National Book Award-winning cartoonist Nat e Powell visits the Bexley Public Library to celebrate the release of his latest graphic novel\, \;Diana\, described as "an intense tim e-tripping graphic novel capturing the transitional 1990s and the weird ki ds who fall through the cracks&mdash\;perfect for fans of \;Everyt hing Everywhere All At Once\, \;Killing Eve\, and \; Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me. Nate will be joined by Cait lin McGurk\, Curator of Comics and Cartoon Art at the Billy Ireland Cartoo n Library &\; Museum\, for this book release event.
\nAbo ut the Author:
\nNate Powell is a National Book Award-winning cartoonist who began self-publishing as an Arkansas te enager in 1992.
\nCreating both fiction and nonfiction\, his work in cludes Fall Through\, Save It For Later\, Come Again \, civil rights icon John Lewis&rsquo\;s March trilogy\, Swallow Me Whole\, Any Empire\, Lies My Teacher Told Me \, and stints on The Twilight Zone\, Sweet Tooth\, and Black Hammer.
\nHe has published comics and writing for The Washington Post\, The Nib\, Popula\, L it Hub\, Booklist\, In These Times\, Scholastic \, CNN\, and The Weather Channel.
\nPowell&rs quo\;s work has received multiple Eisner and Ignatz Awards\, ALA and YALSA distinctions\, the Comic-Con International Inkpot Award\, the Jack &\; Roz Kirby Award for Independence\, the CXC Transformative Work Award\, an d is a two-time finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His next gr aphic novel\, Diana\, will be released October 6\, 2026 by Abrams ComicArts. Visit Nate's website for more information.
\nCaitlin McGurk \;is the Curator of Comics and Cartoon Art at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library &\; Museum and Associate Professor at The Ohio State Universit y. She leads the education and outreach efforts at the library\, organizes community events\, curates exhibitions\, works with artists\, and mentors students who are inspired to study the rich history of comics. McGurk&rsq uo\;s scholarship and exhibitions center around the work of women in comic s\, alternative and underground comics\, and early American comic strips. Her recent exhibitions include Ladies First: A Century of Women&rsquo\ ;s Innovations in Comics and Cartoon Art\; and Man Saves Comics: Bill Blackbeard&rsquo\;s Treasure of 20th Century Newspapers\, which was featured on CBS Sunday Morning. Her writing has appeared in publicatio ns including Journal of Lesbian Studies\; Slate\; Th e Comics Journal\; Inks: The Journal of the Comics Studies Societ y\; and IDW Publishing&rsquo\;s Library of American Comics Essent ials. Caitlin has also worked for The Center for Cartoon Studies&rsqu o\; Schulz Library\, Marvel Comics\, and serves on the council for the ann ual Cartoon Crossroads Columbus festival. Her bestselling book\, Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund\, was published by Fantagraphics Books in November 2024 and received t he 2025 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Book\, and the 2025 Broken Fr ontier Award for Best Book On Comics.
\nAbout the Book:
\nFrom the National Book Award&ndash\;winning\, bestselling aut hor Nate Powell comes an intense time-tripping graphic novel capturing the transitional 1990s and the weird kids who fall through the cracks&mdash\; perfect for fans of Everything Everywhere All At Once\, Killing Eve\, and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me.
\nThe year is 1992. Diana Bogu e is a personality too big for her small Arkansas town&mdash\;a runaway wh o dyes her hair platinum\, studies the occult\, sings like an angel\, and dominates the local punk scene through the force of her personality.
\nEven when being in the "cult of Diana" is too much for them\, her frien ds Jody\, Steff\, Napoleon\, and Todd can't help but be pulled into her vo rtex.
\nBut under the surface\, Diana struggles to outrun damage fro m a repressive religious past. She only shares these struggles with her de arest long-distance pen pal&mdash\;who she keeps hidden from her other fri ends.
\nUntil one day\, he's never heard from again.
\nUntethe red and fiercely protective of what she considers hers\, Diana turns even more inward\, blending music and homegrown sorcery in hopes of outrunning reality. But even she can't turn back time . . . or can she?
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