As The Beat’s 20th anniversary celebrations slowly come to a close, everyone keeps asking when the party is, and I’ve been holding out for NYCC because, quite simply, I live in New York City! It seemed a bit wrong not to have a feast at my hometown show, but we managed to throw a great one.
Held on Saturday, October 19th at the Turntable Chicken Rock Bar/Restaurant in K-Town, Manhattan, to celebrate the anniversary and the launch of a Korean manga, action web comic, and graphic novel sister site K-Comics Beatthe party was packed with comic book fun, spicy Korean fried chicken, kimbap, and even a special lavender cocktail, the Manta Ray, in honor of the party sponsor/webtoon app/publisher, Manta.
The bash brought together creators, publishers, librarians, past and present Elite Beat Squad members, and K-Comics special guests Turtle me, Creator of the Tapas Media / Yen Press series The beginning after the end (Crunchyroll just announced it will be adapted into an anime at NYCC) and Undead Gamgarcreator of the Ize Press/WEBTOON fantasy action series world after fall A party that will long be remembered.
Here’s a look at the fun at Beat’s 20th Anniversary/K-Comics Beat launch event at New York Comic Con 2024.
Many thanks to the party sponsor: Manta, Ize Publishing House and Yen Press, medium caps, zero zero, Anime popular trendsand Miles Atherton and Chloe Katoa from white box entertainment Thank you for helping us throw a great party, and a huge thank you to all the Beat readers who have made this 20-year journey possible.
Fantom Comics Managers Sarahti G and Heidi MacDonaldManta’s Sungho Lee and Inklore’s Rebecca Taylor celebrate the print release of the Under the Oak novel and graphic novel (Photo: Deb Aoki) TurtleMe, creator of The Beginning After the End, with Alex Car and Mike Zhu from Tapas | Photo by Deb AokiTurtleMe signs The Beginning After the End / Tapas Media banner at Comics Beat / K-Comics Beat Party
TurtleMe, creator of “The Beginning After the End” at Beat / K-Comics Beat PartyBeat / K-Comics Beat Party is a place to meet and network with people from the comics, comics, and manga professional communities | Photo: Deb AokiThe Beat’s editor-in-chief Deanna Destito (right) and Billy RhinesmithUndead Gamja Signs World After the Fall Ize Press / Yen Press Banner | Photo: Deb AokiOne lucky partygoer received an autographed plate from Undead Gamja | Photo: Deb AokiTurntable Chicken Rock’s The Beat / K-Comics Beat PartyNo bad comic can ever go by when Sheriffs Zach Quintens and Ricardo Serrano Dennis are on duty!Megan Halsband of the Library of Congress, new TCAF CEO Amie Wright and Brittany Netherton of the Darien LibraryOrange Inc.’s Rei Kuroda and Anime News Network publisher Christopher MacDonaldComic Book Legal Defense Interim Jeff TrexlerGood friends at The Beat who really made the last 20 years possible
The Beat with Deb Aoki and Miles T. Atherton (White Box Entertainment) who hosted the partyBrian Hibbs and Heidi McDonald | Photo: Deb AokiAndrew Woodrow-Butcher and Jody Culkin | Photo: Deb AokiChristopher MacDonald of Anime News Network, Jacq Cohen of Tapas MediaThe bar staff at Turntable Chicken Rock keeps the party lively | Photo: Deb AokiSpecial cocktail of the evening: Manta Ray, a lavender drink in honor of event sponsor Manta | Photo: Deb AokiRei Kuroda and the Manta Cocktail from comics startup Orange/Emaqi!The Beat’s Heidi MacDonald and Anime News Network’s Chris MacDonald – unrelated, but always colleagues!The Beat addresses the crowdSomehow, Hellboy snuck into the party!oops. It should have been “2004 – 2024” – my bad.
Heidi MacDonald and Deb Aoki, K-ComicsBeat co-publishers
It was a bad night…thanks to everyone who joined us!
