The folks at the publisher Library of America, who put out the essay collection The Peanuts Papers
about a year back, wanted me to let you now about an online event they’re throwing. Next Wednesday, at 6 PM Eastern time, 3 PM California time, and right on the hour wherever you live, they’re having an online panel discussion about Peanuts at 70, featuring several of the contributors to their book. Andrew Blauner, the books editor, will be moderating graphic novelists Sarah Boxer (In the Floyd Archives
), Chris Ware (Acme Novelty Library
) and writer Clifford Thompson (one of the world’s tallest men… no, wait, that Clifford Thompson died in 1955. A shame, because he was a giant in the field of being tall. This one is the author of What It Is: Race, Family, and One Thinking Black Man’s Blues
, which was one of Time magazine’s Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2019 and looks to be a mere $2.99 on Kindle at the moment. And I’m sure he’s a fine height that suits him perfectly) and novelist Jonathan Lethem (who the world probably best knows for Motherless Brooklyn
but for us in the comics scene recognize for having named a novel The Fortress of Solitude
, which is a Superman reference and thus inherently cool, and for writing an updating/rework of the Steve Gerber/Mary Skrenes/Jim Mooney comic book series Omega the Unknown
, which got praise but I haven’t read, because the original Omega, as obscure as it was, was pretty special to me… which is kind of a bad reason, because you gotta reckon the Lethem himself is also one of that very short list of odd creatures to whom Omega was special, because otherwise why would he pick such a little-known work to address? But I digress. Like, all the time; it’s a thing I do.) There will be a brief Q&A at the end, with viewers submitting questions via text, thank goodness, because egads, a big group Q&A via Zoom just seems like Not The Thing To Do.
Anyway, attending the event online (via Zoom) requires signing up in advance, which you can do here. It does not require paying any money… but a donation is encouraged.
