Book signing event with comic creator and writer Tee Franklin

Join us for a special pride month book signing event with comic creator and writer Tee Franklin (BINGO LOVE, HARLEY QUINN: EAT. BANG! K*ll TOUR) in conversation with activist Imani Barbarin.

This event is free and open to the public; masking will be required for this special event. The event will be from 1-4pm with the conversation from 2-3pm. Please note that our store is cozy in size and space is limited for seating for the discussion portion.

Tee Franklin is a Black, queer, disabled, autistic, award winning, bestselling comic writer, TV writer and public speaker from New Jersey.

In 2018, Franklin became the first Black, queer, disabled woman writer with a series published by Image Comics, for her bestselling queer romance graphic novella, BINGO LOVE, which is currently on its fourth printing. Franklin is also the first Black woman to write the DC Comics well-known characters, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, from the GLAAD nominated and bestselling HARLEY QUINN: EAT. BANG! K*ll TOUR series based on the HARLEY QUINN animated series on HBO MAX.

In 2022, Franklin helped develop/co-create Charlotte Webber, a brand new Spider-persona for Marvel Comics. Sun-Spider is a disabled Spider-person with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that debuted in EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #4. Sun-Spider also appeared in the highly anticipated Spider-verse sequel, ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE!

In 2023, Franklin co-created Violette Rainbow, a disabled pony — with vitiligo and anxiety — for My Little Pony, in addition to her best friend, Skye, and Skye’s mother, Mariama — a pair of zebras. All three characters debuted in MY LITTLE PONY #14.

Additionally, Franklin is a Ford Foundation Disability Futures fellow, and multiple GLAAD award nominee. You can read more about Franklin on their website here.

Imani Barbarin is a disability rights and inclusion activist and speaker who uses her voice and social media platforms to create conversations engaging the disability community. Born with cerebral palsy, Imani often writes and uses her platform to speak from the perspective of a disabled black woman.

In the last few years she has created over a dozen trending hashtags that allow disabled folk the opportunity to have their perspectives heard while forcing the world to take notice. #PatientsAreNotFaking, #ThingsDisabledPeopleKnow, #AbledsAreWeird and others each provide a window into disabled life while forming community.

Imani is from the Philadelphia area and holds a Masters in Global Communications from the American University of Paris, her published works include those in Forbes, Rewire, Healthline, BitchMedia and more. She runs the blog CrutchesAndSpice.com and a podcast of the same name. You can read here work on her website here.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

8026 Germantown Ave, 8026 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, United States