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.
\nThis event is presented in partnership with Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC).
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A bout the Author:
\nNate Powell is a Nation al Book Award-winning cartoonist who began self-publishing as an Arkansas teenager in 1992.
\nCreating both fiction and nonfiction\, his work includes Fall Through\, Save It For Later\, Come Aga in\, civil rights icon John Lewis&rsquo\;s March trilogy\, < em>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 f or The Washington Post\, The Nib\, Popula\, Lit Hub\, Booklist\, In These Times\, Scholast ic\, CNN\, and The Weather Channel.
\nPowell& rsquo\;s work has received multiple Eisner and Ignatz Awards\, ALA and YAL SA distinctions\, the Comic-Con International Inkpot Award\, the Jack & \; Roz Kirby Award for Independence\, the CXC Transformative Work Award\, and is a two-time finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His next graphic novel\, Diana\, will be released October 6\, 2026 by Abra ms ComicArts. Visit Nate's website for more information.
\nCaitlin McGurk \;is the Curator of Comics and Cartoon Art at the Billy Ireland Carto on Library &\; Museum and Associate Professor at The Ohio State Univers ity. She leads the education and outreach efforts at the library\, organiz es community events\, curates exhibitions\, works with artists\, and mento rs students who are inspired to study the rich history of comics. McGurk&r squo\;s scholarship and exhibitions center around the work of women in com ics\, alternative and underground comics\, and early American comic strips . Her recent exhibitions include Ladies First: A Century of Women&rsqu o\;s Innovations in Comics and Cartoon Art\; and Man Saves Comics : Bill Blackbeard&rsquo\;s Treasure of 20th Century Newspapers\, whic h was featured on CBS Sunday Morning. Her writing has appeared in publicat ions including Journal of Lesbian Studies\; Slate\; The Comics Journal\; Inks: The Journal of the Comics Studies Soci ety\; and IDW Publishing&rsquo\;s Library of American Comics Esse ntials. Caitlin has also worked for The Center for Cartoon Studies&rs quo\; Schulz Library\, Marvel Comics\, and serves on the council for the a nnual Cartoon Crossroads Columbus festival. Her bestselling book\, Tel l 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 the 2025 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Book\, and the 2025 Broken Frontier Award for Best Book On Comics.
\nAbout the Book:
\nFrom the National Book Award&ndash\;winning\, bestselling a uthor Nate Powell comes an intense time-tripping graphic novel capturing t he transitional 1990s and the weird kids who fall through the cracks&mdash \;perfect for fans of Everything Everywhere All At Once\, Killing Eve\, an d Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me. DIANA \;also redefines the understanding of his graphic novels \;Come Again \;and \;Fall Through \;as an interconnected tripty ch of stories.
\nThe year is 1992. Diana Bogue is a personality too big for her small Arkansas town&mdash\;a runaway who dyes her hair platinu m\, studies the occult\, sings like an angel\, and dominates the local pun k scene through the force of her personality.
\nEven when being in t he "cult of Diana" is too much for them\, her friends Jody\, Steff\, Napol eon\, and Todd can't help but be pulled into her vortex.
\nBut under the surface\, Diana struggles to outrun damage from a repressive religiou s past. She only shares these struggles with her dearest long-distance pen pal&mdash\;who she keeps hidden from her other friends.
\nUntil one day\, he's never heard from again.
\nUntethered and fiercely protec tive of what she considers hers\, Diana turns even more inward\, blending music and homegrown sorcery in hopes of outrunning reality. But even she c an't turn back time . . . or can she?
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