ReggieCon takes a dive into comics and pop culture

Photo Courtesy IllinoisState.edu

NORMAL, Ill. – An award-winning author will be coming to Illinois State University to discuss her works.

Author Emil Ferris will be coming to ReggieCon to discuss her novel My Favorite Thing is Monsters, with different panelists who are faculty at ISU.

ReggieCon is a monthly event where experts with a passion for comics and pop culture come together to share their thoughts on an artist or author’s work through the lens of diversity and inclusion. 

“We’re a diverse crew, and what happens is anybody watching us talk is seeing us as a diverse group of adults come to a very complex nuanced piece of art and bring our own lived worlds to it,” said ReggieCon coordinator Dr. Scott Jordan. “Those worlds collide in our conversation, and I think that’s what universities can offer to the world.”

The events are completely virtual, allowing for the authors of many works to be able to speak with the panelists about their own art and share their experiences with students. 

“When we can generate nuanced and sophisticated content in our conversation, that makes it clear to our audience we are comfortable being uncertain,” said Dr. Jordan. “It opens up a space for students to ask questions… it just creates a space where people can bring their uncertainty to the table and they won’t be smashed or embarrassed.”

Some of the notable guests that ReggieCon has been host to were Chris Claremont, who authored several X-Men comics and co-created a handful of X-Men characters, and Fabio Moon, the co-author of the novel Daytripper. 

While the events have been entirely virtual, guests and panelists alike are still able to bond and share an experience over their immense love for pop culture, as well as erudite connections to the work and diversity and inclusion.

“This isn’t a term paper about what you see, it’s a lived expression about what they remember with the work,” said Dr. Jordan. “Lived expressions connect with the audience much more easily than analytic texts… those emotions come right through the screen and people connect to them.”

ReggieCon will be hosting its panel to discuss My Favorite Thing is Monsters on October 28th at 7 P.M. over Zoom.