Two separate New York Times articles recently focused on SVA alumni that were participating in the 2011 New York Comic Con. “Drawn Together by a Love of Cartooning” by Vincent M. Mallozi spotlighted Raina Telgemeier (BFA 2002 Illustration) and Dave Roman (BFA 1999 Cartooning), who met at SVA over 10 years ago and are now married. Telgemeier, who creates books aimed at young girls and is the author of Smile, was at Comic Con to sign copies of Nursery Rhyme Comics, which she contributed to. While Roman, who writes fantasy and adventure books aimed at young boys, was at the convention to sign copies of his latest book, Astronaut academy: Zero Gravity. “As kids, Raina and I loved to draw and tell stories, and now we’re trying to inspire that passion in other kids,” Roman told the Times. “What we’re doing now is just a continuation of the one thing from our childhood that we loved most.”

In his article “More Than Just Comic Books, but Plenty of Those, Too,” George Gene Gustines caught up with cartoonist Sara Varon (MFA 2002 Illustration as Visual Essay), who was at Comic Con to sign copies of her new book Bake Sale. Gustines called Varon “an emerging talent in the independent-comics scene” and Bake Sale—about the odd friendship between a cupcake, an eggplant, a brown egg and an avocado—“trippy.” When asked if she thinks about her audience much when creating her work, Varon said, “I just want to make what I make.”