Read Comics in Public Day: Represent on August 28

by Chriss Cornish published: August 20, 2010 1 Comment

I opened up my RSS reader a few weeks ago and discovered this wonderful little gem in the Comics Alliance feed. (I use RSS Owl to read the blogs I subscribe to)

So, what’s all this about reading comic books in public on August 28th? Well…

What:	Read Comics in Public Day (1st annual AND international). Go somewhere public and read a comic book (or two)(or more). Take a picture and send it to RCPD to document.
When:	Saturday, August 28th 2010 (birthday of comics legend Jack Kirby)
Where:	A public place of your choice. Four Meetups are organized, as of post time: Los Angeles, California – USA Omaha, Nebraska – USA Stockholm – Sweden Portland, Maine – USA
Contact & Social Links: Email: readcomicsinpublic@gmail.com Twitter: @comicsinpublic (use #readcomicsinpublic hash when twittering about RCPD) Facebook Event Page RCPD Posters

MY Plans For RCPD

I’ll be hanging out at the Starbucks by Myserious Galaxy bookstore here in San Diego from about 11:30 to 1:00. If you’re in town, come join me.

What’s All This About Than

Comic books have had it hard, public image wise, for some time. They were degraded in the ’50s as subverting young boys. They get *hmphed* at as being ‘just for kids’ and their claims to being art are still snobisly sneered at in some quarters. And many of us have felt some embarrasment at some point or other at the thought of judging strangers catching us at our sequential amusements.

Comic books have shaken off a lot of this in recent years. But Brian Heater and Daily Crosshatch are calling us comic lovers out to up the ante by proudly reading our works of sequential art in public.

August 28^this the birthday of comics legend Jack Kirby, so what better day for a first annual, international Read Comics in Public Day (RCPD)?

Who? What?

Acording to Brian Heater, primary founder of RCPD, the idea initally started out as a joke. Something about being reading novels on the train because it’s too embarrassing to read comics. Heater’s fellow Daily Crosshatch editor Sarah Morean had the idea to take the joke to nobler heights. And thus we have Read Comics in Public Day.

The concept is fairly simple: we’re asking that everyone take an hour or two out of their day on August 28th (also the birthday of Jack “King” Kirby, incidentally) to read a comic book in a public setting—a park bench, a beach, a bus, the front steps of your local library (we do ask, however, that you be mindful of local loitering laws). Let strangers see you reading a piece of sequential art.

Take to the streets. Be proud. If someone asks what you’re reading, say, “a comic book” (the phrase “graphic novel is also acceptable, but let’s face it, it sort of defeats the whole purpose). Heck, lend them a book, if you’ve got an extra—what better way to make a new friend and convert a new reader?

While you’re at it, why not get a friend to snap a picture of you reading? Send it along and we’ll post it up for you in our photo gallery and on our site.

It’s all pretty straight forward, of course, but if you’ve got any questions—or suggestions—feel free to drop us a line at readcomicsinpublic@gmail.com.

Thanks and happy reading

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One Response to “Read Comics in Public Day: Represent on August 28”

melydia says:

August 23, 2010 at 12:35 pm

That quite a fortuitous date, as it’s during Baltimore Comic Con, which is where I’ll be that day, and you can bet I’ll be reading comics in public. Thanks for the heads up!