I'm giving a speech about comics

[The Anti-crest]

At my church we do this thing every year about books that have changed our lives. This year we are doing something different and talking about different types of books and I was asked if I could speak about comic books for about 8 minutes. I have an idea of what I want to say and the types of comics I want to talk about but I want to have a broader platform than just my own ideas so please give me some ideas or suggested reading that might be different.

What I am already talking about is basically the comics I enjoy. I have several books I will talk a little bit about but only brief mentions. Sandman, Watchmen and things like that.

I'm going to talk about panel progression and how comics relate (and don't relate) to film and prose, I'll talk a bit about manga though I don't know much about it, and I'm thinking about talking about racism and gender biased nature of the medium, though I may leave that out.

So really, pretty much anything you think 200 unitarians might want to know about comic books would be wonderful.

[LDahl]

*Eight minutes isn't very long to speak about a subject. I would stick to one topic such as "Early Church Manuscripts were a Form of Comics". Then make the connection between pictures and words for the in depth meaning. Add a couple of examples and bingo bango, you're done.

*just my view point...trying to be helpful
A small example

[The Anti-crest]

Interesting perspective. My church isn't very concerned with "early church Manuscripts" but I'll bring that up.

[captainarian]

8 minutes isn't enough, i had this 20 minutes conference for my history of art lesson, my 20 minute speech turned into a 2 and a half hour speech.
every one shouted at me so i had to wrap it up... although my teacher got very intrested and gave me an A+ (Teacher's pet)

[The Anti-crest]

it isn't meant to be a history of the art or anything. we do a book service every year and this year they asked me to talk about comics and let people know whats hot and why they are perceived a certain way.

[Newt]

You might try turning folks onto Love and Rockets, since it's very strongly rooted in SoCal culture (especially Jaime Hernandez' Locas stories) and explores issues of belonging and tolerance which I think might be interesting to a UU congregation.

[The Anti-crest]

I havent read that but that might work since we are so cal. Thanks.

[Newt]

You're missing a real treat. I predict it will be your new favorite comic.

[The Anti-crest]

Originally Posted by Newt

You're missing a real treat. I predict it will be your new favorite comic.

its possible. It's been on my to read list, I just haven't gotten to it. I wouldn't predict that though as you don't know which comics are my current favorites. :-D

[chris stevens]

you giving a speech on comics worries me. do try to be less pompous in general; you could manage to turn folks off without them ever actually having read any books.

[The Anti-crest]

Originally Posted by chris stevens

you giving a speech on comics worries me. do try to be less pompous in general; you could manage to turn folks off without them ever actually having read any books.

Pompous because I don't like to see misogyny?

Don't worry though, I will talk a bit about how comics can be and (often) are racist and sexist in mainstream markets but that there are alternatives.

It should also be noted that I was offered this because the people in my church are genuinely interested in my comics work and how I see the comic book medium. When asked to speak about racism I spent a good portion of the subject on comic books and how there is racism in some comics but also how it was the X-Men comics, when I was 12 that made me question racism and sexism and led me on the quest to try and understand different perspectives.

[The Anti-crest]

Originally Posted by chris stevens

you giving a speech on comics worries me. do try to be less pompous in general; you could manage to turn folks off without them ever actually having read any books.

You'll be happy to know that several(around 20 or so) people from my church were shocked to hear about books like Maus, Watchmen, Sandman, One! Hundred! Demons!, Pride of Baghdad, Persepolis, Brooklyn Dreams, Gemma Bovary, Fables, Understanding Comics, It's a bird..., Glory and Fortune and even a brief mention of Love and Rockets. Of the 20 or so people who were flocking to my table after church and flipping through comics, about two thirds asked where they could buy the comics and one had said something about having read Sandman in college and not knowing there were other books just as good.

[Nick Pitarra]

Glad to hear it went well.

[The Anti-crest]

yeah, I wish I had been published so I could have sold something of my own, haha.

[LDahl]

Super