Patrick County native Sammie Cassell is well-known among local students and teachers for advocating comic books as a way to encourage reading.
A 1988 graduate of Patrick County High School, Cassell began reading comics in the late ‘70s after buying his first comic off a spinner rack at the old Conner’s Store in Patrick Springs.
The artist workshop Cassell coordinated in the summer at the Reynolds Homestead was a huge success, and Cassell is now the subject of a well-received and awarded documentary, “Sammie the Comic Book Man.”
The Reynolds Homestead has been chosen to be the site of the world premiere of the documentary on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m.
Popcorn and drinks will be available. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children under 18. There is limited seating.
Cassell credits his mother Ann Goad Cassell Marion for encouraging him to read from an early age. His talks at local elementary schools came about because of a series of factors, but “mainly due to Jen Spencer Cox at Hardin Reynolds, who after seeing a post about me giving comics to kids, asked if I’d come talk to her kids about comics,” Cassell said.
Cassell has also become quite the actor. In 2013 he began his career and has been in “Hank vs. the Undead,” “Hank vs. Dracula,” “The Haunting of Four Points” (out in 2017), and “Witching Hour.” He is also part owner of the Wreak Havoc Production Company with Dan Sellers, who is the director and producer of this documentary.
“I know many teachers and students in Patrick County schools have been touched by Sammie’s work to encourage reading,” Martin said. “And I hope that everyone comes out to see the documentary and wish a hearty ‘Congratulations’ to Sammie for a job well-done.”
Those wanting Sammie to make an appearance can contact him at scas918@gmail.com.ailto:wreakhavocproductions@gmail.com> wreakhavocproductions@gmail.com, through his Facebook page at Sammie Cassell, or the Sammie the Comic Book Man Facebook page.
