FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE (M) June 9, 2025

TOLEDO LIBRARY ANNOUNCES COMIC ARTS FEST FEATURED CREATORS MEGGIE RAMM AND RAÚL THE THIRD

The creators will participate in featured talks and lead comic workshops as part of the literary convention

TOLEDO, Ohio — Comic Arts Fest, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library’s family-friendly celebration of comics and graphic novels, welcomes Meggie Ramm and Raúl The Third as this year’s featured authors. The convention returns to Main Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 19. Both artists will participate in featured talks and host comic workshops.

          “The Toledo Library is excited to bring back Comic Arts Fest as part of its 2025 literary convention lineup,” said Jason Kuscma, the Toledo Library’s executive director. “Having Meggie Ramm and Raúl The Third at Comic Arts Fest is a fantastic opportunity for young comic readers and their families to explore the artists’ creative journeys and discover the power of comics as a tool for storytelling and literacy.”

          Comic Arts Fest features workshops, hands-on activities, author talks, a creator fair and panel discussions for comic fans of all ages. Free and open to the public, Comic Arts Fest promotes the diversity of the medium, encourages comic reading and celebrates visual literacy.

          “Comic Arts Fest connects readers with the art of storytelling through comics,” added Franco Vitella, Fact and Fiction manager and Comic Arts Fest work group chair. “The Toledo Library is thrilled to welcome Meggie Ramm and Raúl the Third, whose work inspires creativity and celebrates diverse voices.”

          An estimated 1,000 people attended Comic Arts Fest in 2023, where the creator fair featured approximately 30 writers, artists and other vendors. The 2023 event also included a variety of presenters, such as children’s comic author Mika Song (Donut Feed the Squirrels), art director and illustrator Shof Coker (New Masters) and Toledo-area comics writers and creators Kurt Erichsen, Jim Beard and Scoot McMahon.

          Comic Arts Fest apparel is available for preorder through Thursday, June 19 at toledolibrary.org/shop. The limited edition collection features a t-shirt, crewneck sweatshirt and large canvas tote bag, all bearing the Comic Arts Fest logo. Items will be shipped or ready for pickup around Thursday, July 10.

          Visit toledolibrary.org/comicartsfest for more information. Please note that programs are subject to change.

Comic Arts Fest featured creators

          Meggie Ramm, who uses they/them pronouns, is a non-binary cartoonist and comic educator. They graduated from California College of the Arts with a Master of Fine Arts in comics in 2017. They have done work for The New Yorker and Silver Sprocket, and have comics in the Advanced Death Saves and Votes 4 Women anthologies. Their anti-anxiety pocketbook, You Will Be Okay, was published through Silver Sprocket in 2019. They taught comics to kids in the East Bay for five years while creating Littlest Dungeon Guard comic strips for Sunday HaHa, a weekly collection of kid-friendly comics from a diverse group of comics creators. In 2024, they were invited to be a special guest at San Diego Comic Con and gave a spotlight panel on Teaching Kids Comics. Their first comic, Batcat, came out with Abrams in 2023, and the sequel, Batcat: Sink or Swim, came out this year. The third book is expected to come out in early 2025.

          Raúl The Third is a New York Times bestselling and three-time Pura Belpre award-winning illustrator, author and artist living in Boston. Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge was awarded one of the year’s Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2021 from the New York Times and the New York Public Library. His work centers around the contemporary Mexican American experience and his memories of growing up in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

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About the Toledo Lucas County Public Library Founded in 1838, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library serves as the go-to community connector for makers, doers and dreamers across Northwest Ohio. With 20 locations plus Mobile Services in Lucas County, Ohio, the Toledo Library empowers individuals and enhances the quality of life in its community by fostering a love of reading, lifelong learning and social connections. Through its collections, innovative programs, partnerships and a commitment to inclusivity, the Toledo Library remains a vibrant cultural hub for the Toledo region.

For more information, please visit toledolibrary.org.