I hope everyone is enjoying free comic book day, because we at Kids Read Comics are having a blast! Check out our photos on Facebook!
I hope everyone is enjoying free comic book day, because we at Kids Read Comics are having a blast! Check out our photos on Facebook!
The latest in an occasional series of meetups for comics folks will take place on Monday, May 7 from 5-8 pm at RoosRoast Coffee Works in Ann Arbor (1155 Rosewood St. Suite B, Ann Arbor, MI 48104). Cartoonists, writers, and the curious can gather to draw, talk comics, and consume hot beverages.
We’ll be joined this time around by a band of Australian cartoonists who are currently traveling to various North American comics events, and who will be on their way from the Toronto Comics Art Festival to Chicago. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
More details, including map, here.
We’re very excited to show off the beautiful KRC 2012 poster, created by Raina Telgemeier!

Raina is the celebrated author of terrific graphic novels for young people such as Smile, The Baby-Sitters Club, and the hotly-anticipated Drama. So of course we were thrilled when she agreed to return to KRC this year, and doubly so when she agreed to design our poster! Not only did she perfectly capture Ann Arbor; she also distilled the spirit and mission of Kids Read Comics into a single image. As KRC co-organizer Dan Mishkin put it: This piece really represents the reason I wanted to help build something like KRC in the first place — the message that comics can transport young people, open their minds, and maybe change their lives.
You can help support our mission by downloading printable PDF files of the poster to display at comics stores, libraries, and schools! Let’s all work together to get kids of all ages excited about comics!
And a heartfelt Thank You to Raina for the terrific poster!
We’re thrilled to announce that voice actor Neil Kaplan — who has had roles in Transformers (as Optimus Prime), Digimon, Power Rangers and many other anime and video games — is coming to the Kids Read Comics Celebration in Ann Arbor on July 7 & 8. Neil will lead voice acting workshops during the weekend, and on the evening of Friday, July 6 he’ll kick off this year’s KRCC with a special presentation at the Ann Arbor District Library!
In addition to his voice acting, Neil has worked as a comedian and impressionist, and also created and wrote the graphic novel I, of the Wolf!
Make plans to meet Neil, and lots of other great guests we’ll be announcing soon, at Kids Read Comics and Teens Read Comics in July!
In the meantime, here’s Neil’s conversation with KRC co-organizer Jerzy Drozd…
Do you make a comic for kids or teens and want to table at a convention made specifically for your target audience? We’re taking applications for free tables until May 15! Kids Read Comics is not your typical convention, though. Our goal is to get kids and teens more excited about our medium by inviting them to participate in our medium! So in addition to the traditional “artist alley”, we host free hands-on workshops led by our guests throughout the weekend.
What we’re looking for in an applicant: Comics creators whose work is appropriate and accessible for kids and/or teens; who are friendly and engaging with the general public; and who are interested in promoting a love of the comics medium and not just their own work. Perhaps most importantly, we’re looking for artists and writers who want to share their knowledge and skill set, both in one-on-one conversation and in the form of a hands-on workshop or demonstration at the event.
Wondering what to expect from Kids Read Comics 2012? Check out these terrific blog posts and videos made after our past events:
And here’s KRC co-organizer Jerzy Drozd interviewed by Kurt Sasso, summarizing the event:
We’re thrilled to announce that the next Kids Read Comics Celebration will be held at the Ann Arbor District Library on July 7 & 8, 2012. We’re excited to be working with AADL and other kid-and-teen-friendly organizations in downtown Ann Arbor, and we’re already hatching great ideas with our library partners.
We had 1100 kids, teens, and adults attend the 2011 KRCC in Chelsea, Michigan, with over 40 comic artist and writer guests, and we’re looking to top that in 2012. So mark your calendar, tell your friends, and come back to kidsreadcomics.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter, to get connected with the latest information!
Kids Read Comics Celebration 2011 was an awesome event, with hundreds of kids and adults taking part in a spectacular couple of days’ worth of fun and exploration of the world of comics. Thanks to all of you who showed up and took part; to the Chelsea District Library, the Chelsea Center for the Arts, the River Gallery and other downtown businesses; and to our fantastic guests for running workshops, putting on presentations, and sharing their love of comics with kids and teens. We believe that comics can change lives for the better, and the proof was much in evidence last weekend.
Check back here for news of our 2012 event in Ann Arbor, and until then, keep reading comics!
You can be prepared for all of the excitement of Kids Read Comics 2011 by downloading a handy PDF of our programming schedule featuring cover art by Jerzy Drozd and KRC guest Lauren Houser! Download now and plan your weekend ahead of the others!
In this program you will find:
This high-res and printable PDF weighs in at 20MB, so if you’re not on a high-speed internet connection, it may take some time to load. You might also try right- or control-clicking the image or link to save to your desktop.
Looking forward to seeing you at this year’s Kids Read Comics!
On top of all of the terrific events and programs we’re offering on June 18 and 19, KRC co-organizer Jerzy Drozd and Chelsea District Library Adult Services Librarian Sara Wedell worked with the Chelsea River Gallery to create a fine arts exhibition of comics called the Comic Jam! On the evening of June 18, you will be able to participate in a special artists reception at the River Gallery and meet some of the terrific participating artists, all of whom are guests at KRC!
Jerzy had a chance to sit down and talk with Deb Greer, the director of the River Gallery, to discuss how the exhibition came together and what surprises came out of putting on a fine arts show of comics.
We will be updating with more episodes soon, so Subscribe to the podcast!
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We regret to announce that we’ve just received word from Marc Sumerak and Frank Cammuso that neither will be able to attend Kids Read Comics next week, due to unforeseen circumstances. We hope to see both of them for our 2012 Celebration!