No DiNK in 2020, but 2021 Will Be Big!

There’s good news and not-so-good news for the legions of fans of the Denver Independent Comics & Art Expo, fondly called DiNK for the four successful years of its run so far. And therein lies the not-so-great: The fifth year of DiNK won’t be happening until 2021. But the good news is more important: DiNK will definitely have that fifth edition, and many more financially secure years to come, thanks to new partnerships. As a bonus, skipping 2020 will allow organizers to focus on the piloting of a new outdoor program for comics-loving teens: Camp Comic Book.

Fans had already started to notice the absence of updates and guest announcements for this year's DiNK, asking for details and some flat-out doubting whether the popular convention was happening, at least on the schedule originally planned. "I HIGHLY doubt it will be in late April as advertised," wrote one person on a Facebook thread on the Colorado Comic Book Enthusiasts page.

Fans were right to worry, but the decision to pass on the fifth year of DiNK in 2020 wasn’t a decision that organizers made lightly; their press release, scheduled for wide availability later today, states that “DiNK’s mission is deeply rooted in the commitment to provide a safe platform of inclusivity that empowers and inspires youth, adults, amateurs, and pros alike.” In order to maintain that bottom line, DiNK pursued and was awarded a Cultural Partnership with Denver Arts & Venues, which will help the event remain independent, with no corporate sponsors. But the combination of new funding streams and the establishing of Camp Comic Book made DiNK’s fifth-year move to 2021 necessary.

“With the incredible growth of DiNK over the past five years, it’s been clear that this show meets a need in our community,” says DiNK founder Charlie La Greca. “Our team has decided to take this moment of opportunity to ensure the vision of Camp Comic Book as well as solidify the organizing process of the Expo with an eye toward sustainability and continued growth.”

And Camp Comic Book looks like a great reason for a single-year delay; it is, at the very least, a cool program designed to serve some very deserving fans. Specifically, Camp Comic Book is “an outdoor educational experience…for underprivileged kids ages twelve to seventeen,” set in Briggsdale, at Camp Corax, where the alt-scouting community Monster Rangers have worked to create a one-of-a-kind camping experience.

The single-session camp experience, running August 28 to August 30 this summer, seeks to connect kids with nature through “an engaging adventurous learning experience” with everything from traditional camping skills to — of course — comic-book reading and creating.

Registration and more details on Camp Comic Book will roll out in the coming months, as will information on the fifth DiNK Comic & Art Expo, including scheduled guests, specific dates and other plans. For all of the above information, keep an eye on the DiNK website.

What will you miss most about DiNK in 2020? Let us know at [email protected].