Upcoming Appearances
Request an Appearance
Would you like Solution Squad to have a presence at your comics or educator event?
Click Here to contact Jim!
Please include the name, dates, and location of the event. Generally, the more information about what it is and what you are looking for, the better!
Jim is an engaging public speaker regardless of the age of the audience. He reaches his audience on their level, no matter what the level is.
He is based out of Osceola, Indiana, just outside of South Bend, and has driven as far as New York to speak. Here are some photos to give you an idea of the breadth of Jim’s speaking experience:





Past Appearances
2012
- Cherry Capital Con, Traverse City, Michigan, May 25-27, 2012
- Kids Read Comics Convention, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 7-8, 2012
2013
- Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo, Chicago, Illinois, April 26-28, 2013. Jim participated on a panel called Integrating Comics into the Common Core on Friday, from 12:45-1:45 PM.
- Appleseed Con, Fort Wayne, Indiana, May 11, 2013
- Motor City Comicon, Suburban Collector Showplace, Novi, Michigan, May 17-19, 2013
- Cherry Capital Con, Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan, May 24-26, 2013
- Kankakee Fantasy Con, Kankakee Public Library, Kankakee, IL, June 8, 2013
- Kids Read Comics! Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 22-23, 2013
- Comic Book Mania Convention, Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, IL, July 13, 2013. Hours: 10am-5pm; admission is FREE.
- Wolverine Day, Hall of Heroes Super Hero Museum, Elkhart, Indiana, July 27, 2013
- Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL, August 8-11, 2013
- Dan Con Fall, Orland Park Civic Center, Orland Park, IL, September 21, 2013
- Kokomo-Con, Kokomo Event and Conference Center, Kokomo, Indiana, October 19, 2013
2014
- Northwest Indiana Comic Con, Schererville, Indiana, February 23, 2014
- Dan Con Spring, Orland Park Civic Center, Orland Park, Illinois, March 23, 2014 (with Reading With Pictures)
- IndyPendent Show, Radisson Hotel and Convention Center, 2500 S. High School Road, Indianapolis, Indiana, March 30, 2014
- Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, April 25-27, 2014 (with Reading With Pictures)
- Appleseed Comic Con, The Grand Wayne Center, 120 West Jefferson Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Indiana, May 17-18, 2014
- C4 Cherry Capital Comic Con, Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan, May 23-25, 2014
- Indy PopCon, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, May 30-June 1, 2014
- Kids Read Comics, Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 21-22 (with Reading With Pictures)
- American Library Association Annual Conference, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, June 26-28, 2014
- Comic Book Mania Convention, Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, Illinois, July 19, 2014
- Niles District Library Comic Con, 620 E Main St., Niles, Michigan 49120, August 30, 2014
- Grand Con, Crowne Plaza Hotel Convention Center, 5700 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan, September 20-21, 2014
- Barnes & Noble, University Park Mall, Mishawaka, Indiana, September 27-28, 2014
- New York Comic Con, Javits Center, New York, NY, October 9-12, 2014. Jim presented on two panels.
- Kokomo-Con, Kokomo Event and Conference Center, Kokomo, Indiana, Saturday, October 18, 2014
- IndyPendent Show, Radisson Hotel and Convention Center, 2500 S. High School Road, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 16, 2014
2015
- American Library Association MidWinter Conference, Sunday, February 1, 2015. Session: Making Educational Comics: Why Should the Pros Have All the Fun?
- Michigan State University Comics Forum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, February 21, 2015
Panel: Comics Education Roundtable, with Josh Elder and Jerzy Drozd, 12:15 PM - Kids Read Comics Convention, Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 20-21, 2015
- Comic Book Mania Convention, Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, Illinois, July 18, 2015
- German Township Branch of the St. Joseph Library, Saturday, August 8, 2015. Storytelling with Gene Ha and Rose McClain
- IndyPendent Show, Radisson Hotel and Convention Center, 2500 S. High School Road, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 15, 2015
2016
- Northwest Indiana Comic Con, Schererville, Indiana, February 20, 2016
- Michigan State University Comics Forum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, February 27, 2016
- Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo, Chicago, Illinois, March 18-20, 2016. Jim participated on a panel called Content Literacy: Teaching STEM with Comics on Friday, from 1:45-2:45 PM, and Secrets of Sustainable Self-Publishing on Sunday from 1:15-2:15 PM
- Captain America 75th Anniversary Celebration, Hall of Heroes Super Hero Museum, Elkhart, Indiana, May 14, 2016
- Barnes & Noble/SJCPL Creators Workshop & Book Signing, Barnes & Noble, Mishwaka, Indiana, Friday, May 20, 2016, 6-8 PM
- SJCPL Creators Workshop, St. Joseph County Public Library Main Branch, South Bend, Indiana, Saturday, May 21, 1-3 PM
- Comic Book Mania Convention, Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, IL, July 16, 2016. Hours: 10am-5pm; admission is FREE.
- Comic-Con International, San Diego, California, July 20-24. Jim will participate in two panels, Teaching STEM with Comics and Solution Squad: Teaching Math through Comics, both on Saturday, July 23, from 1-3 PM.
- New York Comic Con, New York, NY, October 6-9, 2016. Jim presented on two panels, Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Teach STEM, and Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Engage the Reluctant Reader.
2017
- Barnes & Noble Educator Brunch and PGP Workshop, Barnes & Noble, Mishawaka, Indiana, January 14, 2017
- Michigan State University Comics Forum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, February 25, 2016
- Comic Con Barrington, Barrington Area Library, Barrington, Illinois, March 5, 2017
- Indiana Comic Con, Indianapolis, Indiana, April 14-16, 2017. Jim will be presenting all three days.
- Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo, Chicago, Illinois, April 21-23, 2017. Jim will participate on several panels.
- Cherry Capital Con, Traverse City, Michigan, May 26-28, 2017
- Wonder Woman Day, Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum, Elkhart, Indiana, June 3
- Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival, Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 17-18, 2017
- U93 Roofsit, Heritage Square Martin’s, Granger, Indiana, June 22, 2017, 5:00 PM-8:30 PM.
- American Library Association Annual Conference, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, June 23-26, 2017
- Comic Book Mania Convention, Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, IL, July 15, 2017. Hours: 10am-5pm; admission is FREE.
- Solution Squad Signing and Educator Workshop, Aw Yeah Comics, Muncie, Indiana, July 19, 2017 3 PM-6 PM.
- Solution Squad Signing and Book Fair, Barnes & Noble, Mishawaka, Indiana, July 29
- Purdue University Seminar/Imagination Station appearance, West Lafayette, Indiana, October 13-14, 2017. Jim will be presenting to engineering and math education students as well as children at the Imagination Station.
- Kids Read Comics-Chelsea, Chelsea District Library, Chelsea, Michigan, October 21, 2017, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
- Comics at the Blue Box, Blue Box Cafe, Elgin, Illinois, November 4, 2017
- Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics Fall Conference, Indiana Marriott East Hotel, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 5-6, 2017. Jim will be presenting.
- Pop Culture Classroom Book Signing, Barnes and Noble, Orland Park, Illinois, December 3, 2017
2018
- Artist Alley Live at the Blue Box, Blue Box Cafe, Elgin, Illinois, February 10, 2018, 1 PM-5 PM CST
- Anderson’s Children’s Literature Breakfast, Bobak’s Signature Events – 6440 Double Eagle Dr, Woodridge, Illinois, February 24, 2018, 8 AM-12PM
- Wizard World Cleveland, Huntington Convention Center, Cleveland, Ohio, March 2-4, 2018
- Schaumburg Library Con, Central Library, 130 South Roselle Road, Schaumburg, Illinois, March 10, 2018, 12 PM – 4 PM CST
- Indiana Comic Con, Indianapolis, Indiana, March 30-31, April 1, 2018
- Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo, Chicago, Illinois, April 6-8, 2018 Jim will participate on several panels and appear in Artist Alley.
- Free Comic Book Day at Secret Door Games, 215 S Main St, Elkhart, Indiana, May 5, 2018
- Cherry Capital Con, Traverse City, Michigan, May 25-27, 2018
- Mishawaka Library Comic Con, Mishawaka, Indiana, June 9, 2018
- Denver Comic Con, Denver, Colorado, June 15-17, 2018
- American Library Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 22-25, 2018
- Hall of Heroes Comic Con, Lerner Theater, Elkhart, Indiana, September 8-9, 2018
- Monroe Comic-Con, MB&T Expo Center, Monroe, Michigan, September 15, 2018
- Comic Book Mania Convention, Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Avenue, Elgin, IL, September 29, 2018. Hours: 10am-5pm; admission is FREE.
- Kokomo-Con, Kokomo Event and Conference Center, Kokomo, Indiana, October 13, 2013
- Monster Comic Con, Century Center, South Bend, Indiana, October 20, 2018, 10 AM – 6 PM
- Midwest Toy Fest, Wyndham Indianapolis West, Indianapolis, Indiana, November 10-11, 2018