The Aurora Public Library (APL) is excited to present a comic and anime convention in the Summer to celebrate comic books, graphic novels, anime, and the world of pop culture fandom. From now through February, we will accept creative name suggestions which can be sent to kdanis@auroraubliclibrary.org. The winner will receive a $50 gift card to Graham Crackers comics in Naperville, along with bragging rights for naming the newest Aurora Public Library adventure in 2020!
The convention will be at Santori Library, 101 S. River Street, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8. As with all Library events, it is free and open to the public! Please stay tuned for more details.
Comic books have emerged as a critical genre in enforcing visual and critical literacy, activating multiple avenues for reading and engagement, and reaching reluctant readers of all ages. Comic conventions, or “cons”, are opportunities to celebrate the art, characters, and storylines of popular comics and the fan communities they unite. With inter-generational appeal and high popularity, graphic novel-themed events often feature cosplay (dressing up as a character from a book, movie, or videogame), cartooning workshops, author visits, and artist and vendor spaces. From the iconic Comic-Con in San Diego, Calif. to smaller, library-run events in the, Northern Illinois area such as Comicopolis at White Oak Library in Lockport, these events are often given creative names that reflect the kitschy side of comic and fan culture.
Likewise, for libraries in particular, comic conventions give us a chance to show off our collections and bring awareness to new or interesting titles and series. The Aurora Public Library boasts an impressive collection of graphic novels and manga for all ages at all locations. Perhaps you are a Pikachu fan and cannot get enough of the various Pokémon series available at the Library, or maybe you are a sucker for superheroes or Sailor Moon. Whatever your preference, we have classic and new titles for children, teens, and adults. We encourage for fans to stop by the library today to peruse our collections and inspire a creative comic convention name idea that will stand up to the competition!
All name entries must be submitted by March 1 for review and judging. Our esteemed planning committee, composed of librarians from all departments, including Children, Teen, and Adult Services, as well as representatives from our Collection Development team and the Aurora community, are responsible for reviewing submissions and voting on which name best represents our event in Aurora. There is no theme for this event, so it’s all up for grabs! The decision will be based on creativity, originality, and all-ages appeal. Keep your eyes on your E-mail, because the winner will be notified at the E-mail address from which their entry was submitted. Please make sure to include your first and last name, as well as one contest name entry in your E-mail address. We will announce the winner on social media, and the event will be advertised with its new, awesome name in the Summer newsletter.
“We are looking for a name that is playful, creative, and fun to say, so dig deep and bring out your inner geek by submitting a catchy name that can last for generations! We cannot wait to see what people suggest,” said Krista Danis, events and program coordinator.
Miriam Meza-Gotto is communications manager for Aurora Public Library.