ReggieCon will honor Native American Heritage Month from 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 16, via Zoom. The panel will welcome New York Times best-selling artist David Mack, creator of the Native American Marvel character Echo, and returning special guest Dr. Lee Francis IV, author of the graphic novel Ghost River: The Rise and Fall of the Conestoga.
The conversation will focus on Mack’s graphic novel, Daredevil Vol. 8: Echo-Vision Quest. To create and build the character of Echo (Maya Lopez), Mack has said he drew on tales his uncle (Cherokee) told him as a child.
There is no cost to attend. Those interested can join the Zoom webinar at the ReggieCon website.
Mack earned an Emmy Award nomination for the Jessica Jones Netflix opening titles. His graphic novel COVER, co-created with Brian Michael Bendis, was nominated for three Eisner Awards for best graphic novel, best cover artist, and best painter. In 2018, Mack was honored with the prestigious Inkpot Award for his achievements in comicbook art.
Francis IV (Pueblo of Laguna) is an award-winning poet, writer and author. He is the CEO and founder of Native Realities LLC, an Indigenous Imagination Company, which as has published the largest assortment of Indigenous-centric comic books in the world.
Also present for ReggieCon’s celebration of Native American Heritage Month will be the members of the ReggieCon Crew: Dr. Scott Jordan, chair of the Department of Psychology at Illinois State University; Mr. Victor Dandridge Jr., founder of Vantage InHouse Productions; Dr. Vanessa Hintz, licensed clinical psychologist and diversity, equity, and inclusion professional; and Dr. Eric Wesselmann, associate professor of psychology at Illinois State.
ReggieCon is sponsored by the Office of Enrollment Management and Academic Services, the Sage Trust Fund, and the Department of Psychology. ReggieCon is in its third year as a series of virtual panels which will be held throughout the fall 2022 and spring 2023 semesters. Each panel consists of a panel of experts in comic and popular media and focuses on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Panel topics align with national recognition months such as Latinx Heritage, LGBTQ History, Black History, and Asian Pacific Heritage Months.
Upcoming panels include:
Uncanny X-Men 161: Gold Rush
December 7
Universal Human Rights Month
After the Rain
February 16
Black History Month
Jessica Jones: Return of the Purple Man
March 15
Women’s History Month
Habibti Pada
April 12
Arab American Heritage Month
The Wind Rises
May 3
Asian Pacific Heritage Month
