Locust Moon Comics Festival returns to the Rotunda

This Halloween, more than tricks and treats made their way to The Rotunda. 

Last Saturday, Philadelphia’s Locust Moon Comics hosted its fourth annual Locust Moon Comics Festival. The day-long event is Philadelphia’s premiere celebration of comics, illustration and graphic arts. Locust Moon Co-Owner — along with Josh O’Neill and Andrew Carl — and Founder Chris Stevens highlighted Chris Claremont, writer of the X-Men comics, Bill Sienkiewicz, artist and creator of the poster for this year’s festival, David Mack, a New York Times best-selling creator and Craig Thompson, author of "Blankets," as some of the artists that the public was most excited to see.

“It has grown each year,” Stevens said, referring to the festival. The event featured over 70 artists and creators, including stars like Mark Beyer, Noah Van Sciver, Dean Haspiel, Alexa Kitchen and Denis Kitchen. “A lot of these guys are my friends, so it’s great to bring the Philly comics community together with people from outside of Philly — that’s always part of the fun,” Stevens added. There were also four panels at the Locust Moon store where creators discussed their crafts and influences. There was no lack of activity at The Rotunda, with children’s events and a Halloween costume contest later that day.

Designer and storyteller artist Ronald Wimberly returned to the festival for the second time. Between signing books and drawing sketches for fans, Wimberly handed out Halloween candy to guests. “Locust Moon is a small space for creators, but intimate so that fans can meet professionals. One of the great things about comics is that the creators are very connected with the people,” Wimberly said. “[Comics] are an anchoring point for the community."

Rob Woods, creator of Fishboy and a host of other works, had high praises for the store. “Locust Moon is the best comic store in Philadelphia. They’re just amazing people,” Woods said.

With rows of artists showcasing their work, the event was a haven for comic-lovers. Mack, who is recognized for his contributions to mainstream superhero fiction in books like "Daredevil" and the "Kabuki" series and for recently designing covers for "Fight Club 2" and title sequences for films such as "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," was eager to discuss his passion. “I like doing so many different kinds of things, and I found that the medium of comics was a way to combine all of those diverse interests. For me, comics is this wonderful hybrid medium. I like to think of it as the rock and roll of literature,” Mack said.

The event drew visitors from all over, including College freshman Benjamin Claar. “I met a lot of really cool creators — some of whom I’m big fans of already. I will definitely attend the festival next year,” he said. 

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