This past Wednesday, I had the truly fun experience of participating in a middle school teacher’s workshop. Al Spader, a science and math teacher at the nearby Rochester Middle School, is also an avid comic book fan. He works part time on weekends at the Paperback Bazaar, our local comic shop. (Another indication that as a society we are so screwed up. We don’t pay our teachers one half of what they are truly worth.) Al had started using graphic novels in with his reading
classes, especially targeting those kids who had difficulties in reading. And his results have been terrific. Enough so that his principal asked Al to run a workshop on the subject of graphic novels as a teaching tool.

So, having been made aware, through the comic shop, of my career in comics, Al invited me to join him for those workshops. I suppose he saw me as both a practioner in the field and someone to provide moral support. I was flattered by the invitation and early Wednesday morning walked into the Rochester Middle school armed with my portfolio of original comic book artwork. I had an great opportunity to meet two of Al’s reading classes and talk to them a little bit about the history of comics and how they are produced. After the kids were dismissed for the day, we had lunch and then the actual workshops began. Al did a fantastic job.
His presentation was very well-thought out and had lots of good stuff for his colleagues to consider and take away. I answered a few questions and made some supportive comments along the way, but it really was Al’s show and by the end of the afternoon I believe he’d made several new converts to the gospel of graphics.
Comics are still, in America, an underutilized
teaching school. The thing is, today’s teachers are receptive to learning more about comics, unlike when I was growing up. This is a wonderful turn around and bodes well for future generation of young readers.

Al and his fellow teachers are the Rochester Middle School are wonderful instructors and mentors to their charges. The people of Rochester,NH, are truly fortunate to have teachers of this caliber and care in their schools. Thanks for having me, Al.

Well, the official press releases have gone out about my editing a new series of
pulp anthologies for Wild Cat Books. The first of these being Bill Barnes Air Adventurer. I hope to have this volume out somewhere around June or July of this summer. If you would like a sneak-peek at the subject of a future anthology volume, go to my gallery pages. I’ve uploaded some black and white illustrations from the pulps this character appeared in. A final note on my pulp work. CAPTAIN HAZZARD -PYTHON MEN OF THE LOST CITY has been completely put together by ace designer, Vincent Sneed, and delivered to Wild Cat Books publisher, Ron Hanna. With fingers crossed, I’ll posting next week where you can buy a copy. Oh, and for sure, I’ll have the finished cover for all of you to ogle. Ha.

Several items of note now. My writer pal,
Bobby Nash has a new, superhero novel called
FATASTIX out, and it’s available from Amazon.
Check it out. Whereas another associate, Win Eckert, has just written a brand new forward to TARZAN ALIVE. This is a faux history of the “real” Tarzan as written by Philip Jose Farmer that was long-long out of print. Again, go to Amazon and take a look. This is a fun book.

PULSE…a well respected comics site has posted a great interview with Tom Floyd about his webcomic, CAPTAIN SPECTRE (my favorite webcomic these days – see the link). These series truly deserves your support. It’s classic graphic adventuring of the highest order.

Finally a tip of the hat to Airman, Barry
Delmarca from Chicago who guessed my connection with the movie V FOR VENDETTA. The opening sequence of that film shows the notorious Guy
Fawkes being hanged for attempting to blow up Parliament. He was hanged on the 5ht of November and since then, British children have celebrated that date as Guy Fawkes day, sort of their version of our Halloween, in that they get all dressed up and go from door to door seeking treats. Well, what Barry guessed is, Nov.5th is my birthday. Way to go Barry, you are hearby promoted to Airman First Class of Squadron A –
Airship 27!

Another week. Take care one and all, Ron
over and out.