Brain Candy #75
Seventy-five Brain Candies in, and the idea still holds up. Brain Candy has always been about making space—for voices, for ideas, and for people who want to experience art together. This Diamond Jubilee edition isn’t about looking back so much as continuing the practice: gathering in the same room, paying attention, and letting stories, music, words, and images do what they do best.
Curated by the Emerging Writers Network, Brain Candy has always been about lowering the barrier between creators and community. There’s no cover charge to attend, just an open invitation to listen, look, and feel your way through the work. While the event is free, we do encourage supporting the exhibitors—whether that’s buying a book, grabbing art, or simply spreading the word.
Join us Monday, February 16, 2026, from 7–9pm for Brain Candy #75, an evening built around curiosity, generosity, and creative exchange. We’ll stay open late, make room for voices you may already love—or are about to discover—and continue the long-running tradition of turning a comic shop into a true third space for the arts.
This month’s featured presenters:
Musician – This Life. We Lead
This Life. We Lead. is an alternative hip hop band from Detroit, MI. Over the past year TLWL has opened for several acts in the area (Hoodie Allen, OCD Moosh and Twist, Joey Bada$$ etc.) while building a dedicated fan base that grows with each performance. Using a unique blend of sounds such as hip hop, jazz, and rock has captured fans and online listeners.
https://thislifewelead.bandcamp.com/
Poet – Tommye Blount
Tommye Blount is the author of the chapbook What Are We Not For (Bull City Press) and the full-length collection of poetry Fantasia for the Man in Blue (Four Way Books)—which was finalist for the National Book Award, the Kate Tufts Discovery Award, the Lambda Literary Award in Gay Poetry, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and others. A graduate from Warren Wilson College’s MFA Program for Writers, he is the recipient of commendations, fellowships, and grants from: the Hawthornden Foundation, the Amy Clampitt Residency, the Desert Rat Residency, the Whiting Foundation, Cave Canem, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and Kresge Arts. Born and raised in Detroit, Tommye now lives in Novi, Michigan.
www.tommyeblount.com
Prose – Sylvia Hubbard
Sylvia Hubbard has independently published over 65 dark romance and intriguing suspense stories over the 25 years she's been in the literary business. As an avid blogger, podcaster, social media manager, and digital strategist, Sylvia has received literary recognition for her literacy work and has had nine #1 Bestsellers. She is also a speaker, literary encouragement doula, and busy mompreneur expert.
http://sylviahubbard.com
Visual Artist – Emmanuel “E-Man” Bates
Emmanuel “E-Man” Bates is a Detroit-based multimedia journalist, photographer, and visual artist. He is the founder of DreamOverReality Media, Co-Host of the Beats, Brews, and Points of View Podcast, and has contributed to outlets such as Detroit Metro Times, Visit Detroit, and Runner Mag. Through photography, videography, and storytelling, he documents Detroit’s creative and cultural landscape, highlighting emerging artists, community events, and authentic local narratives.
Brain Candy is free to attend, with support for the artists encouraged, and is organized with help from the Daniel E. Wickett Legacy Committee, honoring the enduring influence of co-creator Dan Wickett and his commitment to building meaningful literary community.
