In addition to the 24 names already announced, Comic-Con is pleased to welcome Roberta Gregory, Jack C. Harris, Joseph Illidge, Don McGregor, Erik Nakamura, and Cecy Robson as Special Guests for 2024.
Roberta Gregory
Roberta Gregory grew up with comics; her father was Disney duck artist Bob Gregory. Her earliest work appeared in the 1970s in Wimmen’s Comix, tit* and cl*ts, and her self-published Dynamite Damsels. Later she was in Gay Comix and self-published Winging It and Sheila and the Unicorn. In 1991 she began her 40-issue Fantagraphics series Naughty Bits, starring Bitchy Bitch. During the 1990s, Roberta self-published her Artistic Licentiousness series and Bitchy Strips. In the 2000s she self-published True Cat Toons and Follow Your Art. Fantagraphics plans a Bitchy collection, and Roberta’s attempting prose writing, currently creating a four-book work of fiction, Mother Mountain.
Jack C. Harris
Upon graduation from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 1974, he was hired by DC Comics as part of their “Junior Woodchucks” program, becoming assistant editor to Murray Boltinoff. Within a year, Harris was an editor in his own right, handling such titles as Kamandi, Blackhawk, Starfire, Warlord, Green Lantern, and Secret Society of Super-Heroes. Among the many other titles he edited were Challengers of the Unknown, Teen Titans, Shazam, Sgt. Rock, House of Mystery, and Adventure Comics. Harris handled scripting chores on such varied titles as Isis, Men of War, Weird War Tales, House of Mystery, Superman Family, Metal Men, and House of Secrets. In 1985, he left DC for freelance writing. He did work for Marvel, Continuity, Hamilton, Archie, and others. He wrote over a hundred children’s titles for Western and other publishers, featuring licensed characters such as Masters of the Universe, Garfield, and Conan. In 2023, Harris wrote Working With Ditko (TwoMorrows), chronicling his many collaborations, as both writer and editor, with legendary comic book creator Steve Ditko.
Joseph Illidge
Joseph is the writer of the upcoming Harriet Tubman graphic novel for Harper Collins and is co-author of the Judge Kim and the Kids’ Court children’s books from Simon and Schuster and the MPLS Sound historical fiction graphic novel from Humanoids. With an editorial career in comics ranging from Milestone to DC Comics’ Batman to Heavy Metal, Joseph is writing new projects for Image Comics, FairSquare Comics, and First Second Books. Joseph is a Board member of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the recipient of a citation from the New York State Assembly for exemplary community service through career achievement.
Don McGregor
Comics writer Don McGregor is a purveyor of firsts: He produced the first interracial romantic kiss in a Comics Code series (1975, Marvel’s Amazing Adventures); the first multi-issue story arc (Marvel’s 13-part “Panther’s Rage” in Jungle Action); the first graphic novel sold in the direct market (Eclipse Enterprises’ Sabre); and the first gay male couple in mainstream comics (Eclipse’s Sabre series). Today, his acclaimed Marvel features “Black Panther” and “Killraven” and DC’s Nathaniel Dusk are considered among the medium’s finest. A winner of the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing and lifetime achievement awards by Madrid Hero Con and by ECBACC, he helped trailblaze the modern graphic novel and independent comics.
Eric Nakamura
Eric Nakamura founded Giant Robot as a photocopied and stapled zine in 1994 and grew the publication until late 2010. The magazine reached a multiracial audience interested in Asian popular culture and became known as the premier magazine in the field. Nakamura built on the success of Giant Robot with stores and galleries in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco and has curated over 300 exhibitions. Currently, Nakamura works in and owns the Giant Robot store and GR2 Gallery in Los Angeles, which continues to offer pop culture goods and hold art exhibitions.
Cecy Robson
Cecy Robson is an award-winning author published by Penguin, Random House, and now Entangled Publishing’s new imprint, Red Tower Books. Her works include the Weird Girls series, the O’Brian Family series, and the Carolina Beach series. As an immigrant from El Salvador with proud Nahua Pipil indigenous heritage, Cecy became the first college graduate in her family and has worked as a registered nurse for 23 years. In her free time, Cecy creates magical worlds, heart-stopping romance, and young adult adventure.
