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Read Comics in Public 2012 has just been announced for Tuesday, August 28th, which happens to be another great date in comics history:

As ever, we’re celebrating Read Comics in Public on August 28th, the birthday of one Jack “King” Kirby, who, it turns out, would have celebrated his 95th this summer. Seeing as how the first two years the holiday was celebrated on a weekend, a number of folks have asked whether the date of this year’s event will be adjusted so as to maintain that standard. The simple answer is: celebrate over the weekend — and during the week. Heck, read comics in public all month long, just to be sure. That goes double for the librarian who emailed to alert us to the fact that her library closes on Tuesdays.


RCIP Day is another viral comics holiday—along with Free Comic Book Day and 24 Hour Comic Day—in which the goal is to, well, read comics in public and then post a picture of yourself doing it to the internet. Perhaps you will want to read a JACK KIRBY comic in public. Organizers Brian Heater and Sarah Morean have much more info in the link, including a poster by Robert Sergel explaining more about the holiday.

1 COMMENT

  1. Here’s a suggestion:

    Take all those comics which are cluttering up your apartment, bedroom, garage, basement…

    Go someplace public, and hand them out.

    Yes, I read comics in public all the time. Usually on the subway. “Larceny in my Blood” was quite good, next is “On The Ropes” (yup, the Kings in Disguise sequel!)

    The best literary holidays, especially the ones advocating a particular reason, are at least a week. If they become popular, then it becomes a month.

    Hey! How about a “reading comics OUT LOUD” event, with a powerpoint presentation! Or use cutouts, like a puppet show! Or cosplay, like a concert reading! Or have your kids, students, patrons redraw the panels, and do a bulletin board storytime!

  2. You know, if people are shy about reading comics in public and this helps them be less shy about it, then I guess that’s a good thing.

    But I’ve never really gotten that. I’ve been reading comics in public all my damn life. Bus ride, plane ride, waiting room, bench in the park — hell, I read Poison River in public and only felt MODERATELY worried that someone might look over my shoulder.

    But again, you know, if some people need an excuse or a reason, then why not?

  3. People read them on iPads and other devices in public, but that shouldn’t really count. That’s kind of anonymously reading comics in public.
    How about BUYING them in public, that’s also a rare thing. Where would you find a place to do that? Do supermarkets and newsstands sell more than Archies now?