Comics Publishing & Literary Agents

A panel discussion program with publishers and literary agents of the comics industry.

In comics publishing today, many comics creators who publish graphic novels with major "Big 5" publishers work with literary agents. Learn about what creators looking at the next steps of their career should know about what literary agents do, how they work with authors and publishers, and why it's important to have one.

Panelists: 

Elizabeth Bennett is a literary agent at Transatlantic Agency. She has spent her career in the children’s publishing industry with positions in marketing, product development and editorial at such companies as Scholastic, Reader’s Digest and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Prior to joining the Transatlantic Agency, she was an Executive Editor at HMH. She represents comics authors Claudia Davila, Violet Cham Karim, Kayla Miller, and Jose Pimienta.

Sara Crowe founded Sara Crowe Literary in 2023, after twenty-five years of experience in publishing. She represents a diverse group of children's and adult fiction and nonfiction; everything from picture books to graphic novels to literary fiction and adult romcoms. Her clients include Newbery and Printz medalists and honorees, National Book Award Finalists, Lambda award winners and finalists, NYT Bestsellers.

Jessica Saint Jean is a literary agent specializing in visual storytellers, representing primarily illustrators and author-illustrators, along with a select number of writers. Her clients work across all illustrated formats and genres in children’s publishing, from board books and picture books to middle grade and graphic novels. Before joining Root Literary in 2024, she was an agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management, where she launched a boutique list of children’s book illustrators. With a decade of experience in publishing before transitioning to agenting, she previously worked as an editor at Barefoot Books and later in the art department at Candlewick Press.

Emily Mitchell is a literary agent at Wernick & Pratt. She began her career at Sheldon Fogelman Agency, handling submissions, subsidiary rights, and coffee. She then spent eleven years at Charlesbridge Publishing as senior editor, contracts manager, and director of corporate strategy. Emily represents both authors and illustrators from picture books to YA, including Traci Sorell, Maia Kobabe, Caron Levis, Richard Ho, Van G. Garrett, Destiny Howell, and Sarah Lynne Reul. She also handles foreign rights, permissions, social media, and IT for the agency. 

Zachary Clemente is the publisher of MA-based small comics press Bulgilhan Press. He is the chair of the board for the Boston Comic Arts Foundation.