The Cartoonists Against COVID Association is a collective database created by Joan Zahra Dark aiming to rallying people in comics who are not content with calling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic over with a still increasing death toll and structural abandonment by state and federal institutions. The focuses of this project are to:
- Highlight the work of artists who can’t make it out to conventions or large in-person gatherings, primarily disabled, high risk and immunocompromised artists and make sure they can still make a living by having their information collected in one place. No one should have to risk their health for a comics event.
- Bring together all kinds of comic professionals in solidarity to demand organizers of comic conventions, art fairs, festivals, anime expos, fan events and other large in-person gatherings to take COVID seriously and build collective power in aims to make these events more equitable and accessible for everyone. Time and time again, we’ve seen COVID safety requirements dropped months beforehand or not enforced to the detriment of convention attendees and exhibitors and (save for the disabled and high risk artists who have been at the forefront of these conversations) it largely goes unrecognized. This can not be allowed to continue.
- In particular, we urge organizers to immediately take action in following the guidelines outlined by The People’s CDC in calling for multiple proven layers of protection to minimize possible COVID infection. Anything short of requiring well-fitting and high quality masks (N95, KN95 or KN94 masks along with respirators), improved air quality and increasing physical distance/reducing the amount of people for reduced exposure in planning large-scale in person gatherings is not enough. For all of us to see a future outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to prioritize health and safety over profits.