Some of the country’s hottest graphic artists recently visited Parkway Central and enthralled more than 400 fans during the Graphic Novels Panel. Featuring Art Spiegelman, Chip Kidd, Jessica Abel, Charles Burns, and David Heatley, the night unfolded much like a comic convention panel, with Chip Kidd taking questions from the audience and directing them toward his fellow graphic novelists. Like the graphic novel royalty they are, panel members held court as they discussed and debated topics such as censorship, must-read graphic novels, the role of women in the world of graphic novels, and the worst direction they’ve taken as artists. My favorite bit was when Heatley discussed his experiences with false starts and recounted a piece he did about refusing a Mafia bribe to breakdance at his great grandmother’s funeral—seemingly too funny to be true, it actually happened.

If you missed the event—or simply want to relive it—check out the panel’s podcast. For a fan’s review of the event, click here; for a transcript, check out this link.