Seersucker Live experiments with visual format to spotlight graphic novelists, illustrators

Seersucker Live is getting graphic. On May 4 at Front Porch Improv, the event that’s “part talk show, part cocktail party, and part literary reading,” according to organizers, will feature its first showcase of graphic novel creators and illustrators.

Seersucker Live: The Graphic Episode will have readings from Andre Frattino, Brian Ralph and Dennis Robinson II. While this is the first time Seersucker has promoted this genre of literary works, cofounder Chris Berinato said it still fits very easily into the organization's purpose.

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“This is definitely new for us. In the almost 13 years we've done this, we’ve never tried this format before. It's going to be something new, but I think it's going to be very successful and a lot of fun.

“We like to promote the local literary community by inviting national, regional, and local writers onto our show. We frame traditional literary readings, the kind of things you see in coffee shops or bookstores, in an entertaining and accessible format with music and audience participation. We put a special emphasis on presenting diverse readers to a diverse audience.

“[Graphic and illustrated novels are] just as valid as a novel in the traditional sense, and it's more accessible.”

Through Berinato’s and other organizers’ work and lives, they’ve also had a chance to befriend plenty of artists and writers around Savannah. Featuring some of those creators made perfect sense.

“I thought it'd be great for drawing out students and people from the community who maybe don't read books as often but like art or like comic books. It'll draw out a crowd that is new for us, and it'll be fun to get them involved.”

Cartoonist and graphic novel creator, Brian Ralph, has crossed mediums through his work. One of his graphic novels “Daybreak” was adapted into a Netflix series. Having done comic readings before, Ralph said he’s used to what he would normally do there.

“I'll read a few pages; talk about sort of what I was thinking at the time or why I went to make it; and then just joke around for a little bit, talk about comics, talk about my thought process.”

But Seersucker Live is trying something a little different. Ralph said he is excited to try something new.

“I don't know what the audience is like. I have no expectations. I don't know what it's going to be like, but I'm sure it'll be fun.”

Andre Frattino has been promoting his latest graphic novel “Tokyo Rose: Zero Hour” which has gotten a lot of buzz even outside the comics community. The experimentation with how to present these works is something that intrigued him.

“When they proposed the reading event, I was a little apprehensive at first. Reading a novel is one thing, but reading your visual graphic novel is another. The whole point of it is that the visuals do the majority of the talking, and it's really just like reading dialogue.

“I think the way that Seersucker is approaching it interested me. I'm excited to see how this experimentation of graphic novel telling is going to turn out.”

Dennis Robinson II’s work is a little different. He will be presenting from his new illustrated novel “Gwen Tells and the House of Shroom.” He said his book is geared towards young readers in the same vein as “Harry Potter.”

“So I'm kind of dubbing it as an art book novel because the words are just as important as the images. It’s kind of like an illustrator that wrote a book.

None of the three wanted to give away too much about how they will be presenting their work. All Berinato said is that it would “be all visual art mixed with literature.” This will definitely be one Seersucker Live that shouldn’t be missed.

If You Go >>

Seersucker Live: The Graphic Episode

When: 7 p.m., May 4

Where: Front Porch Improv, 210 W. Victory Drive

For Tickets: FrontPorchImprov.com/calendar-tix

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Graphic novelists, illustrators take center stage at Seersucker Live