AWA Loves Cola-con

AWA Loves Cola-con

Last weekend, Art Way Alliance was at Cola-con in Charleston, South Carolina. Cola-con is the only convention that focuses on hip-hop, comic books, and the *usually* unspoken relationship between the two. For the past two years, Cola-con has found validation among the hip-hop community. Talib Kwali, 9^th Wonder, and Ghostface Killer of the WuTang Clan have all appeared at the convention. This year, the positive energy continued with performances from Foreign Exchange and Dead Prez. Comic book artists, writers, and painters ranging from Sanford Greene and John Hairston, Jr. to Chuck Brown to T.M. Showers were present in Artists’ Alley.  Needless to say, the music and art was phenomenal.

This was AWA’s first time participating in a con outside the DC Metropolitan Area, and it was a great success. Not only were we fortunate to connect with first timers and established artists (Lina Lee, Johnathan Edwards, the great Ron Wimberly just to name a few) but we were also able to further our message to interested parties.

Founder Eric Suggs, Jr. with Dr. Germon "Mama G" Miller.
Check out her Facebook page and her book The Sovereign Knights! 

Who were some of these interested peoples? Our featured artist for the con and instructor Chris Pyrate was excited to get an endorsement from Stic Man of Dead Prez. And our founder, Eric Suggs, Jr. was introduced to Grandmaster Dr. Germon Marie Miller-Bey, PHD (Mama G). Mama G provides educational programs for adults and workshops on women’s safety AND is creator of  The Sovereign Knights, a biomythography graphic novel that centers on Afrikan Martial Sciences.

With these votes of confidence, AWA was more than motivated to return home and continue our mission to bring comic book education to children of all ages. We thank Preach Jacobs, founder and organizer of Cola-con, and his crew for the fantastic weekend, and we can’t wait to see where Cola-con and AWA will be this time in 2014!