Brooklyn Expo of Comics has gathered eight powerhouse illustrators for the first issue of Bagel, due to be launched during BEC’s first show. The roster of illustrators include New York City’s first lady, Rama Duwaji, Rosemary Valero-O’Connell, Alex Krokus, Ping Zhu, Grayson Bear, Andrew Alexander, J. Mai, and Vreni. The debut issue is titled, “The Sandwich Issue” and will tell eight different stories focused on sandwiches. Community, care, history, debates on what qualifies as a sandwich, and a cockroach just looking for a bite- these stories are told by New York-based cartoonists from their own New York experiences. Folks can pick up a copy at the release party at Desert Island in Williamsburg on Wednesday, November 11th or at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Williamsburg during BEC on Saturday, November 14th and Sunday November 15th. 

Pre-orders for the inaugural issue are now live, and can be pre-ordered from BODEGA’s webstore.

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW AND ITS CONTRIBUTORS:

The Brooklyn Expo of Comics is a two-day comics festival taking place November 14 and 15, 2026, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. BEC will spotlight exceptional comics talent from New York and around the world while sparking newfound appreciation for independent comics and zines. The festival will feature a varied slate of panel discussions with leading creators and industry voices, alongside a convention where over one hundred artists will showcase and sell their work. Courtney Menard and Bryce Gold are co-directing the show.

BODEGA stands as a monument to the birthplace of comics, and a spotlight on the future talent that will inherit New York’s comics heritage. By connecting artists, publishers, and readers, BODEGA aims to strengthen Brooklyn’s comics ecosystem at a time when rising costs and limited infrastructure increasingly challenge creative sustainability. BODEGA’s mission is to ensure comics remain a vital cornerstone of New York’s cultural landscape.

BODEGA and BEC are supported by an initial donation from James Tynion IV. Tynion is CEO & Founder of the independent multimedia production house Tiny Onion, which oversees the creation of comic book publications for many of the industry’s top publishers including Image Comics, Dark Horse, and Penguin Random House. The company operates out of Brooklyn, NY, where Tynion lives and works. BEC is also made possible through sponsorships from Desert Island, Kickstarter, Drawn & Quarterly, Fantagraphics, Oni Press, Tiny Onion, Pow Pow Press, and Dirty Diamonds. 

Ping Zhu
Ping Zhu is an illustrator based in Brooklyn who enjoys chocolate covered almonds, which happen to look like cockroaches. Her comic is dedicated to all NYC pests that hustle to survive. RIP Franklin Corner Cafe in Greenpoint, we miss you.

Rosemary Valero O’Connell
Rosemary Valero-O’Connell is an award-winning Spanish-American cartoonist who currently lives in Queens with a large collection of Miss Piggy memorabilia. She’s the co-creator of the Eisner-winning bestseller Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, and the sole creator of Don’t Go Without Me and Golden Record. She loves New York with her whole heart.

J. Mai
J. Mai is currently alive and writes comics.

Andrew Alexander
Andrew Alexander is a Brooklyn-based cartoonist/publisher, originally from Los Angeles. He started CRAM books in 2021 and has since published 25 books, winning 3 MoCCA Awards of Excellence, including one of them for his collection, Caught Lookin’ #1 (2026). He has an MFA from SVA Illustration as a Visual Essay program and has taught at the SVA RisoLab since 2017.

Vreni
Vreni has been annoying people online with her comics since the days of dial up. Occasionally she puts her annoying drawings in newspapers and magazines. She lives in Queens with her exasperated husband and very large cat.

Alex Krokus
Alex Krokus is a cartoonist working in comics and animation out of Brooklyn, NY. The most recent volume of his webcomic, Loud & Smart & In Color was published by Silver Sprocket in 2025 and his debut Eisner- nominated graphic novel, Talking to My Father’s Ghost was published by Chronicle Books in 2025.

Rama Duwaji
Rama Duwaji is a Syrian illustrator and animator based in Brooklyn, NYC. Using drawn portraiture and movement, Rama examines the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences. Through this lens she has worked with a variety of clients, most notably The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, VICE and the Tate Modern. She has also taught workshops on both illustration and animation alongside It’s Nice That in 2021.

Grayson Bear
Grayson Bear is a cartoonist from a fishing town on the Oregon Coast. Now, they make comics in New York and their life is just like Sex and the City. Bear has been nominated for an Ignatz and a Cartoonist Studio Prize, they are not bitter about losing at all.