ECBACC

The East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC) is the Philadelphia region's first black comic book convention, bringing together hundreds of comic book, science fiction, and fantasy creators, their colleagues, and their fans. The ECBACC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit community-based organization focused on education, literacy and the arts. ECBACC, Inc. was founded in 2002 by Yumy Odom, a multidisciplinary educator, scientist and researcher affiliated with Temple University,^[1] and Maurice Waters.^[2]

ECBACC is an outgrowth of the "Black Age of Comics", a movement (ca. 1981–present) and era (ca. 1990–1997) dedicated to people of African descent creating a plethora and range of Black (Pan-African/Africentric/Afrocentric/African-centered) characters in the U.S. comic book industry.^[1] (The earliest documented "Black Age" comic book character is NOG: Protector of the Pyramids,^[3] introduced in 1981 by Chicago-based^[3] artist Turtel Onli^[2] ["NOG" is an acronym for "Nubian of Greatness."])^{[citation needed]}

ECBACC is generally held on a May weekend in Philadelphia, with festivities kicking off on Friday evening for the Glyph Comics Awards ceremonies (often held at the African American Museum in Philadelphia),^[4] followed by a full-day convention on Saturday. The ECBACC STARS Workshop (an acronym for Storytelling That Advances Reading Skills) is an ECBACC initiative designed to use comic book art and imagery as a vehicle to foster creativity and promote literacy, with a secondary focus on introducing participants to the various career options that exist within the comic book industry. ECBACC STARS participants learn what it is like to be comic book creators via the "Create Your Own Hero" exercises while they put their imaginations to work as they pen their own stories for the characters they create. Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, ECBACC now features a costume contest.