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Past Events

Challengers Comics + Conversation

Jul25
AEGIS comic book logo with a hooded figure holding a sword behind the text.
PastAuthor EventComicsBucktown

SHANYIS JERNIGAN "AEGIS" HANG-OUT

12:00 PM • Saturday, July 25, 2026Challengers Comics + ConversationFree

Join us in welcoming Rockford-based comic writer SHANYIS JERNIGAN to his first Challengers signing for AEGIS! Shanyis will be at Challengers on Saturday, July 25th from Noon to 2:00pm, to meet new comic fans, to get the word out about AEGIS and to just have a good time for a couple hours! What's better than that? ABOUT AEGIS Grayson Bourne, a high school student turned cloaked vigilante (Aegis), brings his parents’ murderer to justice. But his war is only just beginning. The killer’s son, Victor Raylor, overwhelmed by grief and rage, is approached by Gaiyo, a mysterious figure who offers him dangerous magical power and a chance at not only avenging his father’s imprisonment, but also saving his dying mother. Gaiyo’s true motives remain hidden, even from Victor, though one thing is clear: they both want Aegis out of the picture, which is enough to convince the boy to jump on board. As Victor embraces his new abilities, Grayson finds himself drawn into a larger war, not just with a rival who mirrors his own pain, but with an unseen manipulator quietly orchestrating an incoming disaster behind the scenes. ABOUT SHANYIS JERNIGAN Shanyis Jernigan is an independent comic book writer and artist from Rockford, IL. He is best known for creating original supernatural and action manga/comics, including The Scevoe Slayer, and Aegis, published on platforms like MANGA Plus Creators and Royal Road.

Jun28
supergirl family vacation cover
PastAuthor EventComicsBucktown

BRANDON T. SNIDER "SUPERGIRL'S FAMILY VACATION" SIGNING

12:00 PM • Sunday, June 28, 2026Challengers Comics + ConversationFree

It's a Supergirl Summer, and we're gonna celebrate! Join us in welcoming BRANDON T. SNIDER, writer of the all-ages Supergirl graphic novel SUPERGIRL'S FAMILY VACATION, to Chicago for his first-ever Challengers signing! Brandon will be signing copies of SUPERGIRL's FAMILY VACATION on SUNDAY, JUNE 28th from NOON to 2:00PM. ABOUT SUPERGIRL'S FAMILY VACATION Pre-teen Kara Zor-El is an excellent superhero. She always saves the day (and gets her homework in on time). But all anyone ever notices is her famous cousin Clark, who gets all the credit even though Kara’s the one who captured Lex Luthor himself! Sigh. If only the people of Metropolis could see her greatness. Kara has an idea: summer’s coming, and she wants to visit Argo, a floating city in space where the last survivors of Krypton live. These are her people, and, since Clark grew up on Earth, she can teach him a thing or two for once. It’s the perfect plan! And it gets even better when Lois invites along Kara’s best friend Natasha. But when their road trip through space is interrupted by an old friend of Clark’s, the family gets diverted to a strange and beautiful planet with a dark secret that only Superman can save them from. Kara’s plans get pushed aside. Again. What’s a cranky pre-teen to do? ABOUT BRANDON T. SNIDER Brandon T. Snider is the best-selling author of the award-winning Dark Knight Manual, as seen in Entertainment Weekly, Time, Forbes, and Wired as well as the Avengers: Infinity War: The Cosmic Quest series and the Reuben Award-winning Rube Goldberg and his Amazing Machines series. Additionally, he's written books featuring Cartoon Network favorites like Adventure Time and Regular Show, Marvel's Spider-Man and Black Panther, plus pop culture icons such as Justice League, Star Wars, and The Muppets. He also writes a ton of Mad Libs! His next middle grade series, Monster Middle School, drops in 2027 from Disney Publishing. He also wants you to know that he loves you. Yes, you!

Jun26
A red sports cr driving at the viewer with a man in armor behind him.
PastAuthor EventComicsBucktown

TRIPLE-MEGA SIGNING EVENT! DAN WATTERS & MARZ JR & FRANCO!

5:00 PM • Friday, June 26, 2026Challengers Comics + ConversationFree

This one is HUGE! Not only is it Energon-riffic with writer DAN WATTERS signing M.A.S.K. #1 (and Nightwing and Batman Dark Patterns, etc), but we have even more Transformers goodness with artist MARZ JR from the all-ages TRANSFORMERS WORST BOT EVER series! (EDIT: Franco has to postpone his Challengers signing to a later date) See? We toldja it will be HUGE! TRIPLE-MEGA, even! DAN WATTERS and MARZ JR. and FRANCO will ALL be signing on Friday, June 26th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm! ABOUT DAN WATTERS Dan Watters is an English comics writer who has written for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Image Comics. He is best known for his creator-owned comics COFFIN BOUND and HOME SICK PILOTS and his work on LUCIFER and BATMAN DARK PATTERNS. He is the current ongoing NIGHTWING writer and the writer of Skybound's M.A.S.K., a part of the Energon Universe. He also wrote the DESTRO mini-series, also for Skybound's Energon Universe. ABOUT MARZ jr. After studying at Savannah College of Art and Design, New York-based artist Marz jr. began developing his signature nostalgic style, combining his passion for pop culture and iconic images and he spent over a decade collaborating in coloring work for a private studio representing Marvel and DC Comics. His illustration work has been published in newspapers like the NY Observer and can be found in magazines and catalogues for Lane Crawford, Vogue, Urban Outfitters and Mental Floss. Mraz jr. is the artist on the all-ages TRANSFORMERS WORST BOT EVER series published by Skybound.

May30
cover of you never know #1
PastAuthor EventComicsBucktown

ELLIOTT MONDRY & ALICIA MADDEN "YOU NEVER KNOW" SIGNING

1:00 PM • Saturday, May 30, 2026Challengers Comics + ConversationFree

The story of You Never Know follows Jason, the poster-boy for success and wellness. Jason seems to have it all: Close friends, a loving girlfriend, a strong work ethic, solid grades and good looks. But someone can seem to have it all, and at the end of the day, you never know what they deal with behind closed doors. Told in alternating flashback chapters, this nine-issue series delves deeper into how strong of a hold anxiety can have on someone and how far it can push them regardless of what others see on the surface. Ultimately, You Never Know is not only a story about friendship, but follows our relationship with ourselves and serves to let all of those suffering in silence know: You are not alone and you are loved. WARNING: This series contains mature content including, but not limited to, self-harm, abuse and violence. Reader discretion is advised.

May9
cover art for ghoul
PastAuthor EventComicsBucktown

KASEY IRIS "GHOUL" RELEASE PARTY

6:00 PM • Saturday, May 9, 2026Challengers Comics + ConversationFree

Be careful what you wish for! Top Shelf Productions is set to release a macabre take on the imaginary friend with KASEY IRIS' "Ghoul"! This 292-page full-color graphic novel from newcomer Kasey Iris centers on a lonely Filipino-American teen and her ghoulish companion putting a spooky twist on a friendship from beyond. We're HUGE fans of Kasey's work! We've carried her self-published books Buridemon and Red, and she even designed our 2023 I Love You But I've Chosen Comics sale t-shirt! Now we're SO EXCITED to host this Release Event for her debut graphic novel! Our GHOUL RELEASE PARTY is Saturday, May 9th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm! We'll have some drinks and snacks and Kasey will be curating the music (we just haven't told her that yet). “I wrote Ghoul as a gift to my younger self and as a little escape from reality. It is a reimagination of my own experiences with love, loss, and hope,” says creator Kasey Iris. “Ghoul is a reminder that while everything may seem complicated and dark, there is still joy and light in this world. Kasey also created a Spotify PLAYLIST to accompany her debut: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2cB0T15zfVhiRI74URLeMI?si=iVxN8q14Rfq-H5bQDrmxhQ