Smith said that there’s a lot of stigma in the United States related to comic books.
“There’s a lot of baggage of what people think comics mean,” he explained, as “Read Comics in Public Day” takes place Saturday.
He said the medium has changed. Now comic books aren’t just about superheroes and Donald Duck. Now panel storytelling can include graphic novels, Japanese Manga, sequential comics (like “Garfield” and “Peanuts”) and even non-fiction.
“It’s matured into a much more sophisticated form of storytelling,” Smith said.
Smith will be at the Noel Wien Public Library on Saturday, drawing comics and reading them from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and encouraging people to check out the library’s extensive comics collection.
Smith said that the event is the biggest “non-event” he has ever coordinated. The idea came from bloggers from the Daily Cross Hatch comic website, and the premise is simple: Take a comic book, go somewhere in public and read it for an hour or two.
This is the first year the idea has been tested, and so far, communities all over the world are participating: from Portland, Ore. to Stockholm, Sweden.
Georgine Olson, outreach services manager for the library, said the library has a collection of about 1,900 graphic novels and comics.
Olson said interest in comics surged in the mid-1990s as Japanese Manga began to take hold.
“It added a different way of looking at comics,” she said.
She said that the library’s collection is popular, with about one-third of the collection checked out at any given time. The only other collection that popular is the audio books collection.
Comic books and graphic novels are an important part of the “Guys Read” literacy program. Hannah Hill, store manager for Forget-Me-Not books, noted that studies show that many boys stop reading after third grade. The program uses the more visual graphic novels and comics to get boys interested in reading.
“It makes reading cool,” Hill said.
Forget-Me-Not books is one of a few businesses participating in the day. The shop will have free comics available and others available for purchase. Other businesses include Gulliver’s Books and The Comic Shop.
But for some people, reading comics in public isn’t just one day, it’s every day. But Smith said the event is really just a way to get people excited about comic books and reading in general.
“It’s turning people on to a really cool thing,” he said.
Contact features writer Suzanna Caldwell at 459-7504.
IF YOU GO
What: Read Comic Books in Public Day, with Nuggets creator Jamie Smith
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Noel Wein Library, 1215 Cowles St., (and any outdoor location)
Tickets: Free
Information: 459-1063
Thanks to Jamie Smith and Noel Wein Public Library for promoting literacy and showing that reading comics is way cool, too.
On my list for Saturday: Los Bros. Hernandez Love & Rockets combos and some sweet new Terry Moore!