3rd Annual Verde Valley Comic Expo

The 3rd Annual Verde Valley Comic Expo returns on March 24, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cottonwood Recreation Center gymnasium. The Comic Expo is one of the Cottonwood Public Library's biggest fundraisers and is part of the Cottonwood Bookmark's Friends of the Library fundraising efforts. Proceeds raised from the sale of artist and vendor tables help fund various reading programs and events at the library. Admission is only $5, or $3 with 2 canned goods donations benefitting The Old Town Mission. Kids under the age of 10 get in free. This marks the 2nd year the event will be held inside the gymnasium. The inaugural event in 2016 was held in the meeting/conference rooms of the recreation center. The event was so successful and well received by the community it was moved to the larger gymnasium the following year. The Expo will play host to various comic book artists and writers as well as local authors in the Verde Valley and Prescott. The Verde Valley Comic Expo is the brainchild of the late Anne Roberts, who was a Children’s Librarian at the Cottonwood Public Library, and Sedona-based comic book artist/cartoonist Jan Marc "The Janimal" Quisumbing. The Comic Expo is a fun, family friendly event where guests will get to meet and talk to local comic book artists, writers, authors and pop culture vendors. Comic books are a great introduction to reading for many people. Guests are invited to get into the spirit of the event and come dressed as their favorite superheroes! A Yu-Gi-Oh! gaming demonstration will be held as well as an Expo favorite, the artist sketch off, where guests can challenge artists to draw their favorite characters on the spot. Other programming includes the Jack Kirby 24 Comic Book Challenge, moderated by Phoenix comic book artist and poet Russ Kazmierczak Jr., that follows what happens when four comic artists try to honor comic book legend Jack The King Kirby by creating their own 24 page comic in 24 hours. The Cottonwood Recreation Center is located at 150 S 6th St in Cottonwood, and guests are asked to enter from the 6th St gymnasium entrance. For more information on library services please visit www.ctwpl.info.