NEW YORK (November, 2026) – On Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, Kids Comic Con (KCC), the children’s arts outreach initiative celebrating its 19th year, returns with a special event empowering youth to tap into their creative minds in the age of AI. The event takes place at the Bronx Community College, 2155 University Ave. (corner of 181st St. & University Ave.), Bronx, NY 10453, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The KCC “Teen Rangers: The Power of Creative Minds in the Age of AI” event will help children learn that their imagination is the energy source for creative expression, and that using it fully, combined with AI as a tool, can create great art and storytelling. Through special presentations, workshops, and interactive games, the goal is for kids to exercise their minds to form the unique foundations for any piece of art or story they want to create, whether or not they use generative AI to help bring their ideas to life.
As always, KCC is an arts and sciences event, using comics, animation, puppetry, crafts, performance, STEAM science, and more to engage kids’ imaginations and brain power, and empower them to tell their own tales. It helps kids understand their inner creativity by stimulating their natural curiosity and encouraging them to express themselves.
Throughout the day, special presentations and demonstrations will be held, along with drawing and storytelling workshops, puppet performances, giveaways, and more. Special programs this year include Black Robotics, an Afrofuturism table demonstrating STEAM integration, speculative fiction, and narrative art; a live 3D printer demonstration producing keepsakes for kids, a film and television production table showcasing how emerging digital tools intersect with modern filmmaking, and an interactive gaming space featuring student-built arcade units and tabletop card games, demonstrating game logic and creative interactive design.
Of particular interest in regards to this year’s theme is the Bronx Community College AI Center, an interactive story-generation hub where kids use AI tools to outline narrative concepts, demonstrating how human imagination guides machine technology.
As always, joining the roster are noted comics and animation creators, children’s entertainers, educators, filmmakers, and renowned science experts making up a big part of the KCC fun.
Guests include…
- Alex Simmons (playwright, educator, comics writer – Archie, Tarzan, Blackjack)
- Leslie Carrera Rudolph (puppeteer and voice actress – Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street, Lolly Lardpop
- Shawn Atkinson (DC Comics, Antarctic Press, London Night Studios)
- Carl Kent (comics creator, founder of Powersmith Studios)
- Steven Harris (artist – Voltran, DC’s Aztec, Ajala)
- Paul Castiglia (writer – Archie, Ninja Turtles, Robot Monster)
- Juan Espinosa (noted comics creator and publisher – Bearded Man Comics, Adventures of a System Admin, Mythology Story)
- Greg Anderson Elysée (writer, educator, filmmaker – Is’nana The Were-Spider)
- Jesus Marquez (artist – Marvel trading cards, Man of the Hour, Robot Monster)
- Blossom Blair (digital and traditional painter-illustrator)
- Rich Drezen (creator of comics and animation character, Luckyzilla)
- Joe Endres (writer-artist-creator: Space Scamps, Colossians)
- Gregory Mann (creator of G-Mann and his comic book series, Manntastic)
- Erika Frei (crafts using upcycled materials)
…and more!
“KCC has always been about showing kids they can be themselves and tell their own stories, learning along the way while they’re being creative,” explains Alex Simmons, founder of Kids’ Comic Con. “The creative mind of a child is filled with possibilities. AI is a powerful technological tool, but like a saw or a drill, we must learn to use it wisely. This year’s KCC will explore how to use the tool of AI without losing sight of the amazing tool we’re born with – our imaginations!”
The 2026 KIDS COMIC CON: CREATIVE MINDS IN THE AGE OF AI event is set for Nov. 21, 2026 at Bronx Community College, 2155 University Ave, (corner of 181st St. & University Ave.), Bronx, NY 10453 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information and up-to-the-minute programming updates, please visit facebook.com/KidsComiCon
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