Where Imagination and Reading Meet
By Jimmie Epling, Director, Darlington County Library System
The Florence Comic Con is the place where imagination and reading meet! Thousands of readers of all ages visited the Con last Sunday and the Darlington County Library System was there! This was our third year showcasing what the Library has to offer to fans of imaginative storytelling with art and words.
What is a comic con? It is a large comic book and popular arts convention. A typical comic con features comic book dealers, artists, authors, costume competitions, games, memorabilia, programs and panel discussions, and demonstrations (makeup, costuming, martial arts, etc.) all focused on the sci-fi/fantasy worlds created in comics, graphic novels, novels, TV, movies, and other media. It is the place to go for some of the coolest, hottest, and biggest stuff in pop culture.
Why did the Library go to the Florence Comic Con again this year? It is all about reading! At the Library, we encourage everyone to read. What is important is that you read and not what you read. If you prefer to read about the adventures of Captain America, Luke Skywalker, or the characters in “Attack on Titan,” that is fine with us. We know in time your reading interests will change. The merging of reading and art into an imaginative and exciting “graphic novel” serves as the gateway for many to discover authors whose stories are not accompanied by illustrations.
What was comic con like for us this year? We were seen by thousands, and many stopped by our booth to see what the Library has to offer. We heard many times throughout the day, “I didn’t know you had that” from Darlington County attendees. What was gratifying to hear from those not from Darlington County was, “My library doesn’t have that,” especially when it comes to our manga and anime collections. The Library has one of the best, if not THE BEST manga collection in the state.
During the Con, we saw hundreds of individuals who displayed their amazing talent, creativity, and resourcefulness through the costumes they wore. We took over a hundred photographs of those in costume with a book or DVD. Our plan is to turn them into mini “READ” posters to encourage reading. If you are interested in seeing some of the costumed characters we saw, check out our webpage at www.darlington-lib.org or our Facebook page over the next week as we add to the gallery.