Literacy through comics
A convention is aimed at teaching the young to read.
Comic-book artists and writers hope their super creative powers will attract families to the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention here this weekend.
Focused on literacy, the convention will bring award-winning comic-book creators to the Free Library tonight and to the Crowne Plaza Hotel all day Saturday.
The convention was conceived by a small group of visual storytellers, artists, and their fans, who began meeting 20 years ago in relative secret in Philadelphia. They had recognized one another's talents from a distance by admiring comic books. That idea grew into the convention.
Leslie Banks, author of Vampire Huntress, a 13-part series, believes comics can open the door to literacy. She is a native Philadelphian and a graduate of Temple University with many titles to her credit.
"Literacy is empowerment. Like voting, it must be taken seriously. If you blow it off, you're crazy," Banks said in an interview. "At one time in American history, African American people's eyes were put out [maimed] for reading or teaching to read."
She continued: "All souls have the same goal. It's critical that people see positive images of themselves represented; it makes for a better world."
Among the other presenters at the convention will be another highly acclaimed sci-fi lore pioneer - Underworld Movie Trilogy coauthor, actor, and screenwriter Kevin Grevioux. Best known for playing Raze of the Lycans, Grevioux will appear for the third year.
Also scheduled to attend is another Philadelphia native, Eric Battle, a graduate of the University of the Arts who has worked for DC and Marvel Comics.
"Reading is like a diet. It's not good enough for us [African Americans] just to be credited for reading, we have to put good things in our minds," Battle said. "I have attended this convention for six or seven years, and it uplifts my letdown over the lack of children's orientated books promoting positive imagery."
Battle said the event offered opportunities to catch up with other industry members and to inspire fans.
"This ECBACC [Eck-Bok] convention recognizes that the literacy rate among youth is critically low and needs to be more directly addressed. This is why we are offering workshops and activities to educate and promote literacy," said Yumy Odom, founder and president of ECBACC Inc.
"Every year, we dedicate the convention to educating youth through comic books," Odom said.