Comic Conventions as POWerful PD (Part 1): My Experience

[Note: This is part of a series on using comic conventions as professional development.
See also (Part 1a) A Guide to SDCC for Librarians and Educators.]

Last summer I learned something revelatory: San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), the world’s largest comic book and pop culture convention, is chock-full of professional development opportunities for educators and librarians.

Surprised? I was.

I came to this realization last year when I was accepted into a National Endowment for the Humanities teacher institute on Using Comics to Teach Social Justice. In partnership with San Diego State University’s Center for Comic Studies, the two-week program featured lectures, comic-making workshops, lesson-planning labs, and access to a collection of over 100 graphic novels and comics for kids curated by Comic Arts Librarian and 2025 Library Journal Mover & Shaker Pamela Jackson.

Jackson and her co-leader, Dr. Beth Pollard, designed and ran the program, which also included field trips to the Comic-Con Museum and a comic studio. The institute culminated in four days attending SDCC, an event that brings creatives and fans together for panel discussions, workshops, meet-and-greets, and mentorship. The convention celebrates the popular arts, including books, movies, video games, publishers, writers, directors, producers, actors, artists, costumers, and more.

I learned that the Central branch of the San Diego Public Library, located a short walk from the convention center where most SDCC events are centered, hosts workshops and panels specifically for educators and librarians. The Comic-Con Conference for Educators and Librarians (CCEL) events are an official part of the Comic-Con schedule, but they are completely free and open to the public with no badges or tickets required.

There are also sessions focused on authors, artists, publishers and educators held at the convention center, but those do require a badge to attend. (I created a guide with specific tips for attending SDCC and details about how to get a coveted and hard-to-come-by badge.)

What does this mean for you? 

If you want to harness the power of comics and popular culture to engage students in reading and inspire them to use the library, attending a comic convention is an excellent way to grow your knowledge and skills. 

I have a confession: I am not the target audience for a comic convention. I am not into superheroes, video games, manga, anime, or Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). I don’t even watch many TV/streaming shows.

Attending a comic or pop culture convention doesn’t just connect you to events related to your personal interests. It provides a phenomenal opportunity for you to step outside your comfort zone and learn about things your students love but you haven’t experienced. You can attend an anime film festival, learn about manga, or catch a session where Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts are teaching newbies. Sit in on an artist panel to learn about the process of creating a comic. Hear award-winning creators speak about their craft and meet new voices in the field.

Be open to new experiences. The exciting atmosphere where creators, professionals, and fans co-mingle is contagious. Lean into learning and be part of the excitement.

My experience

I was shocked by how much there was to see and do at Comic-Con that directly impacts my work as a teacher-librarian. My focus was on attending author and illustrator panels, book signings, and sessions with educators and publishers. 

In the exhibit hall, I found daily book and comic giveaways along with swag galore: t-shirts, posters, lanyards, pins, stickers, and bookmarks. All of this memorabilia made excellent student prizes, and I even added some of the books to the library collection. 

I also attended several CCEL sessions held at Central Library. It was inspiring to hear from educators and librarians who are actively using comics with students. They were able to share research pointing the benefits of teaching with comics, describe lessons and activities they’ve implemented, and share titles of their favorite graphic novels and comics. The presenters and panelists were available to talk after the sessions and also shared their contact information, so it was a networking opportunity as well.

Meeting authors and illustrators

Meeting book creators is one of my favorite professional development activities. Authors, illustrators, and librarians have a mutual admiration and respect for one another’s work. 

In fact, I attended two panels moderated by award-winning author and illustrator Dan Santat and in both sessions, he recognized that the work of librarians has been especially difficult lately and publicly thanked us for standing up for intellectual freedom. I felt tearful but proud when he led the audience in showing support by applauding librarians and thanking us for our work. 

 

Meeting book creators makes me a more effective ambassador of their work when I am promoting books to students. Sharing an anecdote from an author’s life or posting a photo of myself with an illustrator engages students and sparks their interest. 

I even started an author wall in my library where I display photos of the book creators I’ve met. I reference it often during lessons, read alouds, and when recommending books to students.

I was surprised to see authors of all different genres at Comic-Con, even those who don’t write comics, graphic novels, fantasy, or science fiction. Romance authors? Yep. Mystery writers? Those, too. While there is a definite focus on comics and sci-fi/fantasy, publishers and panels showcase many types of books.

 

If you want to take part in a comic convention, you don’t have to travel far from home or attend a huge event. Start small by finding a program nearby. Learn about what kids like and cultivate some programming ideas.

Whether you attend a major pop culture event like SDCC or hit up a small, local festival, you can still benefit. Becoming more informed on elements of pop culture young people care about makes you better able to relate to students, make relevant purchases, and plan more high-impact programs.

All that adds up to engaging professional development with POWerful results.

 

To learn more: 

Brownlee, Amy. “Teaching with Comics NEH Institute.” BiblioBrownlee, 4 Sept. 2024, bibliobrownlee.weebly.com/blog/teaching-with-comics-neh-institute.

Phoenix, Jack. “Comics as Professional Development.” Maximizing the Impact of Comics in your Library: Graphic Novels, Manga, and More. Libraries Unlimited, 2020, pp. 203-211.

Reilly, Leslie L.J. “K-12 Teachers Reflect on Value of NEH Summer Institute.” San Diego State University, 14 Aug. 2024, www.sdsu.edu/news/2024/08/k-12-teachers-reflect-on-value-of-neh-summer-institute-held.

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