Had a fourth/fifth grade class from Highland (or what used to be Kenwood, my old school, why did they change a perfectly good name?) come into the store yesterday. The teacher, Kami Green (spelling?), had been shocked that not only didn't the kids read comics, they basically didn't know what they were. She mentioned she wanted me to talk about 'superheroes'.

I had thought about preparing a talk of some kind, but when I started preparing, I realized that I had all the info in my brain and thought I would wing it. If nothing else, I thought, I could hope they had questions.

At 1:00 in walks 32 kids! with 4 adults!. My store was packed like sardines while 32 little faces looked at me with innocent expectation. It was a little overwhelming, and I felt a little flustered.

So I started my little lecture....oh, oh, I'm losing them! Silver age, golden age, smoolden age...they didn't care. In desperation I throw the floor open to questions.

That at least hold their attention, if nothing else my flailing around trying to answer probably entertained them.

The teacher asks me the 'significance' of superheroes. Why are they so popular?

Good question. I draw a blank, I mumbled something about 'archetypes' -- to fourth graders.

All in all, I thought I rather botched it. Not completely, but I'll certainly try to be better prepared next time.

The one smart thing I did was to lay out a stack of free comics from Free Comic Book Day. Made sure they were appropriately aged.

Some stores actively seek out such events, whereas I felt it was my duty....but frankly would rather avoid. Still, it was interesting.

Asked at one point how many of the kids read the comic strips in newspapers, and almost every kid raised their hands. All four adults broke at laughing, and said, "No way....."

I rather lamely said, several times, "You should try reading comics. You might really like them."
But I don't really expect to create any new converts. Takes more of that. Takes a cultural change, of kids roaming around, finding comics, reading them. A culture that existed....oh, 20 years ago....