Don't have a cow, man. Stan's going to Springfield!

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 17:37 -0700

I will be speaking at a librarians' conference in Springfield, MA in early May. I don't know if it is open to the public.

It will only be a hop and a skip to see the Ninja Turtle guys. However I'm already about 2 weeks behind deadline, and with trips to Seattle and Hawaii before then I don't know if I can spare the time for a visit.

Colin Solan · Post by **Colin Solan** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:28 -0700

So close!! I wonder if my company is exhibiting...

Here's a link for anyone interested. Couldn't find any mention of when you'll be speaking, Stan.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 11:37 -0700

Friday is Graphic Novel Day, and I'm on a GN panel and Chris Schweizer of the wonderful Crogan's Vengeance and I will be doing a Creator Presentation. I will have a table at which to give away posters, sign, and do sketches.

Lubidius · Post by **Lubidius** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 13:28 -0700

If you are taking topical requests,

I wish Graphic Novels and Comics in general were required to put a content rating like videos and video games on them. I've had some interesting experiences with my young son reading "League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen" for example. And if you've read any of those you know what I'm talking about. "What is Hyde doing to the invisible man?" was an interesting father son question moment.

My overall point, I've seen libraries put graphic novels in YA or Young Adult sections and likely should be in Adult GN areas; but I cannot fault the librarians too much as there really is no lithmus as to graphic content (pun intended) in graphic novels.

While we are on the topic, why don't we put MA ratings on comics? I know there was the comic authority pre 80s. And of course, its likely due to just no time to get comics screened. I've seen Marvel put "All Ages" on their kid friendly material but not much more then that on other series.

The reason I say this is if I recall correctly, your panel topic was graphic novels as teaching mechanisms.

(None of this is directed at UY, which in my opinion is PG or PG-13 in parts at worst. Easilly flip over-able while reading to young ones). I'm talking about graphic novels that are timid through 90% or more of them, then you turn the page and there is blood flying across several panels and parts and well, you get my drift.

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 15:43 -0700

To label or not to label has been a topic of debate since the popularity of the graphic novels. The public perception is that comics are for kids. Well, not in today's market. The fear is that comics are an easy target for censorship. When great books like Moby Dick, or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, or The Diary of Anne Frank, or Romeo and Juliet have been removed from libraries, it is a small step for comics to be ousted as well. That would be a shame, because comics are what is luring kids to libraries right now.

That is one of the reasons we do these talks to librarians. Love and Rockets is not Little Lulu, and should not be on the same shelf. However, graphic novels are still relatively new, and libraries need to know there is a range of books out there. They have made major steps with suggested reading lists such as Great Graphic Novels for Teens list or Young Adult Library Services Awards.

In Europe there are comic album sections in both the children's and adult sections.

Parents should take most of the responsibility, though. If their kids are reading (and they should be), parents should know what they are reading and what is out there.

Jet_Jaguar · Post by **Jet_Jaguar** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 15:45 -0700

Ah, Moby Badword, one of the true literary classics. Someone should make a movie out of it. Maybe Warren Beatty, the director of Badword Tracy, should make it.

The local library where I live has graphic novels divided into an "adult" section and a "children's" section, but the process that they use to determine what goes into which section seems pretty arbitrary to me. They don't have books by Suehiro Maruo (consult Google if you don't know who he is) in the kid's section or anything like that, but some of it's not exactly kid's stuff either.

I know that there's probably not much chance of it today, but I still worry occasionally about some kind of crackdown on content in comics like the one in the 1950s (for more information on this, see David Hadju's excellent Ten Cent Plague).

Colin Solan · Post by **Colin Solan** » Thu May 07, 2009 12:37 -0700

Just got this email:

TOMORROW, May 8, 3:30-4:45 PM, in the Mass Mutual Center, Ballroom C, at 1277 Main Street in Springfield, the Massachusetts Library Association will host a signing featuring several comics creators as part of their Graphic Novel mini-conference, including Gail Simone (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Raina Telgemeier (Babysitter’s Club) and others. Admission is free, with a suggested $5 donation to benefit the Springfield Library Association. This a great chance to meet some cool creators, and we hope that you will join us.

I wonder if I can work half-a-day...?

*edit* And I can! See you tomorrow, Stan!

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Sun May 10, 2009 15:42 -0700

I returned from Springfield yesterday, and had a wonderful time. I especially enjoyed hanging out with Chris Schweizer. We did a midnight interview with each other for the Comics Journal. They wanted a conversation of a hot, young up-and-coming star (Chris) with an embittered old has-been in his twilight years (me).

Anyway, going to a librarian conference is very different from a comic con. For one thing, not one librarian was dressed in cosplay--not even as Levar Burton from Reading Rainbow. I take that back--someone did dress in a kimono for a manga panel. The dealers rooms, one of the main attractions at a comic con, would completely empty out during panels and presentation. Also, the dealers room had food. Free food. A continental breakfast buffet including choices from a half a dozen drinks. Also, there were no noisy post con parties (they are librarian, after all. "Shhhh!")

My trip started off interesting enough. I flew out of Bob Hope/Burbank Airport with a connection in Dallas. However, when I checked in, I found my arrival time to Dallas had changed by an hour so I would arrive after my connecting flight took off. The Burbank departure time had not changed, though. The gate attendant told me the plane had to refuel at Ontario Airport (about a 10 minute flight away). There was nothing I could do, so I resigned myself to arriving at Hartford later than planned.

However, when everyone had boarded, the pilot came on the intercom to say, "There is a nice tailwind, and I THINK we have enough fuel to make it to Dallas so we're going straight on through." I had mixed feelings about that announcement. We did make it, I did catch my connections, and I did have a great time.

It was nice to meet you, Colin. Thanks for coming down.

Colin Solan · Post by **Colin Solan** » Mon May 11, 2009 7:45 -0700

Thanks, Stan!! Always great to see you! It was definitely the quietest convention I’ve ever been to, though I did take no small satisfaction in shushing the librarians sitting behind me who were chatting during your lecture.

I really enjoyed meeting Chris Schweitzer as well; his sketchbooks were very cool and gave some great insight to his creative process.

Post by **Maka** » Mon May 11, 2009 12:03 -0700

Stan Sakai wrote: For one thing, not one librarian was dressed in cosplay--not even as Levar Burton from Reading Rainbow.

Peace, maka

Stan Sakai · Post by **Stan Sakai** » Wed May 13, 2009 12:25 -0700

Here is Chris' report on the MLA Conference in Springfield. We definitely did have differing views of the Comics Journal interview:

http://curiousoldlibrary.blogspot.com/2 ... setts.html

Here is a report on our presentation:

http://mlamasslib.blogspot.com/2009/05/ ... s-and.html

Post by **Steve Hubbell** » Wed May 13, 2009 12:54 -0700

Either way, the interview sounds like it should be fun and interesting...