Sneak peek: 'STEAM Within the Panels' at AAAS

by Matt Dembicki

In conjunction with this coming weekend's March for Science rally/events in D.C., the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on Friday will open an art exhibit of science-related comics titled "STEAM Within the Panels: Science Storytelling Through Comics Books, Comic Strips and Graphic Books."

The exhibit will be in the art gallery at AAAS and is open to the public. (Make sure to take the 12st Street entrance to the building.)

There will be a few events over the next few weeks related the exhibit, though AAAS hasn't yet released a schedule. Stay tuned.

I was lucky enough to have several pages from Xoc: The Journey of a Great White (Oni Press) included in the exhibit, as well as pages from Wild Ocean's "The Galapagos" (Fulcrum Publishing) right next to Hay Hosler's "Tortuga, the Island the Swims," also from Wild Ocean. The art prints for the exhibit were still begin posted when I visited today, so I wasn't able to look at all the credits for local creators, but I see work by Baltimore's Kata Kane. The exhibit also includes what I guess could be called a challenge: taking older versions of comics characters (from the Golden, Silver and Bronze ages of comics) and "re-inventing" them with a modern science twist.

Maria Sosa, a senior project director at AAAS, championed for the exhibit

 

Pages from Xoc: The Journey of a Great White 

 

 

 

 

Jay Hosler's pages from Wild Ocean's "Tortuga: The Island That Swims" 

 

From Wild Ocean's "The Galapagos"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work by Kata Kane

 

 

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"Kal and University students launch Democracy website" reads the PR

Kal, who will be in DC this Saturday, sent in the following announcement:

I am very excited to announce the launch of a special and important website. www.USDemocrazy.net is the creation of students and staff at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). The site is a fun and informative using cartoons, animation and playful language to help address and explain the complexities of our democracy.

My team at USDemocrazy set out to capture the color and character of each of our 50 states. To help in this endeavor, we contacted the very best experts in each state-The Political Cartoonists-to be our first contributors. With their help we have built a growing data base of fun and important information.

Check out the short introduction video below:

http://www.usdemocrazy.net/mission

The site is an interactive venture. We are still looking to add more information on each state and expand our state animations (I have finished 32 so far). Check out the site and offer your insights.

Kal

Kevin Kallaugher

kaltoons@comcast.net
www.Kaltoons.com

Comics used in education in Baltimore

See "From comics to the Classics," by Madison Park, Baltimore Sun Reporter June 15, 2008 which reports on current efforts using Disney comics and the state's plan to translate simplified French versions of classic stories (although why they can't just buy Classics Illustrated is a question).

Baltimore area county intros comics to elementary classes

Actually, Hartford County's school system comes off rather sadly as the report implies that the students can only read at a comic book level (whatever that might mean), "School has been so traditional for so long. This is providing an outlet for a different kind of learner," said teacher Alana Cassedy. Read it yourself at "Comics Add Excitement To Classroom Reading," Gigi Barnett, WJZ May 30 2008.

World War II anti-malaria cartoon

We ran across this one in the collections of the National Museum of Health and Medicine yesterday.