No, not phone apps, or motion comics, or 3D, but the actual future of funnybooks – and of everything else; kids. And I’m not just talking about readers here, either.
As a comics professional, I’ve been hearing for years (mostly from other comics professionals) the complaint that kids don’t read comic books anymore. I used to think this was true, but no longer. In August of this year I started volunteering for the Philadelphia based non-profit organization, Mighty Writers. Founded in 2009, the original MW’s center has a mission to teach kids to think, write and communicate with clarity. They have programs that cover every aspect of writing; from helping with homework and SAT preparation to teaching the basics of journalism, poetry, and more. As it turns out, many of the kids who came to MW to learn all of these things expressed a strong interest in comics -- very strong interest. So much so that MW opened a second center here in Philadelphia called Mighty Vision that is dedicated exclusively to comic book writing -- and art, and reading, for that matter.
I can’t tell you how much fun the workshops have been, talking with kids about whose powers are cooler, what stories are scariest, and how awesome they think Stan Lee is while I and other volunteers teach them the fundamentals of story building and problem solving. These kids read comics all right, and are eager to learn all the behind the scenes info. Will any of them become comics professionals? I don’t know, but I think it’s important to encourage their creative natures because inner-city kids in Philly may not get that encouragement in school. I also feel it’s important that the comics industry help provide some of that encouragement because it’s the right thing to do and I can only see good things coming of it.
To help raise funds for, and awareness of, Mighty Writers we’re launching an ebay auction on October 23rd. We’ll be auctioning off artwork, signed scripts and posters, and other specialty items donated by some of the best artists, writers, and publishers working in the field today.
I hope you’ll check out our auction, and the Mighty Writers website to learn more.
Thanks for your time.
-John Arcudi