'Right To Read Day' is today!

Today is “Right To Read Day”— celebrating and defending the countless positives libraries facilitate for our communities, and defending our fundamental freedom to choose what and how we read, write, draw, publish, and express ourselves.

It’s an honor to have collaborated with the American Library Association and their Unite Against Book Bans campaign on this. Fascists are actively and explicitly working to defund and dismantle our libraries, public education, social supports, and our fundamental freedoms of press and expression through legislation, criminalization, and threats of violence.

"Drawn To Freedom" illustration for ALA's "Right To Read Day"

It’s a joyous duty to team up with the American Library Association for their upcoming “Right To Read Day” on April 7th— here’s an illustration I contributed for their “Drawn To Freedom” campaign!

I’m not the ALA, so let me be plain and unrestrained with my language: there is an actual fascist takeover occurring in real time in the US, intent on permanently breaking democracy, overturning fundamental constitutional rights, stripping down and selling this country for parts in order to achieve total social control over our lives, public and private. Libraries are fundamental to a free society, and are true community centers. Their resources and benefits extend far beyond checking out books— and anyone who uses the library knows this.

Don’t take for granted what it means to live in a free society. That existence is quickly being disappeared. Protect everyone’s access to information and resources by learning more here.

Posters available for my "Comics Are Reading" comic!

I received my own order of my “Comics Are Reading” 18”x24” poster yesterday, and it looks great— excellent print quality and nice paper stock. Educators, library workers, bookshop & comics shop people, and comics lovers everywhere: you can order your own right here.

There’s also a downloadable PDF of the comic from this year’s Booklist Guide To Graphic Novels In Libraries.

"Comics Are Reading" ALA poster available for download now!

After incredible demand from educators and library workers, I’m happy to announce that my recent comic from the Booklist Guide To Graphic Novels In Libraries is officially available as a downloadable poster, thanks to the great folks at the American Library Association!

The poster is formatted for 18”x24”, and can be printed out at any comparable ratio or size. Please spread the word for any comics-loving people in your community, school, library, bookstore, comics shop, or family!

"Banned Comics & Education" virtual panel July 15th!

I’m proud to participate in this upcoming “Banned Comics & Education” panel this Friday, July 15th at noon Eastern Time alongside the great Jerry Craft, Laurie Halse Anderson, and Tim Smyth! Please register for the panel here.

If you’re interested, I’ve recently made 3 short comics covering interrelated aspects of the mainstreamed fascist right’s very serious push to enact memory laws and limit access (in schools, libraries, AND private businesses) to histories and fiction featuring the perspectives and voices of people of color and LGBTQ+ people:

Part 1— “Shelf It” via The Nib

Part 2— “Divisive Concepts” op-ed w/ Andrew Aydin via Washington Post

Part 3— “Comics and Their Strengths” info-comic via Booklist

New comic-about-comics at Booklist (and a downloadable PDF!)

I have a new one-page comic in the American Library Association’s Booklist Guide to Graphic Novels in Libraries, specifically outlining the many unique strengths (and one important vulnerability) of comics as a medium/language/format— it’s crucial that educators, library workers, creators, journalists, and comics-readers become familiar with how best to describe the value of comics in light of organized far-right campaigns of book challenges, bans, and intimidation of educators and library workers.

Comics are on the forefront of this push to control who has access to information, history, perspectives, and experiences outside a predominantly white, straight, fake-Christian patriarchal identity.

You can download a PDF version of the comic here! Please feel free to print out and distribute.

I’m currently in discussions with ALA about making an official poster of this comic for distribution in schools and libraries— more info as that develops.

SAVE IT FOR LATER & RUN on ALA's "Best Graphic Novels for Adults" List!

It’s an honor to find that both Save It For Later and Run are nominees for the American Library Association’s 2021 list of “Best Graphic Novels for Adults”, with a stellar lineup of books throughout. Finalists will be announced in January— thank you, everyone who’s been moved by my books, for your support and for spreading the word. It means a lot.