Arie Kaplan to speak April 28

Arie Kaplan to speak April 28

Award-winning author and humorist Arie Kaplan will speak and offer video game scriptwriting advice at Henderson State University April 28. 

Kaplan will speak on “The Jewish Origins of American Comic Books” at 11 a.m. in Arkansas Hall Room 207.  As a nonfiction author, he is perhaps best known for his book From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books, which was named a Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth Winner in 2009. From Krakow to Krypton was also a 2008 finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and a 2009 Sophie Brody Honor Book.

At 1:30 p.m., Kaplan will give advice on “Scriptwriting for Video Games” in Russell Fine Arts Room 143.  He teaches the Scriptwriting for Video Games course at New York Film Academy, and has written stories and dialogue for games such as House M.D. and Law & Order Legacies.

Kaplan received his B.F.A. from the Tisch School of the Arts.  He has written for television shows including TruTV Presents: World’s Dumbest…, the PBS Kids series Cyberchase, and MTV’s TRL.  He teaches a comic book writing course at Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts, and has written the comic book adventures of Superman, Speed Racer, Bart Simpson, Ben 10, Bugs Bunny, and Archie Andrews. Kaplan has also contributed numerous humor articles to MAD Magazine.

Kaplan’s visit is funded by a grant from the Ellis College of Arts & Sciences and a partnership with the Arkansas Literary Festival.