Cozy Vibes at Just Book-ish’s Local Comics Reading Roundabout

With the smell of books and coffee filling my nose at 1:30 pm, I attended the Comics Reading Roundabout at Just Book-ish in Dorchester, MA on October 11. Just-Book-ish is a comfortably snug bookstore surrounded by shelves filled to the brim with books and pages at the bristles of my fingertips, a vast variety complete with comics, novels, manga, and other works worth exploring. I sat myself in a comfy corner in the back of the bookstore where I laughed and marveled with the audience. I learned things that I wouldn’t have known otherwise, like footnotes, in the story. Every author read aloud and presented their work in different ways, reading aloud diverse stories that made the experience unique to any other event I had been to before. This small event was hosted by Bryce Davidson, a local illustrator and comic creator, who made this possible with the help of the Boston Comics Art Foundation and the Just-Bookish staff. I found it to be a pleasure sitting down with every author.

After listening to their presentations, I spoke with creators LJ-Baptiste, Sadie Saunders, Catalina Rufin, and Bryce Davidson! Let me tell you a bit about what each of them shared with me.

Music, Crushes, & Authenticity

First, they opened up the curtains with Croons by LJ-Baptiste (He/Him). He shared a snippet, taking a little sneak peek into his upcoming work. It brought people back to high school where the main character, Kaz, is trying to win over his one true love, Summer Knight, at his school’s talent show and survive among the treacherous wars between different art cliques. Throughout the performance, we cheered on hearing Kaz’s inner monologue as he nervously built the courage to perform his original song for his crush despite the backlash from the student hall monitors. I was wow-ed when he performed the song called “SUMMER KNIGHTS” aloud. I found out that it was made in collaboration with LIZ’s KID, and I bopped my head along to the music up until the end. Baptiste said, “It’s not yet [on Spotify], because we had kept the song, like super, super under wraps. But it’s going to be soon.” You can find it for yourself on EVEN, but I’m very hyped for the song to be officially released on all different platforms! This little story taught me that your best self comes out when you are authentic, which is a message that I think a lot of teenagers today should hear.

Celebrating Santa Claus & the Dead

Sadie Saunders (She/They) shared an unusual piece. Now, she uncovered The Obituary of Arthur Bahl whose passion in life was to become a real-bearded Santa Claus every Christmas season. As a librarian, Saunders had access to reading local obituaries as well as the obituaries available in the New York Times.

Saunders found Arthur’s obituary to be the most interesting obituary they had ever read and turned it into a comic with the help of their friend, Danielle, who worked with Arthur when he was still alive. In the middle of the presentation, they commented on his graduation being in 1969, wracking up a plethora of educational degrees to avoid being drafted in the Vietnam War. I love how Saunders illustrated Arthur’s life even though she had never met him herself. She said, “I like telling stories that are whimsical or entertain or just kind of [give an] expressive feeling that I can give to other people.” This story definitely left me with a feeling lingering in the back of my mind, like an urge to look back and cherish those of the dead and the special things they have done and left behind.

Navigating Through Transitioning, Sobriety, & Recovery

Before Catalina Rufin (They/Them) came up to the projector, my first impression of their art conveyed that I was going to read a purely wholesome story. Rufin’s presentation of Come Undone was more than that. It was vulnerable; a raw representation of a transitioning man recovering from addiction and dysphoria alongside his anxiety-ridden partner. I ended up interested in identifying the problems that came with neurodivergent, queer couples navigating through their identities. This one particularly spoke the most on dependence, recovery, and sobriety.

There were things I had discovered and found educational such as AA and metoidioplasty. For those who don’t know, AA is an acronym for Alcoholic Anonymous, a program for recovering alcoholics in group therapy sessions. Metoidioplasty is a fancy medical term for gender-affirming bottom surgery. They are ways that helped the characters reaffirm themselves. I also learned about King of The Hill and Phantom of Paradise as well as the lyrics in a Canadian rap song that I had never heard of before. Sometimes there were heavier moments, and sometimes it got lighter, where the weight would distribute a warm spread of release and a fun fuzzy feeling across the chest.

This was a comic that was altered in the event for a PG-13 audience, but be warned that the overall comic is strictly for adults! The story taught me some advice that can go for all kinds of relationships whether you identify as straight, queer, or cisgender; in the end, it is important to show up for each other in a relationship no matter what.

Batdad: Anyone Can Wear the Mask

Despite not being a father of kids himself, Bryce Davidson (He/Him) introduced Bat Of The House, a comic posted on Instagram about a blue-collar dad that decided he would become Batman one day. Bored from all the menial things that come with being a privileged, settled man, what are you supposed to do? Just become one of many faces in the world of DC. If you are a fan of comedy, some action, or maybe exotic dads who somehow find para-military grade cosplay on Etsy… then I think you would have enjoyed this as much as I did.

The pure charisma and wit that came with the comic further pushed my edge to rabbit-hole down the universe of DC, Marvel, and X-men. I felt as if I was immersed into the scene as Davidson sounded out every clink, click, and clock with his tongue. I heard the sounds of crickets filling the silence of the night amongst the empty street of this family’s household, and I was watching this random dad climb the roof of his own house in the middle of the night. I was in it! Davidson presented and planned this event in hopes that it would encourage people to come out of their own individual worlds of being on the internet or in our rooms. So, I guess he’s just like this local friendly neighborhood Batdad (to his cat, Clyde), saving us from the fate of a man holed up and bored without anything to do.

Will These Events Be Happening Again? What About the Authors?

Throughout the rest of October, Just Book-ish holds other events involving many creators and community based activities for the Boston Community, meaning that there are going to be more events like these, such as the one happening next month! The Comic Reading Roundabout was a cozy way for me to get to know the local artists and story-makers around Boston. Sadie Saunders will be found presenting pieces at the Watertown Zine Festival at the Watertown Public Library on October 17 and arriving in Burlington, Vermont, alongside Catalina Rufin making their next appearance at the Nonfiction Comic Festival on November 14. Meanwhile, LJ-Baptiste will be tabling at an expo co-directed by Saunders and the team of The Massachusetts Indie Comic Expo on December 5 and 6 within Boston, Massachusetts. Consistent with a variety of genres from horror to coming of age and sci-fi to fantasy, you can follow and look at the work of the authors by checking out the links attached throughout the article or by searching up their stuff on Instagram and other social media.

Be sure to check them out if you enjoyed any of these stories as much as I have, and RSVP to come on Wednesday, November 11 at Just-Bookish to see the next live reading in real time!