Events › Star Trek: Deviations: Threads of Destiny Comic Book Event

Join us for a special Renaissance Project event highlighting the 60th anniversary of Star Trek.

Chicago-area native actress Nichelle Nichols' decision to remain on Star Trek as Nyota Uhuru, after a conversation with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a little-known history to most. He encouraged her to stay in the role when she considered leaving. This event will connect Nichols' historic TV role to the culture of her hometown in nearby Robbins, Illinois, which became the nation's capital for Black aviation.

This special one-shot features Lieutenant Nyota Uhura. In the 23rd century, she explores far-flung star systems with her crew on the Enterprise as part of her mission to communicate and build bridges with life found across the Galaxy. But in the 20th century, humankind was working to build understanding among themselves, with African Americans on Earth championing the Civil Rights Movement and using their voices and acts of protest to end racial segregation and discrimination. Now, by way of the Guardian of Forever, Uhura is yanked back through time to 1963. There, she’ll join all those fighting for equality and justice and reconnect to why her work as a communications officer is perhaps the most important work of all.

In conversation will be contributors to this special comic, Stephanie Williams and Anthony Fowler Jr. Moderating the conversation will be Terry Gant. 

Stephanie is a research scientist turned prolific comic writer. She’s best known for helping to bring Nubia back to relevancy for DC Comics with Nubia and the Amazons and Nubia: Queen of the Amazons. Stephanie has worked on titles like Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Wreck and Roll, My Little Pony, Alien: Black, White, Blood, and many more. She is currently writing Street Sharks with IDW Publishing, Roots of Madness with Ignition Press, and Temporal with Madcave Studios.

Anthony is a professional comic book inker and illustrator currently working for DC Comics and IDW Publishing. My most recently published works were New Gods #11, DC Power: Rise of the Power Company #1 and Dawn of DC: Cyborg #4 for DC Comics. Previous clients also include BOOM! Studios and Dynamite Entertainment. I am a passionate advocate for inking as a unique and important discipline in comic book art. In 2020, I was nominated for an Inkwell Award for my work on Firefly for BOOM! Studios. I live in the Chicago area with my wife and three children. I originally hail from St. Louis, MO.

Terry Gant of the South Side Gants is the owner of Third Coast Comics in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.

In the summer of 2008, Third Coast Comics became a “Brick and Mortar” operation.

Terry earned his BA in Marketing (focusing on geeks) from DePaul University.

Terry has been paid to play Dungeons & Dragons. He has also parlayed some of his nerd cred into about 30 minutes and 20 seconds on both NPR and Good Morning America in his career.

He has been nominated three times for the Will Eisner "Spirit of Comic Book Retailing" Award, given out every year at San Diego ComicCon. It's like a Nerd Oscar or Geek Golden Globe or something. Terry is obsessed with prog metal, 80's new wave, pro wrestling and the video games Skyrim & Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Terry currently lives in Evanston with his patient wife and their three birds; Sherlock, Mulder and Scully.

Photos provided by speakers.

Presented as part of the Renaissance Project, this event invites participants to actively engage with the rich and often untold stories of Black history and heritage at Chicago Public Library.

This program is made possible with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to the Chicago Public Library Foundation.

The first 125 participants will receive a free copy of the comic. 

How to Attend:
Doors to the Multipurpose Room open at 5:00 p.m., and seating is first come, first served (200 capacity). Books are available for purchase, and the authors will autograph comics at the conclusion of the program. Line up for event begins at 4:30 p.m.

Accessibility

Automatic captioning is available via Facebook and YouTube's closed captioning setting. Need sign language interpretation or other accessibility assistance for this event? Please call (312) 747-8184 or email access@chipublib.org to request accommodations. Requests must be made at least 14 business days before the event.