Why troublemaker Andrew Aydin brings politics to Dragon Con

Andrew Aydin is best known for the graphic novel he and congressman John Lewis spent 10 years collaborating on. At this year’s Dragon Con, he’ll reveal two more he’s put under his belt.

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Atlanta’s Dragon Con is the place to don your best cosplay, meet big-name comic book artists and writers and…learn about voting rights and history? Yes, in addition to a plethora of fantasy-themed partying and author signings and readings, this year’s Dragon Con will feature two new debut political comics by Atlanta-based author Andrew Aydin.

“I really don’t think there’s a line between politics and art,” said Aydin in an interview. The New York Times best-selling co-author of the super popular March trilogy about Congressman John Lewis’ Civil Rghts activism (which became the first graphic novel to win a National Book Award) has established a reputation for tackling tough projects with strong social justice themes.

“If we’re going to tell stories about what people go through, then we’re going to end up telling stories about politics,” said Aydin. “And if we’re going to tell stories about history, it’s going to be about what happened with governments, people, law, conflict — all of these things.”

History is no longer relegated to somnambulant tomes. At Dragon Con this Labor Day weekend, Aydin (rhymes with “Biden”) and his creative collaborators Kelly Sue DeConnick (writer of a Captain Marvel series) and Valentine De Landro (of X-Factor) will debut two new politically themed comic books: Register! and Recognized. The former will be used as a history text, helping educate students on key constitutional amendments that are often overlooked or undercontextualized.

The idea started in 2019 when the New York City Department of Education contacted Aydin to develop a comic book for its civics curriculum. “I had this idea of The Magic School Bus meets civics, using these basic story structures that we’re all familiar with,” said Aydin.

As for Recognized, this new comic will profile lesser-known figures who have fought for gender equality and queer liberation. This comic was also commissioned by the NYC Department of Education to spotlight unsung heroes in the LGBTQ community. Aydin said, “I’m attracted to many of these stories because of the resilience of the real-life people in them, and what that can do for each of us as we go through our own struggles in our day-to-day lives.”

Building on Atlanta’s reputation as a Civil Rights and Pride hot spot, both publications are already receiving high marks for bringing history into the vibrant living color of comic illustrations. Both will be available at comic bookstores nationwide in September.

It wouldn’t be the first time Aydin’s work has become assigned reading. His seminal three-part graphic novel series March has become part of the English curriculum in Atlanta Public Schools and other districts in the metro area. Aydin worked closely with Lewis for over a decade to help bring to page the story of the Civil Rights icon.

“That was both the best and most difficult decade of my life,” recalled Aydin. “John Lewis was a fantastic person and an incredible collaborator. He was like a father to me, and he’d say that I was like a son to him. But it was years and years of research, writing and traveling with him.”

It was at Dragon Con 2014, while Aydin and Lewis were on a panel to promote March: Book One, where Aydin met DeConnick — one of two creative collaborators — after she asked Lewis for a “duck face” selfie. Charmed by her boldness, Lewis saw in her a potential collaborator. “She has a great energy,” Lewis later confided in Aydin. From there, Aydin reached out and the two began collaborating on some “good trouble” ideas that evolved into Register! and Recognized.

“I’m really excited we get to share them first at Dragon Con,” said Aydin. “This is where I got introduced to comics. They were always so good to me and the congressman and now coming back with Kelly Sue, it’s almost like going home.”

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Jeff Dingler is an Atlanta-based author and entertainer. A graduate of Skidmore College with an MFA in creative writing from Hollins University, he’s written for New York Magazine, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Tiny Love, Newsweek, WIRED, Salmagundi and Flash Fiction Magazine. More information at jeffdingler.org.