You don’t have to sit at home alone reading to get into comic books and graphic novels. There are always great events going on that celebrate the vitality and creativity of comics. Just here in Los Angeles, there are more events I can ever make. But I try, and so should you. You never know what you’ll discover.

Here are some local Los Angeles events coming up that celebrate the sequential art form.

This week:

Monday, January 10, 7 PM: Tales of the Extraordinary, a 1920s pulp radio serial, spends the month performing their live story “Islands,” using the audience as sound FX, at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046. The band Windows to Sky opens. Tickets: $8.

Wednesday, January 12: NEW COMICS DAY! Find your local comics specialty shop.

Wednesday, January 12, 6 PM – 8 PM: Todd McFarlane (co-founder, Image Comics) signs Spawn #200, the second-longest running independent comic book series in history, at Golden Apple Comics, 7018 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles 90038. Limit 2 items per person. Tickets: $0.

Wednesday, January 12, 8:30 PM: The Meltdown with Kumail Nanjiani and Jonah Ray (weekly comedy show) featuring stand-up comedians MC Mr. Napkins, Pete Holmes, James Adomian, Duncan Trussell, Dana Gould, and videos from Fatal Farm, at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046. Tickets: $8.

Thursday, January 13, 5 PM – 7 PM: Nathan Edmondson (writer, The Light) kicks off his book tour in support of his new Image Comics series Who Is Jake Ellis?, including free original artwork by series artist Tonci Zonjic (Daredevil) to the first person in line, at Earth-2 Comics, 15017 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks 91403. Tickets: $0.

Friday, January 14, 8 PM – Sunday, January 16, 9 PM: Graphation Film Festival, screening short films to be adapted into comic books and graphic novels, screens its selected films at the Downtown Independent Theatre, 251 S. Main Street, Los Angeles 90012. Tickets: $45 for all-access festival pass; $12 per night (enter to win tickets at Meltdown Comics)

Sunday, January 16, 10 AM – 5 PM: The Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention returns to the Shrine Auditorium Expo Center, 700 West 32nd Street, Los Angeles 90007. Tickets: $8 (free for children 5 years and under).

The future:

Monday, January 17, 7 PM: Tales of the Extraordinary, a 1920s pulp radio serial, spend the month performing their live story “Islands” using the audience as sound FX at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046. Tickets: $8.

Wednesday, January 19, 8 PM: Comics podcast Bagged & Boarded with SModcastle’s Matt Cohen and Brendan Creecy with special guest Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Heavy Metal) has a live show broadcast at SModcastle, 6468 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles 90038. Tickets: $10.

Thursday, January 20, 8:30 PM: The world premiere of feature film Gantz, based on the Japanese manga by Hiroya Oku, published by Dark Horse Comics, will be screened at participating theaters (such as LA Live and many AMC Theaters), followed by an exclusive live interview with actors Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama (on tape delay for west coast).

Saturday, January 22, 8:30 PM: The Beards of Comedy Tour, featuring Andy Sandford, Joe Zimmerman, TJ Young, and Dave Stone, with special guest Kyle Kinane, makes a stop at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046. Tickets: $10.

Monday, January 24, 7 PM: Tales of the Extraordinary, a 1920s pulp radio serial, spend the month performing their live story “Islands” using the audience as sound FX at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046. Tickets: $8.

Wednesday, January 26, 8 PM: Comics podcast Bagged & Boarded with SModcastle’s Matt Cohen and Brendan Creecy with special guest TBA has a live show broadcast at SModcastle, 6468 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles 90038. Tickets: $10.

Monday, January 31, 7 PM: Tales of the Extraordinary, a 1920s pulp radio serial, spend the month performing their live story “Islands” using the audience as sound FX at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046. Tickets: $8.

Saturday, February 26, 7 PM – 11 PM: Eat Your Art Out, the 4th annual group benefit art show presented by the Angel City Derby Girls returns with artwork by over 60 international artists, including Jim Mahfood (Stupid Comics), Jason Shawn Alexander and others, and music by DJ Day, for one night only at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046. Tickets: $0

Friday, April 1: Sweet Streets debuts a new art exhibit, Magical Girls: Art Inspired by Shōjo Manga, at Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles 90046.

Have an upcoming comics-related event in the LA area? Know of one? Email me.