LIANA KANGAS shares their latest comic news & the state of NYCC

Liana Kangas has been busy. The fan-favorite artist has been steadily rising in the comic trade, with their work showing on covers and interiors for firms equivalent to Vault Comics, 2000AD, Archie Comics, IDW, Boom, and lots of, many extra.

The Beat caught up with Kangas at this yr’s NYCC at their desk in Artist Alley to get the scoop on what’s been occurring and the place their artwork will take us subsequent.

Deanna Destito: How’s it been down in Artist Alley?

Liana Kangas: Dude, I used to be simply telling you a second in the past that that is my first time tabling formally. I at all times normally do signings and panels and press interviews, however I’ve by no means accomplished tabling, and I’m tabling with Cadence [Comic Art] this yr. It’s been phenomenal. It’s been extraordinarily busy. It does appear to be the busiest con I’ve ever been to. And I’ve been to many New York Comic Cons, however, oh, boy, it’s been nice. Everyone appears very excited, and I’m having a superb time.

Destito: Is there something you’re selling particularly?

Kangas: So a pair of hours in the past, we simply had a Know Your Station signing with Jenny Frison and Tula Lotay. They did variant covers for the books. The commerce paperback simply got here out. I’ve a pair of originals on the market. And we additionally had Trve Kvlt come out since we final noticed one another. The commerce is out by way of IDW Originals. We’re celebrating that as effectively. We have a ton of actually cool merch to accompany that in addition to a pair of originals as effectively. And Scott [Bryan Wilson] can also be at the present, in order that’s very nice. I had so much of Archie stuff and Star Trek come out, so it’s very nice to satisfy these new Archie and Star Trek followers. They’ve been very nice and actually supportive.

Destito: Have you been capable of see any of the present?

Kangas: I noticed some of the ground yesterday. That was a bit of daunting. I had a signing. It was very enjoyable, although, as a result of I obtained to see Mad Cave [Studios]. I obtained to see Vault. I at all times love seeing these interactive cubicles, like the Viz sales space and all that loopy stuff that they put up.

Destito: This is the most packed I’ve seen the present this yr. Do you’re feeling such as you’re seeing a change in attendance since Covid?

Kangas: So issues are therapeutic a bit of bit. And I feel comics have gotten far more fashionable than we thought.

Destito: Do you see a distinction with out the Hollywood stuff as a result of of the SAG/AFTRA strike?

Kangas: No, I feel as a result of with the Javits being laid out how we’re, I feel if we had been subsequent to exhibitors, not separated by the complete basement ground walk-up, I feel I’d discover. But I’ve nonetheless seen a pair voice actors and actors doing the images and stuff.

So I’m glad they’ll nonetheless work with out doing the scabbing conditions, you recognize, hoping for the greatest for them in phrases of the negotiations. You know, it looks like that didn’t have an effect on attendance on our finish.

Destito: Is there something upcoming that you just wish to promote or begin to tease a bit of bit when you can’t say something formally?

Kangas: I feel my Defiant cowl simply obtained introduced, the Star Trek IDW variant cowl simply obtained introduced. I’m actually enthusiastic about that one. It’s one of my favourite covers I’ve accomplished shortly.

I simply had two books come out this Wednesday. One is Mariko Between Worlds by way of Mad Cave. It’s a graphic novel written by Matthew Erman, colours by Rebecca Nalty, who did colours on Know Your Station, and letters by Micah Myers.

And then I additionally had my first one-shot with Archie come out this week known as Welcome to Riverdale. It’s written by Amy Chase, coloured by Ellie Wright, letters by Jack Morelli. Just a very enjoyable, one shot that anybody can choose up, and also you don’t should have something earlier that you just’d must learn about the Archie universe.

I’ve Beyond Real, I did an unique variant for situation #1 that you might get signed at New York Comic Con, however I’m additionally doing interiors for situation #5, so if anybody desires to select up the complete sequence, you’ve gotten points one by way of 5 to pre-order or the commerce. And I’m actually excited to be a component of that one. There are seven artists in it. Zack Kaplan’s writing it.

Destito: To end up, anything you wish to add?

Kangas: It’s nice to see you once more. I do know we haven’t seen one another in so lengthy. I feel it was the final Comic Con.

If anybody desires to help my work, I’ve a Patreon that I like sending out month-to-month mail. It’s actually enjoyable. We have a bit of neighborhood on Discord the place we examine in with one another and ship memes. It’s nice. They’re all great. And you get cool stuff in your mailbox too, so you might at all times be a part of that. And if anybody desires to get on my fee checklist with Cadence, they only should contact Cadence Comic Art.