Comic-Con, a concept that started out as a project in Kristin Oberg’s women's studies class, has grown into an art show that raises money for a local non-profit, Bags & Blessings.
By: Devon Johnson
Comic-Con in its fifth year at Beaver campus
MONACA — Comic-Con, a concept that started out as a project in Kristin Oberg’s women's studies class, has grown into an art show for the campus that raises money for a local non-profit.
Oberg, who teaches rhetoric composition and women’s studies, recently hosted Comic-Con in the campus library to raise money for the Bags & Blessings organization, a faith-based non-profit created to bring hope and love to cancer patients by supplying bags of comfort items to people going through treatment.
Oberg, who is a cancer survivor, said Bags & Blessings supported her, so she said she wanted to use this event as a way to give back.
This is the fifth annual Comic-con and the second year of fundraising for Bags & Blessings. During Comic-Con, which coincided with Women’s History Month, people donated their change to their favorite superhero creation with all of the proceeds benefiting Bags & Blessings.
Comic-Con began as a class project in which students in Oberg’s class create a female superhero, write a comic book about them, and design a comic book cover. Oberg decided the work her students were doing deserved more attention.
“I started doing this event because my students' art and stories they created in my women’s studies class were awesome, and I just felt like it wasn’t enough if I’m the only one who gets to see them,” Oberg said. “I added the fundraising element because I thought it would be awesome, and I hope this event can benefit a very good cause.”
“Individuals dealing with cancer are the real superheroes,” Oberg said. “Students can come and vote for their favorite character and when they vote, they’re donating to an actual cause.”
In addition to the original superhero stories and artwork, the Comic-Con event included a screening of “Wonder Woman!” and featured “Super Pups” - therapy dogs Pippa and Duncan - to help with stress relief.
“Individuals dealing with cancer are the real superheroes,” Oberg said. “Students can come and vote for their favorite character and when they vote, they’re donating to an actual cause.”
Students enjoyed the event and were more drawn to it when they found out it was a charity event for individuals who are fighting cancer.
Madison Lott, a psychology major, was aware the event was for charity to help raise money for people fighting cancer, and said it made the event special and entertaining.
“I think it’s very cool this event is supporting a charity helping people with cancer, the fact the event is helping people with cancer is enough for me to attend.”
Juhi Patel, a criminology major, thought this event was creative and had meaning because of the different characters with different powers fighting for something.
“I think it’s really cool to see the different characters, and I think the characters impact a lot of people, including myself,” she said.
