OntheWilderSide

From Batman to Gandhi:  Comics from Super Heroes to the Nonviolent
Three Events at the Museum of Comics and Cartoon Art, Manhattan–MLK Week:
Jan. 19th, 2-:30pm, Workshop-Urban Empathy: Living with Compassion in the Big Apple
Jan. 22nd 7pm, Moderated Discussion & Launch of Urban Empathy
Jan. 24th 1-3pm, Workshop-Making Comics in Adobe Flash

No other city can boast as many super heroes as New York—Superman, Batman, and Spiderman all play out their larger-than-life adventures in the Big Apple.    Yet what happens when the action figure genre is applied to a different kind of risk and adventure—every day interactions between New Yorkers? And rather than using physical force or finesse—like Superman and Spiderman—it’s communication skills to the rescue?

These intersections, and the history and creation of action comics, will be explored at three events January 19th, 22nd and 24th at the Museum of Comics and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) in Manhattan.

On January 19th from 2-3:30pm there will be a free workshop, Urban Empathy:  Living with Compassion in the Big Apple, led by Dian Killian, co-author of a new book, Urban Empathy: True Life Adventures of Compassion on the Streets of NY. This fun, interactive workshop will explore challenging situations and how the out come can be different when we listen for what really matters to the other person—and yourself.

On January 22nd, a moderated discussion will take place featuring Dian Killian and Mark Badger, co-creators of Urban Empathy. The discussion will be moderated by Keith Mayerson, who teaches cartoon art at the School of Visual Arts, with members of the audience invited to comment and ask questions. The presentation will include a slide show on the history of super hero comics. It will be preceded at 6:30pm by a “Meet and Greet” with the authors for MoCCA members. Both authors will be available after the discussion to sign books. Admission is free for MoCCA members and $5 for the general public.

On Saturday January 24th from 1-3pm, Mark Badger will offer a workshop from 1-3pm on Making Comics in Adobe Flash. The workshop will address drawing and storytelling for print and the web using Flash to turn print into comics. The workshop fee is $20 and $10 for MoCCA members; those interested in joining MoCCA can do so on the day, prior to the workshop.

Mark Badger has more than 20 years experience producing comic books and graphic novels, including drawing such characters as Batman and Spiderman. One of the first artists to adapt the computer as a tool for doing comics, he has transitioned into web and multimedia design over the last ten years. Based in the Bay Area, he teaches comics, programming and multi-media design at the San Francisco Academy of Art University.

Dian Killian, who wrote the stories for Urban Empathy, is founder and director of  Brooklyn Nonviolent Communication, a Certified Trainer with the global  Center for Nonviolent Communication, and co-author of Connecting across Differences: A Guide to Compassionate, Nonviolent Communication.  In action-figure format, Urban Empathy is a series of vignettes making use of Nonviolent Communication in everyday situations in New York.

The mission of MoCCAis to promote the understanding and appreciation of comic and cartoon art as well as to detail and discuss the artistic, cultural, and historical impact of what is the world’s most popular art form. The Museum is located at 594 Broadway, Suite 401, in Manhattan.

For more information about the upcoming events, visit the MoCCA Events page or contact MoCCA at 212.254.3511.

###

About Nonviolent Communication(sm) Compassionate, Nonviolent Communication (NVC) was developed by Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D. during the Civil Rights period and is based, in part, on Gandhian principles of nonviolence and the humanist psychology of Carl Rogers. The practice of NVC offers learnable skills to support mind-body awareness and self-connection, deep listening, mediation,  and peacemaking. NVC is now practiced around the world, in schools, families, workplaces, and organizations. For more about the NVC model and the global reach of the work, see www.CNVC.org.

About Brooklyn NVC Through sharing the consciousness and skills of Nonviolent Communication, Brooklyn NVC supports people in hearing each other and being heard. We share NVC with individuals, families, groups and organizations in the Metro NY area, nationally, and beyond, creating a world of abundance, interdependence and peace where the needs of all beings matter and are held with care. Brooklyn NVC is a 501(c)3 organization and no one is turned away from our programming for lack of funds.

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT: info@BrooklynNVC.org or 718.797.9525 <

Filed under: Books, events, More Events Calendars Tagged: | comic book, Compassionate Communication, compassionate nonviolent communication, graphic novel, nonviolent communication