“Smart Comics for Kids” at MICE, 24 Sept.

On Saturday, 24 September, the Massachusetts Independent Comics Exposition (MICE) will take place in Lesley University’s University Hall, about a block from the Porter Square T stop in Cambridge.

This is a FREE event, presented by the Boston Comics Roundtable and Lesley’s Art Institute of Boston. Other sponsors are Boston’s Weekly Dig and the Boston Graphic Artists Guild.

MICE highlights small-press and self-published comics of all sorts, offering folks the chance to meet creators and learn more about the process of creating comics.

Among the panel discussions, I’ll moderate one on “Smart Comics for Kids” (12:15-1:15 PM) featuring these fine folks:

• Robin Brenner, librarian and creator of noflyingnotights.com, about comics for young readers beyond the superhero world.
• Jef Czekaj, author-illustrator of both comics (Grampa and Julie: Shark Hunters) and picture books (Cat Secrets; Hip and Hop, Don’t Stop!).
• Gareth Hinds, author-illustrator of adaptations of several great works of western literature: The Odyssey, Beowulf, King Lear…
• Shelli Paroline, artist for Muppet Comics and Lerner’s Twisted Journeys, among others.
• Colleen AF Venable, scripter of Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye and Art & Design Editor for First Second.

There will be other panels on comics and education, technology, social justice, and more, as well as a discussion on the collaborative process. There’s an art show (already mounted and open for visiting), and artists will demonstrate different techniques. Among the demos is one on single-sheet “foldy comics,” which I discussed back here.

So if you’re a comics reader, a creator at any stage, or interested in exploring graphic-novel publishing, please come by University Hall between 10:00 and 6:00 next Saturday.