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Leon Library's Cosmicon introduces young artists to the comic book genre

Those in Nathan Archer's comic book group got a special treat as costumed Star Wars characters added some real life fantasy to the proceedings.
Tom Flanigan
Those in Nathan Archer's comic book group got a special treat as costumed Star Wars characters added some real life fantasy to the proceedings.

It seems comic book art remains a source of fascination for young people. A lot of kids - as well as their parents - packed a program room at the main Leon County Library on Saturday, Aug. 27 in hopes of sharpening their graphic novel skills.
One of the instructors for the library’s “Cosmicon” event was Tallahassee Democrat cartoonist Nathan Archer. He found himself tutoring an unexpected number of young enthusiasts.

“I couldn’t believe the turnout, actually! I was expecting about 10 people and (there were) 75 or 80 I think!”

This was the library’s fourth time bringing in professional cartoonists to guide local youngsters on the nuances of plot and character development, layout and panel planning. Refinements that Archer said the kids seemed to grasp intuitively.

I’m always blown away by how many of the students are just mind-blowingly amazing with their artwork and story telling skills. There’s a wealth of talent in this town and I just love seeing it every single year.”

And who knows? The next Stan Lee or Mike Judge may even now be honing their skills in Tallahassee.

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Tom Flanigan has been with WFSU News since 2006, focusing on covering local personalities, issues, and organizations. He began his broadcast career more than 30 years before that and covered news for several radio stations in Florida, Texas, and his home state of Maryland.

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