A Texas Librarian in King Kirby's Court
Mystified at having left my ordinary world, October 2021 found me transported to the realm of Jack "The King" Kirby. Both his place of origin and the kingdom that he built - modern comicdom - for the New York Comic Con where ReedPop was partnering with the New York Public Library, New York City School Librarians Association, and Reading with Pictures to offer its inaugural full day of professional content specifically crafted for librarians and educators. My blerd heart was pounding, my educator heart was swelling, and my librarian heart was soaring with the opportunities before me to strengthen the connection between these ecosystems.
By Susan Skaar - Kirby Museum website, see website for licensing information, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28809659
Determined to traverse this multiverse of literacy, I ported through the Javits Center attending session after session in pursuit of a version of our world where comics and graphic novels are always lauded as “real reading” and their impact on empowerment and learning is profoundly recognized.
As the start of a new year is often a time of reflection and renewal, I'm excited to apply what I learned while immersed in the fandom to my practice of librarianship as a whole, in service to our communities.
Representation is Everything
As information professionals, it’s imperative to truly fathom that in the current surge of comics’ popularity young readers of color are provided yet another point of access to windows, sliding glass doors, and those critically important mirrors. They’re not only seeing this in their reading but are also seeking it in their leaders. And when our youth see people in positions of authority, responsibility, and influence who reflect their own image, the benefits multiply exponentially. As the representative from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and moderator for the Representation is Everything panel, I had the honor of guiding a discussion between veteran educators Deimosa Webber-Bey, Darryl Mouzon, and Ed Mouzon. They discussed the challenges they’ve faced as Black teachers and how their present positions help future generations envision themselves in previously inaccessible spaces. The veritable cornucopia of shaggy-dog tales and poignant anecdotes mesmerized the audience as each listener envisioned the potential impact of being taught by such influencers.
Screenshot of author’s panel.
Similarly, in the Feathered Serpents, Brujas, and Sugar Skulls session, Dr. Joe Sanchez moderated a conversation in which panelists David Bowles, Kelly Fernandez, and Elaine Gomez shared the cultural meanings behind iconic imagery and folktales and discussed how they use their Latinx cultures as inspiration for their creative work in video game design, graphic novels, and comics. Sanchez highlighted that even though these images and folktales have recently gained currency beyond the Latinx community via pop culture references to curanderos, brujas, Santa Muerte, and feathered serpents, there continues to be very little representation in media today - citing that from 2007 to 2019, only 4.5% of speaking characters in films were Latinx whereas 25% of frequent moviegoers identify as Latinx. Similarly, Bowles cited that although approximately 20% of literature developed for youth today features people of color, only half of the books featuring characters of color are written by authors of color. Needless to say, this discussion not only helped attendees better understand the cultural significance of Latinx pop culture but also its much needed representation in both depiction and creation so that they can better continue to build inclusive learning spaces.
Be a Safe Haven
Photo by Christina E. Taylor.
Being a female comics librarian of color is analogous to being a koi swimming in an evaporating puddle of water. However, attending the Sartorial Geek Fashion Fix and Building Your Own Themyscira sessions felt like being called home to Wakanda - reveling in the certainty that I’m not swimming alone. There’s an entire school of us and having their company makes our puddle feel a bit less isolating. The discussion of the importance of finding our community and best practices for getting connected to it was much needed. Seeing my love of fashionably signaling my presence to my fellow nerds acknowledged, legitimized, and reflected back at me from the dais sent me to new heights.
Reach Out to the Underserved Pockets in Our Communities
Leaving these sessions, the message was further amplified on my way to the exhibit hall for networking.
I was shyly approached by another Black woman who ostensibly wanted to compliment my choice of donning a DC female superheroes mask. But once she was within arms’ reach, she clasped my hands, teared up, and whispered “I’m so happy to see you here. For years, I’ve wanted to come to this con but when I was growing up no one who looked like me shared my passion—neither my friends nor my family—and I’ve been so lonely until now.”
For the past 30 years, BIPOC nerds have existed in the cringe-worthy shadow of Urkel. What if, instead, they’d had portrayals such as Chadwick Bosman’s Black Panther, Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron, and Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi become cultural icons who not only fed their passions but also served as their avatars? Would they feel less like mutants forced to hide in plain sight? Just as Wakanda was a fiercely guarded safe haven, libraries can create spaces for the BIPOC fandom - an underserved and underrepresented community within our communities. Being greeted as such after metaphorically coming home further solidified just how important felt safety and inclusion are for our patrons. And, in my own voice, I heard Bruce Wayne rasp "Yes, Father. I Shall Become a Bat.”
Since more and more libraries are finding that once a graphic novel collection reaches a certain critical mass it often becomes the highest circulating collection in the entire library - with the average graphic novel out-circulating all but the most popular young adult prose titles - perhaps it’s time to consider expanding our services beyond merely acquiring graphic novels for the collection. Now is the time to offer programming and services that really harness this energy as a means of better serving our community.
Christina E. Taylor, MSIS
is a veteran information specialist and educator who helps learners advance their literacy skills and critical thinking practice. Christina has been an English Language Arts teacher and school librarian, and after twenty-one years in public education she joined the Continuing Education and Consulting team at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission as the Youth Services Consultant where she helps ensure Texas libraries are knowledgeable about and have the resources to implement youth services that meet the needs of their communities. Christina passionately supports historically under-served populations in her community: she’s former President of the Board of Directors for Girls Rock Austin, former Chair of the Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List Committee, Co-founder of the Central Texas Teen & Kids Comic Con, 2022-2025 Chair for the Texas Library Association’s Young Adult Round Table, and Vice President of Social Media for Reading With Pictures. For more information, follow her at https://www.christinaetaylor.net/follow
Find her as @cetaylor05 on most platforms including Twitter.