At this year’s San Diego Comic Con, educator and board member of Women in Comics Collective, Shamika Ann Mitchell, Ph.D., moderated the “Oh, Grow Up! Adulting in Anime and Manga” panel, which unpacked rating systems, the cultural norms they reflect, and the ageless appeal of a good story.

Several Houston-based cosplayers were kind enough to talk about their love of stepping into the shoes of their favorite characters and what it means to create accurate cosplays by any means necessary.

Comicpalooza is always full of storytellers from children’s authors, comic book creators, and science fiction and romantasy writers. Between the comic book and literature tracks and the various vendors showcasing their works, finding the next best read is easy.