The Middle Village Players (MVP) Roller Hockey League and the local comic book shop, Spinworks Comics located at 74-10 69th Rd. in Middle Village, on Nov. 14 hosted a trivia round table for kids in the league to discuss comic books and flex their knowledge on both the characters and comics themselves.
Mike Raphael, who owns Spineworks Comics, provided the attendees with three separate comic books: issues featuring DC’s Superman, Marvel’s Spiderman and an ambitious crossover between GI Joe and Transformers, which each of the kids read on their own and discussed in a traditional Socratic Seminar roundtable.
“We have decided to do a second meetup with this group, and will now look to open up this program a bit more. So, if you have a child that may enjoy reading and talking about comics in a safe and fun environment, get in touch with us and we will let you know when the next event will take place,” Spineworks Comics wrote on Instagram.
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Much to the surprise of MVP President Paul Pogozelski, who organized the event to keep members of the roller hockey community entertained and engaged during the off-season, most of the kids preferred the older comic books and their iconic “Ben Day” dots as they all discussed both the substances of the stories and the traditional style featuring a plethora of both”POWs” and “BAMs.” The MVP league comic-fans in attendance at the event were also surprised with a giveaway when Raphael presented superhero-themed backpacks courtesy of Mike Carbonero and Big Apple Comics.
According to Pogozelski, parents of the hockey players were happy to see them reading and excited to hear of a new or renewed passion in the physical medium. More events like the comic book roundtable are soon to come from the MVP Roller Hockey League, including one with a local bank and at the Middle Village Chamber of Commerce. Spineworks Comics typically focuses on being both a comic book restoration destination and a boutique; buying and selling new additions, back-issue comics and collectibles. Raphael’s shop, which a passion project he opened up after the COVID-19 pandemic, also announced it plans on hosting other events for adults, such as a general “Nerd Club” and a “Swap and Sip” meet up where comic enthusiasts can share their own issues over a cup of coffee.
“We really appreciate being supported by the community and want our children to become the cornerstones of our future through neighborhood outreach efforts,” said Pogozelski.
