Boise Comic Arts Festival
Boise Comic Arts Festival returns for its 12th year from August 24 through 25, 2024. It will include all the features you know and love including a two-day Artist's Alley, cosplay, panels, performances, and workshops at the Boise Centre.
BCAF XII Location & Hours:
Saturday, August 24 | 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Boise Centre
Sunday, August 25 | 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Boise Centre
Free to Attend | No Registration Required
Event Info
Learn about all the amazing programming on offer at BCAF this year and plan your schedule for the weekend!
This year we will be hosting a two-day Artists' Alley on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25. The application for table space in Artists' Alley is now closed.
The Cosplay Contests are your chance to show off your costume making skills and creativity. Your costume could win you fame, glory and of course - prizes. We'll have live Cosplay Contests for kids, groups, teens, adults!
Cosplay contests will take place at Boise Centre’s Junior Ballroom (Room 130) on Saturday, August 24. The contests will take place at the following times:
11:00 a.m. - Kids Cosplay Contest
12:00 a.m. – Group Contest
2:00 p.m. - Adult Cosplay Contest
3:30 p.m. - Teen Cosplay Contest
Registration is now open for the cosplay contests and closes on August 23. Participants can also register onsite on Saturday, August 24. Read the full cosplay contest rules.
In-person tabletop roleplaying games are coming back for BCAF XII! Bring your friends or make some new ones as you have an adventure and tell a story together! RPG session registration now open.
Role Playing Games
SATURDAY
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG Workshop: How to DM with Lily Pannkuk. Registration required. Learn the basics of running an RPG, with tips and tricks on how to keep your players engaged and create a memorable experience. Room 120A.
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: (To Be Determined) with Daine Smith. Registration required. Join Daine Smith as he runs... something! Will be announced soon! Room 120A - Table B.
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: Monster of the Week with Simon Clifford. Registration required. Something sinister is happening in the sleepy neighborhood of Liberty Heights. Join a team of monster-hunters in a race against time to uncover the truth and clear an innocent man’s name. Monster of the Week is a role-playing game of action-horror, with vibes similar to Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This mystery includes themes of murder, family violence, and body horror. For ages 12+. Room 120A - Table A.
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: 5e D&D for Beginners with Stephen Guttridge. Registration required. First time players preferred (recommended ages 10+)! Learn to play 5th Edition by exploring the Haunted Shipwreck, an adventure for 1st level run by Stephen Guttridge. Room 120A - Table A.
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: Teens 5e D&D with Aidric Curtis and Olin Tutko. Registration required. TEENS ONLY!
As a crewmate aboard a renowned galleon, you were shocked at meeting an able foe, an enemy in whom rested the power to turn your ship into flotsam. And indeed the Dread Pirate Flotsam Bric-a-Brac did. Your ship mercilessly torn to wreckage, your crewmates dead and drowned, and your recent haul of booty pilfered, you, as one of the last survivors, was imprisoned on Bric-a-Brac's brig. You and a few other survivors are set to walk the plank into shark-infested waters later today. To survive, you must escape. But to regain glory and your famous treasure haul, you must fight.
Build your own 3rd level character in advance or use one of our pre-mades. Room 120A - Table C.
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: Teens 5th Edition D&D with Gabe and Wade Dial. Registration required. TEENS ONLY!
5e Dungeons and Dragons run for teens by a teen (with his Dad to help)! First time players welcome! Room 120A.
2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: Teens Pathfinder 1e with Zane Combo (Session 1). Registration required. TEENS ONLY!
Play Pathfinder 1st Edition with Zane Combo! This is a two part/two-day event, the second session will be held Sunday, August 25th at 1pm-4pm.
In the human town of Trunau, a beleaguered settlement surrounded by the brutal orcs of the Hold of Belkzen, the heroes must investigate a mysterious death. Level 1 characters will be available, or bring your own! Room 120A - Table B.
SUNDAY
12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: Pathfinder 2e with Lily Pannkuk. Registration required. Pathfinder 2e with Lily Pannkuk. Room 120A - Table C
1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: Pathfinder 2e with Seth Vick. Registration required. 'Welcome to Alkenstar University, one of the most prestigious learning facilities in this district of Absalom for learning the magical arts!' ... is what we have on all of the tourist pamphlets, but today you're visiting the university to deal with a more sinister curriculum: the fraternity Alpha Omega Epsilon has been converted into a hall of worship for Urgathoa! Can our heroes restore order to these hallowed halls and put AOE on double secret probation, or will summer break have to be cancelled?
An adventure fit for first time players (teenagers and up), build and bring your own 1st level character or take up arms as one of our BCAF Iconics! Room 120A
3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. BCAF XII RPG: 5e DND for Beginners with Stephen Guttridge. Registration required. First time players preferred (recommended ages 10+)! Learn to play 5th Edition by exploring the Haunted Shipwreck, an adventure for 1st level run by Stephen Guttridge. Room 120A - Table B.
10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Portfolio Reviews. Interested in getting feedback and advice from professional comic creators? Sign up for a spot to have your portfolio reviewed! BCAF XII guest creators will be on-hand offering art critiques and insights on how to break into the comics industry. Guest creators providing portfolio reviews - Aaron McConnell, Adrian Ropp, Andrew (Drew) Kafoury, Andy Runton, Cassie Anderson, Eric Shanower, Jamie S. Rich, Jorge Corona, Laura Knetzger, Lee Moyer, Morgan Beem, Muriel Fahrion, Rye Hickman, Soo Lee, Tadd Galusha, and Taki Soma. Space is limited and registration is encouraged. Walk-ins will be accepted as space allows.
10:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Session registration.
10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Session registration.
11:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Session registration.
Librarians & Educator's Day will take place Friday, August 23. More information coming soon. Register here.
Please send questions to Renee Addington.
The Original Comic Creation Contest is your chance to show-off your comic crafting skills by creating a single page of comics to express an idea, set a scene or mood, introduce a character, or tell a story. The contest is open to all ages and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be awarded in each age category.
Contest submissions accompanied by a completed entry form can be turned in at any Boise Public Library location. Entry forms are available at all Library locations or can be downloaded and printed. The contest ends July 31.
The Teen Comics Mentorship program was created to support and inspire teens interested in pursuing a career in comic arts or related fields. The program provides information, training, and opportunities to aspiring creators and culminates with the mentees tabling at BCAF on Saturday, August 24th and Sunday August 25th. The application is now closed.
Learn more in our Teen Comics Mentorship Program FAQ.
For more information see our BCAF FAQ or email our event coordinator Josh Shapel.
BCAF XII Guest Creators - Full Lineup
Comic book illustrator/creator from the PNW. Current projects include a YA fantasy series The Young No'madds for Battle Quest Comics, a self-published graphic novel adult sci-fi series Ancient Futures with author Steven White, and fantasy art illustration for the independent RPG 13th Age, 2nd Edition.
Adrian Ropp has been working in the entertainment industry for over thirty years. Beginning as a film animator, Adrian brought to life the adventures of the Velveteen Rabbit (Netflix) and many other delightful animated cartoons. He began working in games as the Head of Story for the award-winning Disney Infinity & Hogwarts Legacy, and has drawn beloved comic book characters such as Maleficent, Archie, Underdog and The Pink Panther. A native of Idaho, Adrian has lived in the mountain west his entire life and enjoys helping new talent develop their craft in amazing and magical ways. A recent recipient, Adrian currently spends a portion of his time advocating for kidney donors to help bring hope to the thousands of people who need a friend.
Andy Runton is the award-winning creator of Owly, the kind-hearted little owl who's always searching for new friends and adventures. Andy’s work showcases his love of wildlife and the outdoors, and has earned him multiple awards, including the Eisner Award for Best Publication for a Younger Audience. The Owly books have been praised for their “charm, wisdom, and warmth” by Booklist, and WIRED.com said they are “one of the best comics for kids around. Period.” Andy lives in the greater Atlanta area, where he works full time as a writer and illustrator.
Ashley Robin Franklin (she/they) is a queer cartoonist and illustrator based in Austin, Texas. Ashley is originally from the Rio Grande Valley (that's south South Texas), and attended college locally at UT-Pan American, majoring in English lit. Ashley makes sweet and spooky comics with horror and fantasy elements for a variety of audiences and ages. She’s the creator behind The Hills of Estrella Roja (Clarion books/2023) and That Full Moon Feeling (Silver Sprocket, 2021). Her comics have also been published by The New Yorker, Pome Press, and The Nib. In her spare time, she can often be found reading, painting, admiring cool plants outside, and goofing off with her partner and two weird tiny dogs.
Cassie is a freelance comic artist who loves telling stories and drawing pictures. She is the illustrator behind the Lifeformed series as well as the creator of Extraordinary: A Story of an Ordinary Princess. When she’s not drawing comics, you can find her reading a good book, baking some tasty treats, or exploring the outdoors with her adventure-loving husband and baby.
David F. Walker is the Eisner Award-winning writer of The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History, co-creator of the Eisner Award-winning series Bitter Root, writer of Big Jim and the White Boy, and author of the critically acclaimed YA novel, The Second Chance of Darius Logan.
Emily is a comic artist and illustrator, mainly known for co-creating Princeless with Jeremy Whitley. She also teaches comic art, and cohosts Progressively Horrified, a podcast about horror movies.
Website | Instagram | Patreon | Transistor.fm
Eric Shanower is the award-winning cartoonist of the graphic novel series Age of Bronze (Image), retelling the story of the Trojan War. He’s written and drawn dozens of Oz projects, including writing New York Times best-selling graphic novel adaptations of six of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books (Marvel). Shanower’s past comics work includes his own Oz graphic novel series, art for An Accidental Death by Ed Brubaker (Fantagaphics), The Elsewhere Prince by Moebius and R.J.M. Lofficier (Marvel), and Harlan Ellison’s Dream Corridor (Dark Horse). Shanower has illustrated for television, stage, magazines, and children’s books, two of which he wrote himself. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his husband.
Farel Dalrymple is creating a comic book called ROBot TOD on Patreon. He is also the maker of the comic book one-shot Sept ’n’ Ember (2024 Floating World Comics) and MONSTER_US!!!, a 64-page monster art zine with Soph Franz. Other works include 20202020 (2022 floating World comics), THE OFTEN WRONG (Image comics 2019), Proxima Centauri (Image comics 2019), IT WILL ALL HURT (Image Comics 2018), Pop Gun War: Chain Letter (Image Comics 2017) and POP GUN WAR: GIFT (2016 Image Comics, 2001 Dark Horse), The Wrenchies (First Second Books 2014), and Delusional (Adhouse 2013). Farel was a co-founder and contributor to the comic anthology, Meathaus, and the artist on Palefire (Secret Acres 2015) written by Mk Reed, Prophet (Image Comics 2012) by Brandon Graham, Omega the Unknown (Marvel Comics 2010) by Jonathan Lethem, Jenny Finn (Dark Horse 2018) by Troy Nixey and Mike Mignola, and Caper (DC Comics 2003) by Judd Winick.
James Asmus has written for books, theater, comedy, video games and TV. He’s won several awards for his work. His run reimagining the comic Quantum and Woody also garnered him five Harvey Award nominations, including Best Writer. Some of his notable books include co-creating the action-satire Survival Street (Dark Horse Comics), several Marvel Comics series including Gambit and Captain America, a pair of all-ages Transformers/My Little Pony crossovers for IDW, and The Official Rick and Morty Cookbook and Supernatural: The Official Cocktail Book (Insight Editions). He currently lives outside Portland, OR with his wife and two weirdly wonderful kids.
Jamie S. Rich started in comics in 1994 as an assistant editor at Dark Horse Comics before moving over to Oni Press in 1998, where he became editor in chief. He published his first prose novel, Cut My Air, in 2000 before embarking on an extended freelance career in 2004. He is probably best known for his collaborations with Joëlle Jones in the graphic novels 12 Reasons Why I Love Her, You Have Killed Me, and the first volume of Lady Killer, which has been optioned by Netflix.
In 2015, Rich joined DC Comics as part of their Vertigo imprint, and quickly gained notice as the editor of Sheriff of Babylon by Tom King and Mitch Gerads. They would all re-team on the Eisner Award-winning Mister Miracle. In his time at DC, Rich oversaw DC’s Young Animal with Gerard Way and ultimately spent time overseeing DC’s top titles and characters. He also won an Eisner Award himself as part of the editorial team of the charity anthology Love is Love, co-published by DC and IDW.
In 2021, Rich moved to Tapas Media where he became editor in chief of their original comics and novels, before joining IDW in May, 2022. He is currently editor in chief as well as the editor of Beauty of Horror, The Addams Family, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-evolution.
Joëlle Jones is an Eisner-nominated artist currently living and working in the Pacific Northwest. Since attending PNCA in Portland, OR, Jones has contributed to a wide range of mainstream and indie projects, with credits at Marvel, DC, IDW, Boom, Vertigo, Oni Press, The New York Times, and fashion designer Prada. Notable titles include her creator-owned series Lady Killer, as well as Wonder Girl, Batman, Catwoman, Supergirl: Being Super, and Helheim. She is also a founding member of the creator-owned publisher DSTLRY, with several projects in the works there.
Jorge Corona is a multi-time Eisner Award nominee Venezuelan sequential artist and the winner of the 2015 Russ Manning Award. A writer and illustrator, his works include horror title The Me You Love In the Dark and Middlewest for Image Comics, We Are… Robin and Batgirls for DC Comics, and Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack, Adventure Time, and Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Dragons for BOOM! Studios. Jorge is also the co-creator of Goners and No. 1 With A Bullet for Image Comics, and creator of Feathers, his all-ages dark fantasy, for Archaia Entertainment. He is currently working on a recently-released third book with co-creator Skottie Young, Ain’t No Grave, from Image Comics. Jorge lives in Denver with his wife and fellow artist Morgan Beem.
Justin Zimmerman, MFA in Film, is a nationally recognized writer, director and professor. His narrative and documentary work has appeared in over 200 film festivals across the globe and has been broadcast on national public television, where he won two international television awards. He's also been the recipient of multiple grants and fellowships, he contributed a story to the Eisner Award-winning graphic novel Love Is Love, and his script and comic work has been optioned on multiple occasions. He's currently the Media Director - as well as a writer and creator - for Battle Quest Comics.
Laura Knetzger is the author and illustrator of several graphic novels, including the Ignatz-award nominated Bug Boys. She graduated from the School of Visual Arts. Laura is also the illustrator of the Bigfoot and Nessie graphic novel series. She is a regular contributor to the yearly ShortBox Comics Fair. Laura is also the author of several books for young readers and countless zines. She has kept a daily diary comic every day since 2018. She lives and works in Seattle.
Lee Moyer is a two-time Hugo Award Winning artist (for the Small Gods series with Seanan McGuire), designer and writer; Lee created world-premiere posters for Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tori Amos and Andy Prieboy, many Laurel & Hardy films, and The Call of Cthulhu. An art director for EA, lead artist for D&D, and co-creator of 13th Age, Lee also served as a docent at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum for a decade. He’s currently collaborating with Italian artist Melissa Spandri on The Trident of Aurelia: Book III Corazon; and with Ekaterina Chesalova (a Russian artist currently in Bali) on a top-secret project.
Lukas Ketner is a comic book artist and illustrator, currently the artist and cover illustrator for Count Crowley (Dark Horse Comics) with writer David Dastmalchian. He is the artist and co-creator of Witch Doctor, a launch title for Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman's Skybound imprint at Image Comics. Other comics work includes Last Comic Book on the Left (Z2 Comics) Kill the Minotaur (Skybound), Batman ‘66 (DC Comics), Creepy Comics, Headless Horseman Halloween Annual (Dark Horse Comics), and the-all ages Trackers Inc. graphic novels. He works out of Portland, Oregon which isn’t quite as cold as his native Alaska.
Morgan Beem is a freelance artist and member of the Jam House collective located in Denver, CO who works predominantly with ink and watercolor. Her work includes Crashing, Swamp Thing: Twin Branches, Wonder Woman Black and Gold, The Family Trade, Wolfsbane, and a number of anthologies.
After graduating from the Cooper School of Art, Muriel Fahrion began a life-long career in design, illustration, and art management, working at American Greetings in Cleveland, Ohio, as a humorous card designer. While a staff illustrator there she created the first drawings of Strawberry Shortcake in 1977 as a greeting card. Fahrion then joined Those Characters from Cleveland, a toy think tank composed of artists, writers, and marketers. What followed was 39 characters in the Shortcake line, the first 12 Care Bears, and the following year, the Get-Along-Gang characters. She moved on to become Senior Art Director for Enesco Giftware, before accepting the position of Creative VP at United Design Giftware in Noble, Oklahoma, where she oversaw a staff of 75 including sculptors, paint designers, working line designers, and production engineers.
In 2019 Fahrion rebranded her studio as Outta Thin Air Studio, where she continued to create fresh designs that were produced as art merchandise at her home studios in Tulsa, and then Beggs, Oklahoma. Fahrion spends her time holding creative retreats at her #tinystudio, regularly appearing at meet & greets and toy and comic conventions and has accumulated followers on social media from all corners of the world for her art and her #kitchendance videos. She has sold her art merch to every state in the US, and to countries in South America, Europe, and Asia.
Norman Shurtliff is the creator of the Sequential Awards winning graphic novel Skull Cat and the Curious Castle (Top Shelf). He draws the comic strip Sugar Beet Bill for Amalgamated Sugar and self-publishes collections of his own comic strip Soulmate Chronicles. Norman Shurtliff grew up in Northern British Columbia, Canada. He now lives in Twin Falls, Idaho, with his wife and their five children. Together they enjoy creating board games, telling stories, and going on adventures along the canyon.
Rose Amir Bousamra is an illustrator and cartoonist based in Michigan. Their debut graphic novel, FRIZZY with writer Claribel A. Ortega has earned the 2023 Pura Belpré award for Children’s Text, the 2023 Eisner award for Best Kid’s Publication, and indie bestseller status. They are currently working on their solo debut graphic novel, GUTLESS, with First Second Books.
Sally Madden is a cartoonist and co-host of the Thick Lines Podcast with Katie Skelly, a waitress at Miss Rachel’s Pantry, and the co-editor of TCJ.com with Chris Mautner.
Instagram | bgcartel.com | Patreon | Website
Shing Yin Khor is an Eisner and Ignatz Award-winning graphic novelist and game designer based in Los Angeles, CA, by way of Malacca, Malaysia. They are interested in the myths of nostalgic Americana, new human rituals, and the stories of created spaces. Their second graphic novel, The Legend of Auntie Po, was published by Penguin Random House in June 2021, and was a National Book Award finalist.
Soph draws and paints with the stuff that gets her hands dirty. Ink, paint, colored pencils etc.
Stephanie, an alumna of the University of Illinois at Chicago, has made a remarkable journey from a scientist to a comic book creator. Her imaginative storytelling has been captivating readers and she has an impressive portfolio of titles to her name. These include Nubia and the Amazons, an empowering tale, Nubia: Queen of the Amazons, a regal adventure, and Wakanda #1, an action-packed comic. She has explored the mystical world with Magic Planeswalkers: Noble #1, told tales of Lunella Lafayette — aka the smartest person in the Marvel Universe, in Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur: Wreck and Roll, and used her research skills in her latest book, Strange and Unsung All-Stars of the DC Multiverse. Stephanie is also a comic book historian and has written for SYFYFANGRRLS, Marvel, The A.V. Club, Nerdist, Den of Geek, and Rotten Tomatoes.
A graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartooning & Design, Tadd Galusha started his career as a background illustrator and commercial storyboard artist in Portland, Oregon. Soon after working for major publishers on properties such as Godzilla, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, GI Joe, and King Kong. 2019 marked a breakout year with the release of his creator owned dinosaur epic, Cretaceous, a silent graphic novel which followed the journey of an orphaned juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex as it survives the brutal environment of North America 67 million years ago.
Recent projects, such as the Paleo-American series The First Americans from Critical Entertainment and the daikaiju wrestling zine series Kaiju Libre from Boise-based publisher, Arc Welder Studios, are slated for wide release in early 2024.
Currently he is illustrating and co-writing the new comic series, Cyberzoic, a companion book to the ground-breaking figure collection from Creative Beast Studio, while continuing development on a collection of creator-owned graphic novels that are yet to be announced.
Tadd is also the co-host of the weekly underground podcast, Blue Tiger Revenge.
Taki Soma is a HUGO award nominated cartoonist. Soma has worked on creator-owned projects such as Rapture, Sinergy, The Victories, United States of Murder, Inc., and Bitch Planet, along with Dick Tracy and Iron Man, and an auto-bio graphic novel titled Sleeping While Standing, listed as one of the best graphic novels of 2022 by the American Library Association. Soma has worked with publishers such as DC, Image, IDW, Marvel, Dark Horse, Jinxworld, Avery Hill and more. Soma lives in the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by furry critters and a husband who shares the same passion for comics.
Terry Blas is the illustrator and writer behind the viral webcomics You Say Latino and You Say Latinx.
He wrote the comic book tie-in for Ariana Grande's R.E.M. fragrance campaign. His original graphic novels are Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom, Hotel Dare, and Lifetime Passes, all of which feature queer and Mexican characters. He wrote the Marvel series: Reptil: Brink of Extinction, Nova, and Runaways.
His latest book is Eat Your Heart Out, a modern, fashion, fairy tale about chasing your dreams from Boise, Idaho to New York City.
He graduated from PNCA in 2010 with a degree in Illustration.
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