COMICS CULTURE SHRAPNEL from CBEM 304

Reading Aloud

About two weeks ago I went to a reading-signing at Barnes and Noble. It was for the paperback release of Miss Wyoming by Douglas Coupland. If you're not familiar with Coupland's work, it's enough to say that he's the person who coined the term 'Generation X' so like or hate him if you wish. Coupland is my favorite author so I looked forward to this for weeks, and had him sign a few things. He read from an illustrated novel he was working on, to only be published in Japan. That's right - illustrated novel, only in Japan. He noted that this format would relegate it to some small obscure corner in bookstores. He's probably right. It's much like publishing graphic novels here in America and distributing them to bookstores only. Same small dusty corner. Well, whatever it's worth, I'll buy it anyway, even with me not knowing Japanese and all.

Me and my friend David were right up front for the whole thing, and it certainly felt more special for how close we were, watching him read the paper, sip water, the expressions on his face. I've already extolled the virtues of meeting your favorite author; it's even better when they read from their work. The only other author I've attended was Neil Gaiman reading from the novel version of Stardust - which incidentally began as an illustrated novel.

I've always been a big fan of Gaiman too - and I was able to use that to my advantage for a class I'm taking. It's called Media and Identity. Part of our grade is contingent on handing in a symptom - "a media exemplar that illustrates the concepts and principles discussed in class." We had just finished up discussing gender and sexuality, so I brought in my copy of Smoke and Mirrors. If you're not familiar with the book, or didn't immediately think of what I took out of it, there's a story called "Changes" printed in it. It's about a scientist who creates a cure for cancer but the drug has one side effect: it changes your gender. So of course, there are people who use it recreationally, because they're curious or unhappy with who they are. It's a great little piece. I read part of the story aloud in class, and afterwards there was silence. Then everyone went nuts. They loved the story, they wished there was such a pill! We took a poll and then various people gave their reasons for wanting (or not wanting) to take it. I lent the book to my professor, who used it in her next class, lent it to another professor, and photocopied it for future use. Apparently, it's going to be part of the class curriculum from now on. Isn't that neat?

Upon reflection I hope she reads it out loud, as there was a certain electricity present in the room as everyone listened to me, and it seems important to get their immediate reactions, encouraging a lively off-the-cuff discussion. It becomes a shared experience.

At some point this should relate to comics. But reading comics aloud is awkward because it's visual as well. But we share in other ways, by reading things together, by lending things out, and discussing them in the end. Being a comics reading does not have to be a solitary experience.