Celebrate Your Favorite Fandoms at LibraryCon Aug. 18
The library on Aug. 18 will showcase a genre of literature that’s fun, big business and attracts throngs of fans. The writers and illustrators are like rock stars, too.
The genre: comics and graphic novels. Surprised?
You could say that librarians and teachers embrace comics and graphic novels as “gateway reads.” The elaborate stories can hook otherwise-disinterested readers into a reading habit. And some regard graphic novels as a way to get kids used to reading longer chapter books with more mature ideas.
Across the globe, Comic Cons, or comics conventions, celebrate their contribution to art and culture, and give fans a chance to rub light sabers with their favorite superheroes and the artists and writers to bring them to life on paper and video games.
LibraryCon on Saturday, Aug. 18, is our version of giving comics and graphic novels their due, while having great fun. It runs 10 a.m.-5 p.m. throughout the Library Center.
You’ll see families – many in costume, themselves – jockeying to meet or get a selfie with the popular comic and fantasy characters. Fans can meet the creators behind the comics, books, games and more.
Fans can attend draw-alongs with illustrators, a comic illustrators and authors panel, game design and development programs, a geeky storytime for kids, a self-publishing panel, tabletop gaming demo and lots more.
Featured guests include comics and graphic novel authors Cullen Bunn, Shayne Silvers and Michael Frizell; illustrators Kyle Strahm and David Frizell; and game developer Alex Wirges.
As a kickoff event Friday at 7 p.m., in the Library Center auditorium, Hope Nicholson will talk about her book, “The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen: Awesome Female Characters from Comic Book History.” The book looks at the history of women in comics from the 1930s to 2010s. Nicholson will also be on a Saturday panel.
She is also owner of publishing house Bedside Press, which creates graphic novels and prose fiction. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Check thelibrary.org/librarycon and the LibraryCon event page on Facebook for a complete schedule.
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