Eisner Awards 2026: Best Graphic Memoir

Friday night a dream came true for the second time: we won another Eisner for our work with George Takei. But this time it was a different experience.

When we won Best Reality-Based Work in 2020 the world was shut down. Even though I lived just a few blocks from the Bayfront Hilton, like everyone else, I watched Phil Lamar read our names on a streaming video from my couch. It was exhilarating but also anti-climactic.

Cut to last night.

We won the award for Best Graphic Memoir. I watched George accept the award. I was handed a trophy and had my picture taken and now have photographic proof of maybe the happiest I’ve ever looked.

Thank you to Ted Adams, Chris Ryall, Greg Goldstein, Leigh Walton, Chris Staros, the team at PRH, along with Aub Driver and the folks at IDW Publishing / Top Shelf for making these moments possible.

Unfortunately the rest of the team wasn’t in attendance, but I am so proud to have made these books with Harmony and Steven, and Jose and Gilberto and Nathan, and of course the big man himself, George.

Now I know what I want to do for the rest of my life. Thank you, comics.

SDCC 2026: Usagi Yojimbo Panel

I started going to SDCC in 2006, but we lost two years to the pandemic, so this was my 18th consecutive Comic-Con, not counting the bonus November show in 2021. That’d be number 19. For 13 of those years I was a downtown SD local, but now I’ve got to fly in and do the tourist thing like everyone else.

On the upside, this was my second year as part of the Usagi Yojimbo panel! This year I joined the legend himself, Stan Sakai, along with Kaitō ’84 team Jared Cullum and Zack Rosenberg, as well as the newly announced (right then on the panel!) creative team for The Last Yojimbo, author Tom Waltz and artist Ben Bishop, two of the main creators on the smash hit TMNT The Last Ronin.

Serving in my capacity as Editor-in-Chief for Stan’s imprint Dogu Publishing, it’s so exciting to oversee this unprecedented expansion of the world of Usagi Yojimbo! I’m very lucky to work with such a great team and talented creators for a beloved IP. And judging from the crowd enthusiasm in this photo, I think the audience liked what we’re doing, too.

ALA Annual 2026: Chicago

At the end of June I traveled to Chicago for the first time in over 20 years to attend the American Library Association Annual 2026. This was my third time attending an ALA event, and my second time as an author and panelist. As the premiere meeting for librarians from across the country, it is an incredible opportunity to network with publishing professionals and the experts out there on the front lines helping readers find new titles every day.

One reason I went to the show was because I’d been invited to participate in an ALA Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table panel. This particular panel was concerned with Civic Engagement, Advocacy, and Comics, which both my books with George Takei feature as central themes. We had a lot to talk about, and the panel was stacked with talented folks including Sydney Halpern, Jim Terry, Jarrett Dapier, and Lucky Srikumar.

Following the panel I had the first of two signings at the Top Shelf / IDW booth, where 45 minutes flew by with a blizzard of autographs and brief encounters with enthusiastic librarians. What a way to recharge your batteries!

Just as exciting as the panel and signings was visiting the Chronicle Books booth, where I saw my upcoming — and very first! — children’s picture book How’d They Make That: Incredible Stadiums! in person! Okay, so I’d received my advance copy a few days before the show, but it was very cool to see my book displayed on the classy shelves in the Chronicle booth and meet their marketing team. Thanks for the warm welcome!

Beyond my scheduled events I had the chance to reconnect and/or randomly cross paths with a certifiable who’s-who of my publishing career past, bumping into friends and colleagues from throughout my journey all around the show floor. It was so great to see everyone.

And then it was over. Just an easy 6-hour drive back to NE Ohio and a promise that it won’t be another 20 years before I’m back in Chicago.

San Diego Comic Con 2025

Had a lot of fun hosting the Usagi Yojimbo: Past, Present, and Future panel at SDCC.