Comics Fest 2020
First posted June 20th, 2020
Ever since we celebrated Graphic Novels in Libraries Month last July, librarians at Lincolnwood Public Library have been dreaming about ways to take your comics fandom to the next level. We know that readers often self-select comics, that they make imaginative, powerful original comics (which we can add to our collection), and they love talking about their favorite graphic novels. With this in mind, we have created our first Comics Fest at Lincolnwood Library, full of engaging and fun virtual programs for all ages, offering something for everyone.
But wait, there’s more! We will have giveaways and comics swag!
Attendees will receive a swag bag with program kits and publisher merch while supplies last. We will arrange a curbside pick-up appointment to get your bag. Anyone who attends a program will be entered into a raffle for a gift card from our local indie bookstores, Aw Yeah Comics & Booked.
A huge thank you to Katie at Lion Forge/Oni Press and Lizette at Scholastic who provided giveaways for our swag bags!
We thought we’d offer an overview of the programs and what to expect at our Comics Fest. We hope you will then register for our programs and join us. No library card needed. Please remember to include your email address to receive instructions on how to join the Zoom events.
Learn how to draw your own superhero cartoons and then watch them come to life with cartoonist Mark Anderson on Zoom. Did you know that one of our Summer Reading challenges is to make a comic and share it with us? We’d love to see what you make!
Crafternoon: Box City on Monday, June 22 at 3:30pm (all ages)
Inspired by The Cardboard Kingdom’s Megalopolis, watch our video for tips on how to create your own box city at home. This program is offered to all using YouTube; you can subscribe to us on YouTube to watch the video premiere at the date/time listed above, or watch any time afterward; this video will remain online. Feel free to share your results with us on social media or via email. Anyone who shares their creation with us (picture or video) will be entered into our Comics Fest raffle.
Author Visit with Chad Sell on Thursday, June 25 at 3:30pm (all ages)
Meet author Chad Sell in a live virtual visit as he discusses his award winning graphic novel, The Cardboard Kingdom, and his latest book, Doodleville. A drawing demonstration, and Q & A will follow. Our Books & Bites Book Club have discussed The Cardboard Kingdom several times – and always shared new insights about this incredible book. Chad’s books are delightful and imaginative, bursting with color and creativity, expressing his keen understanding of young people’s emotional lives and experiences.
Good news! We have partnered with our wonderful local independent bookstore, Booked in Evanston, to sell copies of Chad’s books. You can buy them HERE!
Author Visit with MK Czerwiec on Wednesday, June 24 at 6:00pm (9th grade-adult)
Join MK Czerwiec, aka the “Comic Nurse,” a nurse, cartoonist, educator, and co-founder of the field of Graphic Medicine in a live, interactive virtual visit. Registration required; no Lincolnwood Library card needed. This program is offered using Zoom and will be live at scheduled time with no post-recording available. Please include your email address to receive instructions on how to join the Zoom event.
Thanks to the generosity of Penn State University Press, we have a FREE advance reading copy of Menopause: A Comic Treatment, which MK edited, and will be published in August, which we will give away at the program.
You can read MK Czerwiec’s memoir, Taking Turns: Stories From HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371, right now on Hoopla. You can also read the Graphic Medicine Manifesto by MK Czerwiec, Ian Williams, Susan Merrill Squier, Michael J. Green right now on Hoopla.
We have also partnered with our wonderful local independent bookstore, Booked in Evanston, to sell copies of MK’s books. You can buy them HERE!
Tell your story in a new way through this autobiographical comics workshop. Watch our video for tips, then get creative on your own. This program is being offered to all using YouTube; you can subscribe to us on YouTube to watch the video premiere at the date/time listed above, or watch any time afterward; this video will remain online. Feel free to share your results with us on social media or via email.
Anyone who shares their creation with us will be entered into our Comics Fest raffle. It’s also one of our Summer Reading challenges to make a comic! We love the comics we’ve received so far – and will add them to our collection.
Comics Displays
We created several displays for readers to discover comics that are perfect for them because there are graphic novels for readers of all ages. We can pull any of these books for you to pick up during a curbside appointment.
We have collected these lists of fantastic graphic novels (and comics-related titles) that you can use to discover your next favorite comic – and put them on hold or contact us to put them to pull them for you.
Great Graphic Novels: Early Readers
Graphic Medicine
We will actually give away this advanced reader copy of Menopause: A Comic Treatment, which MK Czerwiec edited, and will be published in August, at our author visit with MK! Register for your chance to win.
We also curated a Graphic Medicine display as we prepare for our highly-anticipated author visit with MK Czerwiec. Coined by Ian Williams in 2012, Graphic Medicine “denote(s) the role that comics can play in the study and delivery of healthcare.” Graphic Medicine focuses on the use of comics to tell stories of illness and health. You can also put these titles on hold or we can pull them for you.
Comics Fest Resources
Want to learn more about our comics fest authors?
Curious to know more about Graphic Medicine?
Want information about making comics? Or how about teaching with comics?
Want resources for discovering comics you’ll love to read?
We’ve created a resource guide for Comics Fest you can check out at https://tinyurl.com/LNK-ComicsFest2020. We hope you will find it useful!
We want to hear from you!
We want to know how you feel about comics. Why do you love comics? Which comics do you recommend? Let us know on social media or via email – and then we can share your brilliance.
We look forward to seeing you at Comics Fest!