The Great Comic Con

Though this writing gig is pretty wicked, it definitely resembles school a little too much for my tastes. Pay attention, kids: If you want to abandon the world of perpetual homework, deadlines and returned essays covered in red ink after you finish high school and college, journalism might not be the path for you. And when I'm invited to book clubs, I can't help but be immediately repulsed by the prospect of even more school-like effort. Required reading and group discussion? I'd rather go smoke in the alley with that kid who loves The Cure.

But Comic Book Club is different. No, this isn't where sheltered fanboys dress in their fave superhero costumes and bitch about inconsistent Green Lantern story arcs. The monthly conversation groups at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., are dedicated to the world's most detailed, intricate graphic novels, and this week's subject is particularly stellar: Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth. Chris Ware's story of a lonely middle-aged man pretty much demands a discussion group; full of symbolism, daydreams, flashbacks and an always-wavering timeline, Corrigan is both immediately pleasing thanks to its clean art style and incredibly demanding thanks to its convolution. Comic Book Club begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and is hosted by Josh Rose. Meet at the Visitor Services Desk. Admission is free. Call 214-922-1826.
Thu., Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m.