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In theatre there is a performance challenge called a 24 Hour Project. It’s where a troupe of actors, directors, writers, and techies all band together for one whole day to create an inspired piece of art. The playwright has 12 hours to pen a performable script, and then the actors, director, and technical crew have roughly the following 11 hours to put the playwright’s words and ideas together as a presentable piece of theatre. The actors perform memorized, the tech crew constructs admirable stage effects and scenery, the director ensures that it all makes sense, and the playwright gets the satisfaction of seeing their vision become a reality as the payoff is having the piece performed in front of a live audience. The end of this performance brings the 24 Hour Project to a conclusion.

Enter the 24 Hour Comics Day; an annual national event where comic shops (and other applicable venues) in 30 different states and 18 different countries give the artists of their communities an opportunity to sit down and write, sketch, ink, and color their own 24 page comic book in 24 hours! Sounds pretty awesome, right?

This year the event kicks off on Saturday, October 3rd 2009, as professional and amateur cartoonists from across the globe take part in the challenge, which showcases all types of talent and styles from both the young and old. Here in the Los Angeles area the participating store is Collector’s Paradise located at 7131 Winnetka Ave. in Canoga Park. The owner of the shop, Edward Greenberg, has stated that the participants of the event will have the option to display their work in the store’s art gallery, giving his customers the honor to have their art displayed amongst sequential artist greats like Jim Mahfood, Joe Benitez, Andy Suriano, Jonathan Hickman, and Jeremy Haun! As icing on the cake, appearing as a special guest during the event is the founder of 24 Hour Comics Day, Nat Gertler.

Check out the press release from Collector’s Paradise:

“Professional and Amateur Artists – this is your chance to participate in one of the coolest possible events at our store. Starting on Saturday October 3, at noon, you can spend 24 hours with us (and other participating artists) and try to produce the best 24 page comic book in 24 hours. You bring your own art supplies, we provide refreshments, snacks and food (we are sponsored by BAWLS energy drinks and will have those plus some Red Bulls too).

This is NOT A COMPETITION. This is a way to see what a friendly atmosphere and a bunch of people who love to express themselves with art can produce.

The tables for you will be set up in our new Gallery and our Store, which is very well AIR CONDITIONED. We’ll make sure that we put together a great environment to do this in, all you have to do is CREATE.

As an added bonus, Nat Gertler, the founder of 24 Hour Comics Day, an annual international celebration of comics creation, will be one of the participants. Nat is the owner of About Comics (http://www.aboutcomics.com/). We will have many of About Comics products available and Nat will sign any copies you purchase at the event.

If you are interested in participating at this event, please send us an email at cparadise@socal.rr.com, with your first and last name, and a phone number. Our event has limited participation and will be based on First Come First Served basis until we are at full capacity (about 10-15 people at most).”

I plan on covering this event tomorrow, so stay tuned to ComicAttack.net to see how it went down at Collector’s Paradise! For more information on 24 Hour Comics Day, visit their website by clicking here.

Andy Liegl
andy@comicattack.net