A. David Lewis will discuss the role of religion and the religious in comics and graphic novels on Friday, June 8 at 7 p.m. at the Hotel at Kirkwood Center. The presentation is part of Out Loud! The Metro Library Network Author Series.

The event is free and open to the public with no tickets required. The Out Loud! Author Series is a program of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries.

During his event, Lewis will discuss Graven Images: Religion in Comic Books and Graphic Novels, which he co-edited and in which his essay centered on Superman appears. Other essays in the book consider the work of comics creators such as Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and Grant Morrison. Lewis is the author of comics with religious themes including The Lone and Level Sands, Mortal Coils, and Some New Kind of Slaughter.

In support of his visit, Lewis has sent 24 comics images that have been divided into four mini-exhibitions on display at the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries and the Cedar Rapids Barnes & Noble. The four mini-exhibitions feature “Afterlife,” “Non-Western Religion,” “Jesus and Divinity,” and “Muslim Superheroes,” respectively.

The Out Loud! Author Series will present three additional authors in 2012 including paranormal teen romance writer Wendy Delsol (June 21), bestselling thriller writer James Rollins (July 1), and science writer Sam Kean (July 13).

Out Loud! The Metro Library Network Author Series is supported by the Giacoletto Foundation with media support from The Gazette and event book sales provided by Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

More information about the Out Loud! Author Series can be found at www.metrolibrarynetwork.org/outloud.