MOCACon

Pay-What-You-Wish Admission | Suggested Donations: Adults $10, Seniors $5, Students $5

In celebration of New York Comic Con and the upcoming exhibition , the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and award-winning comics writer Amy Chu (co-founder of A. Magazine) are thrilled to present MOCACon.

MOCACon will shine a spotlight on the creative contributions of Asian American artists in the comic industry. The event features an Artists’ Alley showcasing emerging and established talent, and a Panel Discussion exploring intersectionality, diverse narratives, and the impact of cultural heritage in comics. A casual networking reception will follow, offering opportunities for artists and attendees to connect, exchange ideas, and explore MOCA’s exhibitions.

Event Schedule

5:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Artists’ Alley

• Louie Chin
• Andrew Drilon
• Ramon Gil
• Soo Lee
• Jerry Ma
• Tony Moy
• Kristin Sorra
• Kimberly Wang

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Panel Discussion

Moderated by Amy Chu, this spotlight panel features award-winning creators Cliff Chiang and Pornsak Pichetshote. The discussion will explore the evolution of Asian American characters and stories within the comic industry, the incorporation of cultural heritage into their work, and strategies for building successful careers across both independent and mainstream platforms.

About the Speakers

Cliff Chiang’s artwork has been hailed for its “fluid and confident storytelling” and “sweeping linework and nuanced style.” Graduating from Harvard University with a joint degree in English Literature and Visual Arts, he worked in editorial at Disney Adventures Magazine and Vertigo/DC Comics before making the leap into freelance illustration. Best known as the artist of the New York Times best-selling WONDER WOMAN (with writer Brian Azzarello) and Eisner Award-winning PAPER GIRLS (with writer Brian K. Vaughan), his most recent work is the acclaimed CATWOMAN: LONELY CITY which he both wrote and drew.

Pornsak Pichetshote is a Thai-American award-winning writer of comics and TV. He began his career as a rising star editor at DC's Vertigo imprint before overseeing DC Entertainment’s TV's department, helping spearhead what would become the CW’s Arrowverse of shows. As a comics writer, his work includes the books Infidel which was selected for NPR’s 100 Favorite Horror Stories of all Time, The Good Asian which won both Eisner and Harvey awards, Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives for DC Comics, and Man’s Best for Boom Studios. His most recent project is THE HORIZON EXPERIMENT: THE MANCHURIAN by Image comics, introducing a Chinese super-spy running covert missions in America for China.

Amy Chu is an award winning multi-genre writer for comics and animation. She worked on the Netflix anime series DOTA: Dragon’s Blood and several books for Marvel, DC and Disney. Her most recent graphic novel is Carmilla: The Last Vampire Hunter (Dark Horse / Berger Books). Her graphic novels for children include Fighting to Belong!, Turning Red, Sea Sirens and Sky Island and Ana and the Cosmic Race. Amy has created educational comics for many nonprofits including MOCA, the New York Historical Society, Baltimore Museum of Art, and The Asian American Foundation. In addition to judging for the Ringo and Harvey awards, she serves on the faculty of the Kubert School and the School of Visual Arts and is a board member of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Amy was a former Executive Director and board member of the Asian American Arts Alliance, and a consultant for the Asian American Federation. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and MIT where she was active in the East Coast Asian Student Union and holds an MBA from Harvard University.

About the Artists

Born and raised in New York, Louie Chin is an illustrator whose work includes commercial and editorial content, as well as individual commissions. He has created illustrations for a variety of publications and projects, including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Nike, and the children's books, Bodega Cat (Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection 2020) and Don't Ask a Dinosaur. Working with both traditional and modern media, such as watercolor, gouache, and digital art software, his biggest influences and inspirations come from comics, movies, and his daily observations of life in NYC.

Andrew Drilon is an independent writer & artist based in New York. He’s currently working on several DC Comics projects (SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods, DC Pride 2023) as well as his creator-owned comic series Secret Heart Attack. He is a recipient of the Neil Gaiman Philippine Graphic/Fiction Award for his comic, Lines and Spaces. His first book, Kare-Kare Komiks, won the Manila Critics Circle National Book Award. Since 2020, he’s been chronicling his journey as a comics creator on the YouTube channel, .

Ramon Gil got his first cartooning byline at the age of ten and is still waiting to get paid. Despite that he has been making up stories ever since though sometimes for highly questionable reasons. His favorite genres are science fiction, espionage, and conspiracy theories sprinkled with lots of witty dialogue which he plagiarizes from conversations with people who are way smarter and funnier than he is. Ramon is taking credit for work done for Dynamite Comics, Atlas Unleashed, Vortex Comics, Bleeding Cool, The Beat, Comics Creator News, The Nerdist, and Comics Experience. He is the creator of The Men from DARPA, Everybody Needs a Hero, Truer Than Trousdale, Senturies and the Scifies and Black Stories Matter anthologies. Ramon teaches art design visual storytelling and making comics at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Yeshiva University in New York City. He is the organizer of the Comic Arts Workshop and Diversity Comic Con and is available for events in NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, and MA. Learn more at ramongilcomics.com.

Soo Lee is a Bram Stoker Award winning and GLAAD nominated comic book artist and writer residing in New York City. Soo is known for titles such as: CARMILLA, Disney Villains: MALEFICENT, Cheetara, Star Wars: Tales From the Death Star, Christopher Chaos: Adam Frankenstein, and more. She has worked with Dark Horse/Berger Books, Tiny Onion, DC Comics, Dynamite, Skybound, Valiant, Image and Ahoy. Her works also include illustrations for magazines Sierra and Analog Science Fiction and Fact.

Jerry Ma is a Taiwanese American New York based illustrator/ graphic designer. Some of his works include Conan The Barbarian for Titan Comics, NBA China, The New York Mets, Shaolin Cowboy for Darkhorse Comics, B2 Music and VIBE Hong Kong. Currently working on a follow up book for his Chinatown Monkey King with The Lab Press and a creator owned graphic novel with actor Sung Kang.

Tony Moy is an international watercolorist, comic artist and writer who has captivated audiences with his vibrant and detailed paintings of pop culture icons and nerdy subjects. His love for superheroes, fantasy art, and other forms of popular entertainment shines through in his artwork, which has been exhibited at shows and comic conventions both domestically and internationally. Currently, Tony Moy is providing artwork for Marvel Snaps Mobile game and working on an exciting new watercolor comic project called "4forty2nd," which is based on the real-life story of the 442nd Battalion that fought in World War II. This project is a labor of love for Tony, who is dedicated to bringing this important chapter of history to life through his unique and dynamic artistic style. Additionally, Tony has credits Marvel Snap, Batman/The Maxx (DC/IDW) Variant Covers, X-files comics (IDW), Dungeons and Dragons comics and more.

Kristin Sorra is an award-winning, Filipino-American illustrator who has been drawing and painting her whole life. After graduating from Pratt Institute with Highest Honors in Illustration, she got her start in comic books as co-founder of Atomic Paintbrush, one of the first digital coloring studios in New York City. She worked with Acclaim, Marvel, DC, and several independent publishers, revolutionizing the way coloring was produced in comic books. Kristin has also worked as an illustrator and designer in the social expression and party industry, but ultimately her passion for illustrating children’s books has endured throughout her career. She has since illustrated numerous titles including most recently Barack Obama: A Little Golden Book Biography, Colin Powell: A Little Golden Book Biography, and for Millbrook Press, Mami King: How Ma Mon Luk Found Love, Riches, and the Perfect Bowl of Soup. Kristin is also a mentor for graduating illustration students at Montserrat College of Art. She shares a studio with her two rescue dogs, and lives with her husband and their blended family of five in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Kimberly Wang is an illustrator and cartoonist based in New York. Outside of working in the animation industry, they draw fantasy and speculative fiction comics with a surreal edge. They are the creator of the sci-fi corporate magical girls graphic novel Of Thunder and Lightning, published by Silver Sprocket. When not drawing or daydreaming about comics, they enjoy roller skating and all sorts of crafty activities.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre Street, New York, United States