Get your fix at comic book fest

Comic books can be addictive.

Ask Suzanne Scott, the woman who helped start the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival in 2008. The fourth annual festival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

Scott loved comics when she was a kid but forgot them as she discovered a vast world of books. A few years ago, while looking for some artwork for her then-husband, a comic book store owner put a "Sandman" comic in her hand.

Read it, he said, and if you like it, pay for it next time. If you don't like it, just bring it back. The whole exchange was a bit like an illicit drug transaction.

And it was, in a way, because now Scott is hooked. If attendance at the comic book festival is any indication, she isn't the only local who loves them. About 800 people attended the first festival. Last year, more than 1,000 were in attendance, and Scott expects a similar crowd this year.

"Comics have a wide appeal," Scott says. "If you're a parent who reads comics, your kids will probably read comics. And they're more dynamic for a child. I think they're more fun for kids. Books are fabulous because they can take you to a place, but comics help you get there visually."

Originally, the festival slanted toward more of an adult/young adult audience, Scott says. During the past couple of years, they have tried to appeal to everyone. Adults can come and enjoy the festival as much as a 10-year-old, she adds.

A series of panels will be offered, some interactive, others educational. At 10 a.m., artist Katie Cook will teach How to Draw "Star Wars." At 11:30 a.m., Brian and Kristy Miller will present everything there is to know about coloring a comic book. The Fillbach Brothers, a local artist duo, will be on hand.

A screening of the movie "V for Vendetta" will start at 10:30 a.m. The movie was adapted from a comic book series of the same name, featuring a character who wore a Guy Fawkes mask. Comic book lovers will understand the significance of the screening; Nov. 5 is Guy Fawkes Day.

Between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., attendees can have their portfolios reviewed, Scott says. Would-be artists should bring about five or six of their best images or the pieces they think are their strongest for publishers and comic experts to review.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., an artist jam will take place. Spencer Brinkerhoff will guide participants through the day to produce a finished comic book.

Vendors will have merchandise for sale and food trucks will sell food throughout the day, Scott notes.

For the first time, there will be an artist alley where people can sell their work.

For more information, call 507-3459.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564. Follow @StripSonya on Twitter.