IT"S ON! >>>

The 24 Hour Comics Day doesn't involved Save The Sonics Guy, expensive drinks and hecklers. It's not a standup comedy competition. Rather it's an all-day drawing bash where South Sound's finest sketchers - including members of the Cartoonist's League of Absurd Washingtonians - go eye-to-eye and computer-to-computer to create a 24-page comic book from scratch in 24 hours. It's a worldwide event, but locally hosted, once again, by John Munn's Comic Book Ink in Lakewood.

Fifteen artists brought their own art supplies, computers, iPads and coffee and began working on page one of their masterpieces at 10 a.m. while normal operations continued at Comic Book Ink, which means game card players bickering and little kids telling store employees their top three comic book heroes. The store will stay open overnight, hosting a comics sale around 10 or 11 p.m.

Kevin Freitas, who is adding words to James Stowe's comic panels, is covering the event live on his feedtacoma.com, which includes a streaming camera feed. Follow the action here.

The event benefits CLAW's scholarship fund, raising money to help students with a passion for cartooning pay for things like tuition, books or art supplies. If you donate in the name of Team Freitas Stowe, you may be included in their comic book. Drop by Comic Book Ink for details.

I popped in around 11:30 a.m. and snapped a few photos. The artists have their game faces on.

[Comic Book Ink, ends 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, 2510 S. 84th St., Lakewood, 253.761.4651]