Kids Treated to 'Super' Comics Workshop

Holy digital projector, Batman! Kids of the Gloucester Township Blackwood Library are learning all about comics.

Local illustrator Phil McNulty brought his creativity and wide range of comics knowledge to the Gloucester Township-Blackwood Rotary Public Library Thursday for a seminar attended by about 20 local kids. 

McNulty walked the group through the history of comic books, including the four ages of comic illustration. McNulty used references to current movies based off comics so that kids of all ages could understand.

With a projector in hand, McNulty touched on the history of superheroes such as Capitan America and The Flash. He also talked about some of comic-book history's most notable storywriters, such as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. 

Yet the bigger message McNulty stressed was that being successful as a comic-book illustrator is not an impossible dream. He illustrated this message with the anecdote of a former art teacher, who had belittled his aspirations of making a living off of drawing comic books. 

“I liked watching the digital drawing the most,” said Olivia Farmer, whose favorite superhero is Thor.  

Farmer was referring to the process in which McNulty used a smart pen and pad to illustrate a page of The Blue Sultan, a comic he currently works on. During that portion of the seminar, the local comic illustrator explains the process of  layers, such as penciling and inking.  

“It was cool watching the penciling,” said Amy Farmer, Olivia's sister.  

McNulty recently won second place in an short-animation contest hosted by filmmaker Kevin Smith, who rose to fame with 1990s cult classic Clerks. For the prize, McNulty was awarded a seat as an illustrator for Smith’s comic line, SMod Co. 

In between illustration jobs he works with the Camden County Library System to bring the workshop to various libraries within the region. 

McNulty says his most memorable workshop was his first—but not for a great reason. He explained that he regretfully brought a child to tears after explaining to her that Batman’s parents were murdered.