel free to share which country I should cover next!

“IT TAKES A LEAGUE, A LEGION, A TEAM” by Matt Walkosz

Think comic book conventions like the MNCBA SpringCon and MNCBA FallCon just magically happen? As the Volunteer Coordinator for the Minnesota Comic Book Association, I really wish they did — then we could have one every month.

No; in truth the amount of time, effort, and planning is monumental. And who does all this work? It’s everyday comic geeks, just like you reading this newsletter. Collectors, artists, store owners, and plain-old fans who wanted to help make these shows the best they can be. What does volunteering with the MNCBA look like?

Let me give you a quick tour:

Our conventions are the MNCBA’s biggest events and where we need the most help. It all starts a day or two before the event with prepping the location and setup. Seeing the Grandstand completely empty is an eerie sight to behold!

This is the grunt work moving bins out of storage, setting up tables and chairs, placing tablecloths and signage, and stuffing grab bags. Once the tables have been set up, there’s work to be done helping exhibitors navigate the floor before the madness begins, stocking our break area, and staging our activities.

On the day of a convention there’s admissions to run, food donations to collect, floor monitors to make sure everyone is having a great time, giving out cool stuff at our prize table, answering questions at the information booth, running panels, and helping kids with fun crafts. Then we tear it all down and pack up at the end!

(Left to Right) Sehee Snead, Matt Walkosz, and Dan Bateman at MNCBA FallCon 2024

Of course, no one is expected to work the whole time! Sign up to help with a single 4-5 hour shift, then enjoy the rest of your day buying comics and meeting cool artists. Volunteers receive free admission to the show and lunch on us.

Volunteering with the MNCBA can be more than just helping during events. You could be taking notes and discussing ways to improve the shows at any of our public planning meetings. Our street team is dedicated to distributing flyers to local and distant stores, schools, and libraries. Got media connections? Contact us!

Occasionally, we set up booths at other conventions and need people to staff a table, be friendly and outgoing, and help promote the MNCBA.

There is now this wonderful newsletter with a team of dedicated writers.

MNCBA SpringCon 2025 will be the fifth show I’ve helped behind the scenes. Over the last two years, I’ve worked nearly all of the volunteer positions I described above. What does it take to be a volunteer with the MNCBA?

The biggest qualifications are time and a willingness to help. If you have both, please visit MNCBA.org and fill out an application today!

REMEMBERING PAT GRUBER

We are heartbroken to share the news that on March 19th, following multiple complications from a heart attack and stroke, Pat Gruber went into hospice care. Pat passed away peacefully in his sleep the morning of March 24th. All of us here at the MNCBA are mourning his loss, and he will be dearly missed.

Pat was a much-loved, longtime MNCBA volunteer and member of the Twin Cities comic book community. We invite you to watch this video recorded with Pat last summer for our Kickstarter campaign.

Pat served on the MNCBA Executive Committee as Treasurer.

Pat Gruber interview for the “MNCBA FallCon 2024 at the Grandstand” Kickstarter campaign. Video by Jen Bateman.

Click here to view Pat’s obituary online.

Funeral/Wake Information:

Wednesday April 2nd

O’Halloran & Murphy
8700 Valley Creek Road
Woodbury, MN 55125

Visitation 10:00AM – 11:00AM
Memorial Service 11:00AM – 12:00PM
Luncheon 12:00PM – 2:00PM

Pat Gruber and Stephen Henninger

We have set up a form to share your favourite memories of Pat Gruber with us. Stories may be published on the MNCBA website, on MNCBA social media, in the MNCBA SpringCon 2025 Program Book, and/or displayed at MNCBA SpringCon 2025. Stories will be reviewed and curated by a team of MNCBA volunteers.

Until next time, let’s all remember to care for each other.

Introduction and Editing by Jen Bateman

Welcome, friends, to the new MNCBA Newsletter!

We’ll be keeping you updated with the latest news about MNCBA activities, sharing upcoming events, and publishing original features by our volunteers about the Minnesota comic book community. Subscribe to receive these newsletters in your email, or go back and read the archives at any time on our website.

WHAT’S NEWS

MNCBA SpringCon 2025 planning is well underway with the first creator and vendor announcements being made last week. Submit your application if you have not done so yet, and watch your inbox for invoices or an email from us if you have! For those a little lost, you can find the applications under the “Events” menu on our website. Following MNCBA FallCon 2024, all of our applications were updated to user-friendly web forms. We have fully moved our volunteer management and communication to the POINT system, and we are building new email lists.

The MNCBA website has been expanded significantly over the winter, including the new archive. Please continue to check regularly as we add more content!

The MNCBA is excited to announce that Nick Kaufman, formerly of Crypticon, has joined our team to bring a cosplay contest to our SpringCon and FallCon shows! While details are still being determined, we are looking forward to working with Nick to create a cosplay contest that is welcoming and fun for everyone.

MNCBA SpringCon 2025 Flyer Featuring Artwork by Jesse Switters

Don’t miss our MNCBA SpringCon 2025 T-shirts available online, featuring artwork by Duluth, MN, artist Jesse Switters! While we are working hard to bring a merchandise booth to future shows, our T-shirts are exclusively online for now.

The MNCBA has accomplished so much in the past two years since relaunching the organization, and we are committed to continuously improving and expanding our efforts in the future. Thank you for choosing to share your time with us.

WHAT’S GOIN’ ON IN THE TWIN CITIES

On March 1st, Most Wanted Comics will be hosting a Meet & Greet from 10:00AM – 2:00PM featuring Doug Mahnke, Tom Nguyen, and Keith Champagne. Visit the Most Wanted Comics website for additional information.

Use this link to submit your news or event to us.

“TAKING CARE OF YOUR INVESTMENT” by Stephen Henninger

I want to talk a little about comics; not just reading them, collecting them, or God forbid, investing in them. I want to discuss protecting them. A good friend told me a long time ago, “Protect your investment.” Those words have always held true in this hobby, where what we collect is flimsy paper. The goal isn’t just to have a comic book, but to have and keep it in the best condition possible.

Today I will be sharing a few things with you that I have learned through trial, and unfortunately, error.

Always keep your comics in bags with boards, and don’t use regular tape to close them. I use removable price stickers. I also have seen some comics with the plastic flap folded into the back of the bag. However you choose to secure the flap down, remove anything adhesive completely from the bag before removing the comic from the bag. It happens to the best of us — that little piece of tape, or even a removable price tag, will catch the comic and take a piece of the comic with it.

Short Boxes at MNCBA FallCon 2023

Always keep your bagged and boarded comics in a comic book box. Like with comic book bags and boards, there are a lot of options. For the bulk of my collection, I use regular acid-free (Sliver Age size for Bronze, Silver, and Modern) plastic bags and boards, and regular comic boxes. When you get to more valuable books, you may want to invest in the additional protection offered by Mylar bags.

The primary factor to consider regarding boxes to consider is the size. Long boxes obviously hold more, but short boxes are lighter and easier to move around. I prefer short, boxes and my back is happier for it. Similar to Mylar bags, you may wish to consider archival boxes made from polypropylene or other materials.

That last thing to be mindful of when protecting your comics is reading and handling comics outside of the bag. PLEASE only read them over big table, free of food and drinks, and don’t put them back in the bag while walking around. Who knows where a dropped comic will land? Never mind hitting the floor and potentially damaging a corner! I had a friend who had a comic slip out of his hand while on his deck, and it slipped down in-between the boards and fell even further!

In summary, take care — because the odds are that you will damage a valuable book, not a quarter book.

“COME FIND COMICS IN THE STRANGEST CORNER OF MINNEAPOLIS: Odd Mart” by Sehee Snead

“Tired of your gum not coming with a free T-shirt?” is the dilemma I often ask myself. Luckily, my prayers were answered when a store opened in October 2023, providing a strange and weird delight for all who enter its den. Odd Mart, located at 2520 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, is a brick-and-mortar store for Glorp Gum where each piece of gum does, in fact, come with a free T-shirt. Along with featuring random locally crafted oddities, artwork, and toys, there is also a vintage room dedicated to hard-to-find indie books, comics, and zines.

Exterior of Odd Mart in Minneapolis. Photo by Sehee Snead.

The Atlanta-native CEO, Brad McGinty, states in a KARE11 news interview that, “I should have a better response, but it’s mostly the stuff I like in a store, and I figure that if I like this stuff other people would probably like it.” He later goes on to explain his love for black-and-white 80s and 90s comics. Since he grew up in a family that did not have a lot of money, McGinty states he was always able to get a lot of comics from the cheap quarter bins.

T-shirts for sale at Odd Mart in Minneapolis. Photo by Sehee Snead.

Come visit the Odd Mart for your next comic book fix, or to marvel at the weird and strange attractions. They also hold local market events in their backyard every Sunday from noon to 4:00 PM. Keep up to date on the latest events through their Instagram account @oddmartmn, and check out the MNCBA’s next newsletter for an interview with Odd Mart’s founder, Brad McGinty!

Books for sale at Odd Mart in Minneapolis. Photo by Sehee Snead.

Odd Mart
Where: 2520 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55405
When: Noon to 6:00 PM every day that isn’t Tuesday
https://glorpgum.com/

“A VOLUNTEER’S PERSPECTIVE” by Shawn Bramanti

It was very interesting to me, to be standing inside the first set of doors at the MNCBA, and see behind the curtain so to speak. When I first began to have any involvement with the organization it was the summer of 2023. I met the bosses at a show, but I was busy working so I couldn’t really start to connect.

I wanted to have my involvement increase, because of course I am interested in comic books, and the thought occurred to me that I might be able to figure out some way to make use of my knowledge of comic books. It has mostly worked out that way, but the road is never a straight one.

In my adult life I have gone to lots of conventions, shows, and various other places where comic book fans might consider themselves to be gathering. Until I met the folks with the MNCBA, I had no real hands-on opportunities to be involved myself. I had a life, and it involved working with my wife to raise our three kids. So when the opportunity arose to get more involved with my life-long passion for the comic book industry, I jumped at the opportunity; sort of.

The thing I like about shows and the community is they are both filled with genuinely nice people who are interested in much of the same stuff as me. The downside is the physical labor of the hobby, collecting, and the industry itself. If every break-out comic book industry success story involves starting out in indie books in today’s market, then good luck.

We try to hold the high points in the comic book industry as a beacon; to shed light on the future of this industry based on the past.

In the same way that printing created the ability to sell something marketable, comic books created an industry. The argument might now be that since generative AI is here, real art is over. So Not True!

Shawn Bramanti staffing admissions at MNCBA FallCon 2024. Photo by Buzz Meade.

Meeting people from all over the world who all have a common interest makes the community a great thing. That part of our shows has been the absolute best part; meeting these fantastic people who are putting their ideas and hopes out there for the world to see. Many we have never seen before because someone thought the idea up in their heads, or while collaborating with others in their community.

Every show has to be thought of as a barn raising event. Every community has to think of ways to help the community not just survive, but to grow and thrive.

In this modern world, the things we do and say have a bigger impact than we probably even realize. If you don’t get the chance to say those things, or have the opportunity to express those opinions, then we are strangling our future.

Comic books are fun. They engage our sense of wonderment, and that is like capturing lightning in a bottle. When those things click you get magic. Anyone in comics knows stories with this sort of magic, which is real and enthralling.

Who creates the swirling pot of ideas and thoughts that gel together into a successful comic book? Nowadays, really successful comic books can, and do, spawn movies, TV shows, and media that spin around our entire globe influencing others. Of course, some of the ideas get watered down once they reach a large enough audience, but the driving force is still there:

The idea that comic books, or photography, or any artistic endeavor helps the artist to grow into their adult selves. At the end of the day we are all growing into our adult selves. If we as adults can have some fun, that sounds like a win to me.

EDITOR’S NOTES AND KUDOS

In January, MNCBA President Jen Bateman (Hey, that’s me!) was accepted as a member of the National Cartoonists’ Society. We hope that this connection will help enhance the MNCBA’s relationship with the national comic book community.

Congratulations to MNCBA Vice President Stephen “Sparky” Henninger, who this year joined the Vulcan Krewe as Baron Hot Sparkus in the St. Paul Winter Carnival. The Krewe has again defeated the forces of winter for a flawless 139-0 record.

Congratulations to Jesse Switters, our MNCBA SpringCon 2025 flyer artist, for the successful launch of his first independent comic book, Smarg, created with writer Paul Hallgren and published by Snow Day Press. Both Jesse and Paul will be exhibiting at MNCBA SpringCon 2025 — come out and meet them!

Pat Gruber at MNCBA SpringCon 2024. Photo by Jen Bateman.

Finally, if you have not heard, please keep long-time volunteer Pat Gruber, his family, and his friends in your prayers and thoughts. Pat has been hospitalized in the ICU since 16 January, when he suffered a heart attack with multiple complications. His condition remains stable, but he has experienced some minor setbacks.

We are hopeful for Pat’s full recovery and a return to the hobby that he loves.

Until next time, see you in the funny pages!