gaithersburg book festival – Comicsgirl https://www.comicsgirl.com Wed, 27 Jun 2018 01:34:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://www.comicsgirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cropped-EdenMiller2017-1-32x32.jpg gaithersburg book festival – Comicsgirl https://www.comicsgirl.com 32 32 59683043 Comics at Gaithersburg Book Festival 2017 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2017/05/22/comics-at-gaithersburg-book-festival-2017/ Tue, 23 May 2017 00:04:31 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=4344 The Gaithersburg Book Festival always does well by comics. This year, I was happy to see all the comics-related programming was scheduled back-to-back (although I imagine that made it less convenient for people who wanted their books signed) so I could attend all of it.

Penelope Bagieu discussed her latest book, California Dreamin’: Cass Elliot Before the Mamas & the Papas (2017, First Second), with Michael Cavna from the Washington Post. She said the book was “not a documentary” and that “I’m here to write a story” being clear that it was her version of Cass. Referencing her upcoming Brazen (out in English from First Second in 2018), she said “you never have enough books about strong women doing what they want to do.”

The second panel discussed the process of creating comics. It featured Ru Xu (Newsprints, Scholastic Graphix, 2017), Alexis Frederick-Frost (the Adventures in Cartooning series, First Second) with guidance and moderation by Gareth Hinds (the upcoming Poe: Stories and Poems, Candlewick Press, 2017). Each discussed their own approach to creating comics, showing there was no one way to make a comic or graphic novel. They each attempted to demonstrate of how they worked, which was mostly successful (to be fair, they were all using Hinds’ computer and weren’t the most familiar with it).

The final comics-related panel of the day was about First Second’s Science Comics imprint, edited by Dave Roman (although, as he pointed out, he didn’t edit the two books featured here). It featured Alison Wilgus and Molly Brooks, creators of Flying Machines: How the Wright Brothers Soared (First Second, 2017) and Falynn Koch, creator of Bats: Learning to Fly (First Second, 2017).

After a brief discussion about how much they liked science — Brooks said she was more excited about the idea of science and Wilgus said she was really interested in space — they all talked about how much they had to learn for their books. Brooks said she took the job very seriously because she was “terrified of lying to children on accident.” Koch joked about making bats cuter because there were a lot of “uggo bats” out there. She also has the upcoming Plagues: The Microscopic Battlefield and talked about the challenges of making plagues cute.

They then called up a young cat expert as a volunteer and created a four-panel comic using the information she provided. Wilgus was the writer, Roman was the editor and Brooks and Koch handled drawing duties. It was fast-paced and fun.

Below is a gallery of photos from the event.

michael-cavna-and-penelope-bagieu penelope-bagieu ru-xu-alexis-frederick-frost-and-gareth-hinds ru-xu alexis-frederick-frost gareth-hinds falynn-koch alison-wilgus young-cat-expert-and-dave-roman molly-brooks falynn-koch-alison-wilgus-molly-brooks-and-dave-roman dave-roman-signing alison-wilgus-and-molly-brooks
]]> 4344 Pénélope Bagieu at the Gaithersburg Book Festival https://www.comicsgirl.com/2015/05/18/penelope-bagieu-at-the-gaithersburg-book-festival/ Tue, 19 May 2015 00:11:23 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=4243 You wouldn’t know it to look at her, but French cartoonist Pénélope Bagieu is a knight.

Bagieu laughed off being a Chevalier des arts et des lettres, saying it mostly consisted of getting a hug and a heavy pin, it did set the tone for her conversation with George O’Connor at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 16.

Bagieu, who is a recent transplant to the U.S. (Brooklyn, specifically — she joked the next thing she’s working on is finding a couch), discussed with O’Connor the recent translation of her first graphic novel, Exquisite Corpse (First Second, 2015) into English as well as her life, her work and being a rock star (she’s a drummer! Despite the fact she said her former band sucks, she was still a drummer in a rock band and that’s amazingly cool).

Bagieu got her start drawing a comic called Josephine for Swiss magazine Femina. While she had a background in animation, she had never drawn a comic before, so she said she learned as she went. After she completed a year, she realized she had a book. After three years, she had enough and liked the idea of writing a complete story. That became Exquisite Corpse.

O’Connor asked about why it took so long for the book, originally published in France in 2010, to appear in English. Bagieu talked about meeting First Second editor Mark Siegel in France and how he expressed interest in her work, but because of translation and rights issues, it just took a long time. She also discussed the differences between French and American markets. In France, books are just released; in the U.S. there are worries about if it’s for adults or if it’s for kids. She also laughed that books can’t be “too French” for American audiences.

Bageiu said she’s enjoying her time in America and loves that people are connecting with her work. She finds it amazing and delightful her book was translated. She joked that she doesn’t even care if people come up to her and say Exquisite Corpse is “crap” because they “said it in English.”

O’Connor asked about the main character of Exquisite Corpse, Zoe. Zoe wasn’t a reader and O’Connor found that intriguing. Bagieu said that was actually something she could relate to, mentioning that famous people were the people on TV in her world. She also mentioned that despite making comics, she didn’t really read them until some bookstore clerks helped her out. She mentioned My Mommy: Is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill by Jean Regnaud and Mile Bravo as the breakthough comic for her. It left her “crying like a fountain” and made her realize that comics aren’t just adventures or “boyish.” She said she now gives all her friends comics as gifts, and she pointed out, she’s “never wrong.”

Bageiu and O’Connor then discussed her process. She writes a lot before she ever starts drawing, and said no one else can really understand her scripts but her. She plans things out because the moment she starts to draw, it’s “scary.” She said the one thing she’s really careful about and clear about is the dialogue.

When asked about her influences, Bageiu said her mom had a lot of picture books, and she spent a lot of time with those. She mentioned ’50s and ’60s illustrators, especially, and cartoons. She used to tell people she wanted to grow up to be Tex Avary.

As far as upcoming projects go (other than a couch), she just completed a book about the ’60s folk scene, focusing on Mamma Cass, called California Dreaming. While there’s no promising it will be out in English, she’s hopeful.

In conclusion, O’Connor asked if Bageiu had any dream projects. She said she doesn’t really think that way, but at a panel at Toronto Comic Arts Festival, she and other panelists were asked what all illustrators dreamed of doing. Everyone one of them said “the cover of The New Yorker.” While she didn’t say she hopes for that, it doesn’t seem out the realm of possibilities for her.

After all, there are so many things she wants to do. She wants to live “one hundred years” because she has so many stories to tell.

But since Bageiu has already been knighted, I don’t think any of us should worry about what the future holds for her.

]]> 4243 Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki at Politics and Prose https://www.comicsgirl.com/2014/05/19/jillian-tamaki-and-mariko-tamaki-at-politics-and-prose/ https://www.comicsgirl.com/2014/05/19/jillian-tamaki-and-mariko-tamaki-at-politics-and-prose/#comments Tue, 20 May 2014 00:36:29 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=4115 Mariko Tamaki, left, and Jillian Tamaki at Politics and Prose on May 17, 2014
Mariko Tamaki, left, and Jillian Tamaki at Politics and Prose on May 17, 2014

Jillian and Mariko Tamaki’s discussion of their new graphic novel, This One Summer (First Second/Groundwood Books, 2014) at Politics and Prose on May 17 was introduced by what seemed like an unlikely choice: A young man named Frans. In his metal T-shirt and camouflage pants with long hair and a beard, he didn’t seem like someone who would be too into a young adult graphic novel about two girls created by two women. But that was the point: Frans told us that while he came into comics through ’90s titles like Cyberforce, he found a lot to connect with in This One Summer.

If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is.

For about an hour, the Tamaki cousins discussed their book and their work overall in an intimate chat, taking questions from the audience of a few dozen. The two had a playful, easy chemistry with each other, which showed why they are such effortless collaborators.

Many questions focused on their creative process. Mariko said she gives Jillian a script that’s written in a play format, but mostly trusts what Jillian will do with it. And the idea of “trust” was a big theme in how they work with each other. Jillian said she felt entitled to ignore some of Mariko’s dialogue and direction, and Mariko was OK with that, saying that most of those things were for her own understanding.

As opposed to their first collaborative graphic novel, Skim, this story was more complicated so there was more back and forth and more editing (and many Skype conversations). Both spoke of the strengths comics as an artform has — Mariko said that part of writing comics is writing very sparsely and letting the visual elements do much of the work.

Many people had questions about the editing process for this book and comics in general. The Tamakis did a lot of their own editing, but they did work with their publishers. They both said they were fortunate to have publishers who understand what they’re doing and because they did Skim, both publishers knew what sort of subject matter to expect.

That led to a question if they were ever forced to make changes. Mariko said they never felt forced to make any changes and Jillian said she didn’t know why anyone would be surprised by what they were creating. Mariko said that the things that define “young adult” literature have changed and Jillian added most kids aren’t going to pick up a book unless it has edgier elements in it.

When asked about writing about female protagonists, Jillian shrugged it off. She said she only wants to make books she wants to read and she doesn’t understand the trends. She’s more interested in realism and didn’t think, at the time, that Skim was really a YA book. Mariko commented that the subtitled on the mini-comic version of Skim was “This is the diary of Skim Takota. So fuck off” and she wasn’t interested in writing to market. She said she can’t write a dystopian adventure story and her characters would be “the first two characters to be killed off in the Hunger Games.“

Both talked about the hard realities of doing what they do. As much as Jillian loves making comics, it’s subsidized by the other things she does — teaching, illustration work and more. Because of that, she said “I should just make the comics I want to make.” Mariko laughed about having to teach a class about working as a writer and said it should’ve been a class on “Working four jobs.” But both felt their other jobs is what gives them material and depth and keeps them motivated. Jillian said she creates comics for comics audiences primarily, since they’re the ones who know the medium. If others like it, then that’s just a bonus.

They joked about the differences between U.S. and Canadian literature — mostly that Canada isn’t into that whole “hero” thing but instead, just surviving, and they liked that Canadian literature is full of “cranky, frustrated women.”

When asked about how she’s able to convey such subtle emotions, Jillian offered this advice: “If you want to learn how to draw, make a comic.” She’s someone who’s still learning and growing as an artist, despite her years of experience. Mariko offered her praise, saying that in anyone else’s hands, the moments Jillian draws would be melodramatic.

As a perfect summary to the talk, as the two discussed their expectations for This One Summer going forward, Mariko said simply “What I wanted this book to be, it already is.”

But if the reaction from everyone — including Frans — is any indication, it’s going to be much more than that.

(Also on Saturday was the Gaitherburg Book Festival. I have a few photos and few thought on Tumblr.)

]]> https://www.comicsgirl.com/2014/05/19/jillian-tamaki-and-mariko-tamaki-at-politics-and-prose/feed/ 1 4115 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for May 21 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/05/21/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-may-21/ Tue, 21 May 2013 23:00:19 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3803 News/reviews/interviews:

Event reports:

Publications:

Kickstarter:

Events:

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me by 4 p.m. Tuesday. More information is here.

]]> 3803 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for May 7 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/05/07/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-may-7/ Tue, 07 May 2013 22:31:50 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3791 News/reviews/interviews:

Event reports:

Podcast/audio:

Events:

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me by 4 p.m. Tuesday. More information is here.

]]> 3791 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for April 23 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2013/04/23/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-april-23/ Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:58:16 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3729 News/reviews/interviews:

Event coverage:

Podcasts:

Free Comic Book Day events (May 4):

  • Matt Dembicki, S.G. Artley and Michael Cowgill at Big Planet Comics,  Vienna, Va.
  • Andrew Cohen and Evan Keeling  at Big Planet Comics, Washington, D.C.
  • Art Hondros at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • Troy-Jeffery Allen and Matt Rawson at Fantom Comics, Washington, D.C.
  • Jacob Warrenfelt?z at Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md.
  • Rafer Roberts and John Shine at Beyond Comics, Gaithersburg, Md.
  • Carolyn Belefski and Joe Carabeo at Laughing Ogre Comics, Fairfax, Va.
  • Rob Anderson at Laughing Ogre, Lansdowne, Va.
  • Cary Nord, Brandon Seifert, Greg LaRocqoue, Joe Keatinge, Mike Moreci, Steve Seeley, Marc Hempel at Collectors Corner, Baltimore, Md.
  • Adam Kubert, Frank Cho, and Steve Conley at Cards, Comics & Collectibles, Riestertown, Md.

Kickstarter:

Events:

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me by 4 p.m. Tuesday. More information is here. I’m still taking FCBD events.

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