We’re currently developing the programming list for Kids Read Comics 2010! Check back for updates.

In the meantime, you can get a preview of what’s to come by looking at our programming list from Kids Read Comics 2009!

Note: To register for Kids Read Comics Workshops, please email librarian Edith Burney. Please include your name, age and phone number, and the name of the workshop. Registrants will be notified as to the status of their registration requests as soon as possible.

Friday Programming

12 p.m. - Summer Reading Program Kickoff

The Sponge Guy from Bikini Bottom (all ages) – Special Appearance

1 p.m.

GIANT COMICS (all ages)
Drawing w/artists - Ryan Dow, Tara Tallan, Corey Barba, Alan Schell, Terry Huddleston, and Duane Abel.

2 p.m.

Presentation and Activities with Illustrator Tom Woodruff (all ages)

3 p.m. - Convention Kickoff

Remaining Friday events are at The River Gallery (see directions page)

Make it a Story Workshop (teens/adults) - Registration Required
How do you turn a cool idea into a story that others will want to read? Learn how to wow your audience with DC Comics Writer Dan Mishkin.

Non-Fiction Comics Panel (all ages)
Not every comic tells a made up story about costumed adventurers, fantasy princesses or rodents dressed in human clothes. There are many engaging comics memoirs, histories, biographies and more that explore real people and real events. Join Tara Tallan (Roberta’s Space Adventure) and Jim Ottaviani (T-Minus: The Race to the Moon) as they talk with moderator Paul Storrie about how they’ve brought real life to life in comics form.

4 p.m.

Quick Draw! (all ages)
Imagine an episode of “Whose Line Is it Anyway?” starring a quartet of quick-thinking cartoonists, and you’ll begin to get the picture of Quick Draw. It’s improvisational cartooning with plenty of audience participation, brought to you with wit and verve by Matt Feazell, Ray Friesen, Levi Krause and Chris Yambar.

5 p.m.

The Future of Comics Panel (teens/adults)
The world of comics is changing—what can we expect in the future? Join this interactive discussion with cartoonist Jerzy Drozd, comic book writer Dan Mishkin, comics shop owner Dan Merritt, and librarian Edith Burney to see how their respective corners of the comics culture continues to evolve.

Character Design Workshop (ages 8-12) - Registration Required
Discover the secrets to drawing any cartoon or comic book character, or better yet, coming up with your own! You’ll learn not only how many cartoonists design a character but also, with a few basic steps, draw it in action and still keep it looking the same. You’ll also learn how to create a personality for your character, too. No special skills are required except your imagination - what your character looks like, says or does will be entirely up to you! Led by Michelangelo Cicerone.

Learn how cartoonists design a character that’s full of personality and stays easy to identify in different action poses.

6p.m. -

Dinner with Tara & Yuri - Registration Required, Location to Be Announced
Actors Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal lead an open discussion about their work over pizza. The two have appeared in popular animated and live action shows including Naruto, Bleach, Fate/Stay Night, Rave Master, The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Gilmore Girls, and they will happily answer any questions you have.

6:30 p.m. – 9p.m.

Charity Art Jam
See Comic Book artists in action and sample tasty treats! Artists will be stationed all over the River Gallery drawing art for Saturday’s Masquerade Ball and Auction. Come see what it’s all about!

Saturday Programming

10 a.m.

Jim the Balloon Man (all ages)
See the wonders of balloon art, and learn to make a balloon animal
with Jim the Balloon Man! 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Introduction to Cartooning (ages 8-12) - Registration Required
What does it take to be a cartoonist? Learn all about cartooning, and try it for yourself with cartoonist Terry Huddleston.

How to Read Comics Panel (professional development)
Is the comics medium simply a narrative with visual support, or is there something more at work in comics’ convergence of image and words? Discover the sophisticated thinking at work when reading comics, and get a few tips on how to find the right comic for yourself or someone you know, during this interactive discussion with librarian Edith Burney and cartoonist/teaching artist Jerzy Drozd.

11 a.m.

Chris Yambar Animation (all ages) - Registration Required
Ever wondered how cartoons are made? Chris Yambar takes you behind the scenes of today’s animation studio.

Kids’ Costume Parade (all ages)
Children ages 0-11 are invited to dress up as their favorite superhero or character and walk in a special parade with Darth Vader (parents are welcome to walk with their kids). Darth Vader will also preside over a fun and informal costume contest where everyone gets a prize.

How to Make a Mini-Comic (teens/adults) - Registration Required
Matt Feazell’s legendary Mini-Comic workshop! Make an 8-page book out of one sheet of paper AND learn the secrets to telling a comic book story to fill those pages in 90 minutes or less.

Meet Mark Crilley (all ages) - Registration Required
Join author/illustrator Mark Crilley as he gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process for his Akiko and Miki Falls comics. The presentation will include live drawing demonstrations, questions and answers, and a reading from Miki Falls.

501st Legion Vader’s Fist (all ages)
Special Appearance

12 p.m.

Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal Autograph Session (all ages)
You’ve probably heard their voices in one of your favorite shows or video games, now meet Tara Platt & Yuri Lowenthal! Free autographs, promotional photos available for purchase.

Dynamic Visual Storytelling (ages 8-12) - Registration Required
Explore some of the many tricks in a cartoonist’s bag to make one’s characters leap off of the page! Join cartoonists Jerzy Drozd and Mark Rudolph in a hands-on workshop where you’ll create action scenes that will set your readers aquiver!

Breaking Into Comics Panel (teens/adults)
So you want to work in the comic book industry—how do you get started? Join professional artists Ryan Stegman, Jason Howard, Katie Cook, and writer Paul Storrie as they talk about breaking into the business of comics.

Portfolio Review (all ages)
Jane Irwin

1 p.m.

Meet Ruth Barshaw (all ages)
Meet Ruth McNally Barshaw, artist/author of the Ellie McDoodle books from Bloomsbury Publishing. Learn about Ruth’s (and Ellie’s) unique mix of words and pictures, ask questions, and share a view of the world through her artist’s eye.

All-Ages Comics Are Comics For Everyone (all ages)
What are “All Ages” Comics? Sometimes it takes more than a sentence to explain a phenomenon. Learn what “All Ages” really means, and find out the creative process behind making comics that appeal to EVERYONE.

Funny Pictures (ages 8-12) - Registration Required
How do you make a comic funny? Learn how to write great punchlines and draw funny people and animals in this hands-on workshop with Yam creator Corey Barba.

Dynamic Visual Storytelling (teens/adults) - Registration Required
Explore some of the many tricks in a cartoonist’s bag to make one’s characters leap off of the page! Join legendary Marvel/DC artist Arvell Jones in a hands-on workshop where you’ll create action scenes that will thrill your readers!

Portfolio Review (all ages)
Terry Huddleston

2 p.m.

Voice Acting Workshop (teens/adults) - Registration Required
Learn how to act with your voice! Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal will explain how voice acting works, and give everyone a chance to try it.

Comics: A Pathway to Learning (professional development) - Registration Required
As teachers find a variety of uses for comics, graphic novels and manga in the classroom, they need to understand the complex thinking and deep skills required to both read and create them. In this workshop, work with comic book artist Jerzy Drozd to explore the convergence of literary and artistic disciplines inherent in comics and see how comics can be a powerful way to build reading comprehension skills, such as prediction, inference, and fluency.

Character Design Workshop (ages 8-12) - Registration Required
Discover the secrets to drawing any cartoon or comic book character, or better yet, coming up with your own! You’ll learn not only how many cartoonists design a character but also, with a few basic steps, draw it in action and still keep it looking the same. You’ll also learn how to create a personality for your character, too. No special skills are required except your imagination - what your character looks like, says or does will be entirely up to you! Led by Michelangelo Cicerone.

Webcomics Demonstration (teens/adults)
Join Fred Gallagher, the artist of the popular Megatokyo webcomic, for an interactive demonstration exploring the many levels of his craft, and get some tips on how to make your own webcomic!

Portfolio Review (all ages)
Levi Krause

3 p.m.

How to Write Comics (teens/adults) - Registration Required
Interested in writing comics? Ever wonder what a comic book writer does exactly? Join veteran comics writer Dan Mishkin and begin to learn the tricks of the trade: visual thinking, working within the confines of the comic book page, pacing, the ins and outs of dialogue balloons, and more.

The Future of Comics Panel (teens/adults)
The world of comics is changing—what can we expect in the future? Artists, authors and producers discuss their views on a variety of trends in comics.

4 p.m.

Kids MAKE Comics Panel (all ages)
There is no age limit for making comics—and selling them! Meet young writers and artists who are publishing their own comics, and ask them about how they do it.

Ben 10! Panel (ages 8-12)
Meet the creator and star of Ben 10: Alien Force! Dwayne McDuffie and Yuri Lowenthal share what it’s like behind the scenes of the hit cartoon series. Find out how the show was created, what you may not know about Ben Tennyson, and much more!

Self-Publishing Panel (all ages)
Beyond actually making the comics, how do you go about publishing them on your own and market them to an audience? Join independent cartoonists Sara Turner, Jane Irwin, Paul Sizer, Tara Tallan, and Mark Rudolph for an interactive discussion on publishing one’s own work.

7p.m. – 10p.m. at the Chelsea Depot

Masquerade Ball and Auction
Dress up and join in the fun! Check out art from the Friday Night Comics Charity Jam and bid on your favorites! Auctioned items will benefit the Chelsea District Library. You can choose to support youth and teen programs, buy books, comics or other library materials, future comics events, support library technology, or even buy a library brick.

Cosplay Contest for Teens/Adults
Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal will judge the best cosplay outfits. All genres welcome! Contestants will be judged on their artistry, character development and workmanship.