Taming dreams
Almost all seats were filled in the Porterville College theater Friday night as Marie Javins, a DC Entertainment author and world traveler, prepared for her awaited presentation.
Javins, a group editor at DC Entertainment, author and world traveler, gave a presentation titled ‘Demystifying Dreams: The Story of One Woman’s Adventures, From Bluffing Her Way Across International Borders to Being in Charge of the Justice League.”
The presentation is part of PC’S Cultural and Historical Awareness Program (CHAP). Javins’ presentation focused on discovering the intersection between global exploration and comic book creation, reflecting encounters along the way of her journeys through the continents and by finding inspiration in both complex challenges.
Javins has traveled the world twice all on her own, once in 2001 and a second time in 2011. Javins is currently planning her third trip around the world for 2021 for her ten year anniversary.
“Stop letting routine destroy you,” said Javins as she talked about her years working for Marvel and her desire to travel and meet new places. “I left one day with a credit card, all alone.”
Javins talked about her childhood and her journey through college. A graduate of Antioch College in Ohio, Javins explained she was able to find a way to make it through college and somewhere along the line she ended up with an internship with Marvel, which eventually became a full-time job as a comic book colorist and editor.
Javins explained how a comic book is built and shared with the audience some of her works.
She worked with Marvel for about ten years when she decided to take on one of her journeys around the world. In 2001 she traveled the world by surface transportation, and in 2011 did it again by plane. During the presentation of her adventures, Javins opened her book, ‘Stalking the Wild Dikdik: One Woman’s Solo Misadventures Across Africa’ and started reading about a time in Africa where she almost got attacked by a hippopotamus.
After reading the chapter from her book, Javins encouraged the audience to travel and used her experience as an example.
“There are three things learned from this chapter I just read, one I can go around the world all on my own,” said Javins. “I can get on a car anywhere to get somewhere. As you can see, it’s not that hard to demystify exotic adventures.”
Javins has written nine books, including ‘Stalking the Wild Dik-
Dik: One Woman's Solo Misadventures Across Africa' and a prose novel about Iron Man. Javins talked about her life adventures that have shaped the person she is now.
Javins also taught at New York's School of Visual Arts. At DC Entertainment, Javins oversees the Justice League publishing line. Before landing at DC, she served as editor in chief of a comics company based in Kuwait.
She explained how she uses a practical approach to everything, from arguing with armed border guards to creating a thriving global career in a creative industry.
Javins' presentation was free and open to the public. It was part of this year's CHAP series themed “Connections: Ideas, People, Places.” The next CHAP presentation is Oct. 5 by Jay Hargins, a professor of history at PC entitled ‘The 10th Muse: Sor Juana De la Cruz, Poetess and Feminist in Colonial Mexico.'