nick abadzis – Comicsgirl https://www.comicsgirl.com Sat, 30 Jun 2018 15:07:52 +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 nick abadzis – Comicsgirl https://www.comicsgirl.com 32 32 59683043 Happy 20th birthday, Comicsgirl! https://www.comicsgirl.com/2018/07/01/happy-20th-birthday-comicsgirl/ Sun, 01 Jul 2018 13:00:02 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=4767

On July 1, 1998, the first incarnation of Comicsgirl officially launched. The internet was a very different place then and no, I didn’t think I’d still be trying to hang onto this 20 years later. I mean, 2018 was completely the future! I have no idea if that teenager who thought it would be cool to make a website would be happy or sad I’m still doing this. I may have been overly ambitious, but it was 1998 and there was a need!

I admit to being naive in some of the language I used but I do admire how generous I attempted to be, even if I was — admittedly — really imperfect at it.

The early days of Comicsgirl are long since gone from the internet, for the most part. There’s still the Wayback Machine, so let’s revisit some of the things I wrote (not all are from the earliest version of the site — the oldest version I could find was from October 1999, but close enough!) Also, I just tossed these images in — they weren’t ones from the original site (and the introductions to these posts did have creator/publisher information and such).

About The Sandman:

The Sandman was an ambitious project about the Lord of Dreams and his family, The Endless (Destiny, Death, Delirium, Destruction, Desire, Despair), and the mortal (and often not so mortal) dreamers they encountered. The Sandman delved deeply into mythology, history, and literature. It has been said that The Sandman is a story about stories, and I will easily agree with that.

The Sandman, mainly because it was a nontraditional comic book (meaning that it generally lacked men in tights and capes fighting crime), appealed to many women. Neil Gaiman’s personal estimate of its readership is about 50/50 split between males and females. Three and a half of the seven Endless are female (Death, Despair, Delirium, and sometimes Desire), and many strong female characters play prominent roles in the storylines. Even though some of the female characters may be strippers, or murdered, they are never presented as being mere sex objects or victims. From the coldly independent Thessaly, to the sweet, lonely Nuala, to the quick intelligence Johanna Constantine, every woman in The Sandman has self-worth and is presented as being nothing less than whole. One character remarks in The Sandman that “All women are remarkable.” Everything about the women in this title would agree with that. Highest recommendation possible.

About Elfquest:

ElfquestElfquest is a fantasy comic book concerning a group of elves named the Wolfriders. These elves evolved after a race of being accidentally landed at the wrong time on a fantasy world. They struggle against humans who believed them to be demons, cruel trolls, and even other treacherous elves in a struggle for survival in a world where they do not belong.

Elfquest, which was written and illustrated for many years by a woman, has an abundance of female characters, each multidimensional with her own strengths and weaknesses. The female elves are treated on the same terms as the male elves, and neither gender is made to look superior or inferior. The writing and artwork deals with them both equally. While the women are sometimes scantily clad and well-figured, the men are drawn exactly in the same manner, and neither is offensive. The stories are excellent, the art is great, and Elfquest is just downright fun. Highly Recommended.

About Batman: The Dark Knight Returns:

In this dark and historic miniseries, Frank Miller explores what effect superheroes have on society. Ten years after Bruce Wayne retired from being Batman, a new crime wave has hit Gotham City. Although he is older, Bruce Wayne feels the drive and desire to become Batman once again, and does so not realizing how the world has changed since the last time Batman appeared.

I almost did not want to review this, because the question came up…is The Dark Knight Returns “female-friendly”? Well, it’s not “friendly” in any way, although it is a monumental work–as relevant today as it was ten years ago, and it probes deeply into the psyche of one of the world’s most beloved superheroes, but is it something female comic book readers would enjoy? I can only speak from experience that I am a female comic book reader, and I liked it a lot.

I would like you to be warned–this is no simple superhero tale. It is violent, unnerving, unrelenting. Those aspects of the book can’t be ignored. But The Dark Knight Returns is also about the sweet, fatherly relationship Batman has with the new Robin, a thirteen-year old girl, and Batman’s continuous attempt to save himself from the torture of the memory of the violent killing of his parents he witnessed as a child. These aspects humanize the book. It’s not just mindlessly violent, nor a thoughtless tale of fighting crime. It’s about one man’s misguided mission to save his city from crime–to stop what happened to him from happening to anyone else. In that regard, the book is worthy of being read and something will be gained from doing so. So reservations about “female-friendliness” aside: Highly Recommended.

Yeah, and that’s enough of that. Did I mention I was a teenager and this was more or less 20 years ago?

In all honesty, though, doing this has brought so many good things into my life. People were generous with their comics and I got to read a lot of things I wouldn’t have otherwise. I was once vaguely considered an “expert” and people even interviewed me about my site! It lead to getting involved with Small Press Expo and that’s been amazing. I’ve made countless friends — including people I absolutely consider to be my family. It indirectly (and directly) lead to job opportunities. It has been frustrating at times, sure, but I think there’s a good reason that even after 20 years, I haven’t wanted to let go of this.

Mostly, it’s been such a huge part of my life and I’ve loved it so much.

I’ve watched the internet change from websites (remember when I used to run a webring? Do you even know what a webring is?) to blogs to … whatever space we’re in now. I like change but I hope I can keep up.

I had fun going through my site and rereading things. I’ve collected a few of them.

Favorite posts (that aren’t reviews):

My favorite reviews:

Three reviews by special guests:

Despite the fact I haven’t updated this site in nearly a year, I don’t consider it “dead” — I’m just … taking a break. I have some plans for the next era of this site. I’m getting there! I may even bring the podcast back! But really, thank you to everyone who has ever indulged me with this. You’re all a delight.

]]> 4767 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for June 14 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/06/14/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-june-14/ Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:00:37 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3218
Nick Abadzis at Big Planet Comics Bethesda

News/interviews/etc.

Con/event reports:

Kickstarter/Indiegogo:

  • Magic Bullet #5 – D.C. area’s comic newspaper. While the campaign has met its goal, there’s still 8 days left.

Debuts and new issues/releases:

  • Kindling, illustrated by Deanna Echanique, begins June 19.

Upcoming releases:

Events:

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Wednesday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Thursday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

]]> 3218 Review: Hugo Tate https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/06/08/review-hugo-tate/ Fri, 08 Jun 2012 15:30:51 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3207 At what point do you actually know who you are? Do you ever do?

That is the central question at the heart of Nick Abadzis’ Hugo Tate collection (Blank Slate Books, 2012), which compiles his late ’80s and early ’90s strip from Deadline magazine. You learn and grow as you go through life — and that seems to apply to both the character of Hugo and Abadzis as an artist.

Hugo starts out as little more than a doodle. He’s basically a stick figure — with his round head and only scant facial features and crudely drawn body, he’s more a suggestion of a person than a representation of one. As the strips continue, Hugo’s friends are all more realistically drawn in Abadzis’ classic style, but Hugo remains separate and cartoony. He’s not fully formed yet.

As the story and strip progresses, Hugo does take on more notable characteristics, although Abadzis never gives him complete facial features. It becomes easy to see yourself in Hugo because he doesn’t look like anyone in particular.

Beginning with a 3×3, 9-panel structure, the formality of Hugo Tate is a contrast to the looseness of the drawing. Abadzis, however, does begin to ditch this rigid layout for more inventive ones. The later, open pages are a marked contrast to what begins the book — it’s an artist testing his storytelling limits and what he’s capable of. Joyfully, though, Abadzis does often return to the 3×3 grid in Hugo Tate, especially in the last few pages, providing a beautiful echo of all that came before.

Women play a surprisingly strong role in this book. Although Hugo is the focus, it’s about those around him, too. Perhaps the biggest influence on Hugo’s life is his older sister, Edie, and I’d love to read an entire comic about the beautiful and self-assured Dorinda. While Hugo’s briefly-seen (ex-)girlfriend Mattie is a bit of a cypher — Hugo can’t even recall the exact circumstances in which he met her (he was drunk) — she still seems to have her own life. I kind of love that all the people around Hugo seem to have more going on than he does.

It may be a stretch to say that the character of Hugo is a stand-in for Abadzis at this time, but I appreciate that Abadzis seemed to understand that while Hugo may be adrift, the other people around him aren’t necessarily. It’s telling that the last several pages don’t even feature Hugo.

It’s not a story without its flaws. The episodic nature means plot threads don’t always necessarily connect, and Hugo’s cross-country trip just seems like a half-hearted attempt to say profound things about the U.S. and soap-opera twists and developments toward the end feel a little out of place, as if Abadzis wasn’t sure where else to take the story. But there’s an honesty about all of this — as much as it is about Hugo’s journey into adulthood, it’s about an artist finding what he wants to be saying. And the free, making-it-up-as-I-go feeling is charming. It doesn’t entirely work, but I admire that Abadzis felt daring enough to push Hugo’s story into a darker, more challenging place.

Abadzis was definitely developing his style here, but his line work is still stunning. Although some of the broad parodies of late ’80s New Yorkers or early ’90s Californians may come across as forced, his ability to capture distinctive personalities in his drawings is delightful. The suggestions made with facial expressions and wildly inventive dream sequences tend to set the mood for the story overall. It’s not just about a young man making his way in the world. It’s about all of us.

And ultimately, that’s why Hugo Tate resonates. Hugo is no one, but he is also all of us. His story isn’t my story, but I understand his desire to know what’s next. It’s not a perfect story perfectly told, but life is wonderfully messy, and that’s why Hugo Tate is so much fun. It’s not my story, but Hugo and his friends feel natural enough. I’d happily buy Hugo a beer and listen to his stories if he was real.

Nick Abadzis will be signing copies of Hugo Tate at Big Planet Comics‘ Bethesda location (4849 Cordell Ave.) from 3 to 5 p.m. June 9.

Review copy provided by Big Planet Comics.

]]> 3207 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for June 7 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/06/07/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-june-7/ Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:00:18 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3197
Mark Burrier's Rare Words exhibit at Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Md. Photo by Jared Smith

News/interviews/etc.

Announcements:

Con/event reports:

Podcasts:

Kickstarter/Indiegogo:

  • Magic Bullet #5 – D.C. area’s comic newspaper. Currently, there’s less than $200 to go.

Debuts and new issues/releases:

Upcoming releases:

Events:

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Wednesday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Thursday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

]]> 3197 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for May 31 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/05/31/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-may-31/ Thu, 31 May 2012 12:00:56 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3153
Henry & Glenn Forever event on May 24 at Atomic Books. Photo by Tom Neely. (See if you can spot me in this photo!)

Announcements:

Podcasts:

Kickstarter/Indiegogo:

Upcoming releases:

Events:

  • Ongoing until June 17: “Life Unreal: Art by Evan Keeling and Scott White,” Northside Social, Arlington, Va.
  • Ongoing until June 23: Artomatic, featuring Christiann MacAuley, Ben Claassen III, Urvi Mehta, Jeff Kollins, Sarah Palaszynski, Ivan Collich, Michael Auger and many others. (I plan on going back — I only made it through four floors Friday — and hope to come up with a more complete list before it ends. I also plan a separate post on it.)
  • Beginning June 2: Mark Burrier: Rare Words Exhibition, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Md. Opening reception 7 to 10 p.m. June 2 with music by Old Indian.
  • June 2: Russ Kick, editor of The Graphic Canon, signing, 1 to 3 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • June 5: Matt Dembicki, Trickster signing, 2 to 3 p.m., Book Expo America, New York, N.Y.
  • June 6-July 8: The History of Invulnerability , Theater J, Jewish Community Center, Washington, D.C. Tickets and showtime information at the link.

    Theater J offers $10 off tickets to readers of this blog using “DCCOMICS” either online at the Theater J website or by phone at 800-494-8497. The theater also offers a discount to those 35 and younger, which makes $15 during the week and $25 on the weekends. No discount code is needed.

  • Beginning June 7: “Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women” at the Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery, Jewish Community Center, Washington, D.C. More details to come.
  • June 9: Nick Abadzis, creator of Hugo Tate, signing, 3 to 5 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • June 9 and June 10: Robert Venditti, writer of X-O Manowar and The Surrogates signing, noon to 3 p.m, at Alliance Comics Baltimore (June 9) and Alliance Comics Silver Spring (June 10).
  • June 10: Team Cul de Sac book launch, 5 to 7 p.m., One More Page Books, Arlington, Va.
  • June 23: Panel on District Comics: An Unconventional History of Washington, DC, featuring Matt Dembicki, Andrew Cohen, Peter Conrad and Brook Allen, 11 to 11:30 a.m., American Library Association conference, Anaheim, Calif.
  • June 25: Panel on Books Without Boundaries: Crossover Fiction for YA and Adults, featuring Matt Dembicki, 10:30 a.m. to noon, American Library Association conference, Anaheim, Calif.
  • June 30: Landry Quinn Walker and Eric Jones, creators of Danger Club, signing, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Third Eye Comics, Annapolis, Md. First 15 people in line get a special gift.

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Wednesday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Thursday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

]]> 3153 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for May 24 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/05/24/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-may-24/ Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:07 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3144
Ben Claassen III's display at Artomatic in Arlington, Va.

News, interviews and reviews:

Announcements:

Debuts and new issues (etc.):

Kickstarter/Indiegogo:

Upcoming releases:

Events:

  • Ongoing until June 17: “Life Unreal: Art by Evan Keeling and Scott White,” Northside Social, Arlington, Va. Artist reception is May 26 from 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Ongoing until June 23: Artomatic, featuring Christiann MacAuley, Ben Claassen III, Urvi Mehta, Jeff Kollins, Sarah Palaszynski, Ivan Collich, Michael Auger and many others. (I plan on going back — I only made it through four floors Friday — and hope to come up with a more complete list before it ends. I also plan a separate post on it.)
  • May 24: Henry & Glenn Forever #1 release party with Tom Neely and Ed Luce, 7 p.m. at Atomic Books, Baltimore, Md.
  • May 26: Jerry Gaylord, artist of Fanboys vs. Zombies, singing, 1 to 3 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, College Park, Md.
  • May 27: Tumbler Tour of the Tumbler and Bat-Pod, Washington D.C. Time and place to be determined.
  • Beginning June 2: Mark Burrier: Rare Words Exhibition, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Md. Opening reception 7 to 10 p.m. June 2 with music by Old Indian.
  • June 2: Russ Kick, editor of The Graphic Canon, signing, 1 to 3 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • June 5: Matt Dembicki, Trickster signing, 2 to 3 p.m., Book Expo America, New York, N.Y.
  • June 6-July 8: The History of Invulnerability , Theater J, Jewish Community Center, Washington, D.C. Tickets and showtime information at the link.

    Theater J offers $10 off tickets to readers of this blog using “DCCOMICS” either online at the Theater J website or by phone at 800-494-8497. The theater also offers a discount to those 35 and younger, which makes $15 during the week and $25 on the weekends. No discount code is needed.

  • Beginning June 7: “Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women” at the Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery, Jewish Community Center, Washington, D.C. More details to come.
  • June 9: Nick Abadzis, creator of Hugo Tate, signing, 3 to 5 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • June 9 and June 10: Robert Venditti, writer of X-O Manowar and The Surrogates signing, noon to 3 p.m, at Alliance Comics Baltimore (June 9) and Alliance Comics Silver Spring (June 10).
  • June 10: Team Cul de Sac book launch, 5 to 7 p.m., One More Page Books, Arlington, Va.

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Wednesday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Thursday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

]]> 3144 The D.C. Area Comics Scene for May 17 https://www.comicsgirl.com/2012/05/17/the-d-c-area-comics-scene-for-may-17/ Thu, 17 May 2012 12:00:03 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=3024
Jorge Aguirre & Jeremy Whitley at Big Planet Comics Vienna. Image used with permission.

News, interviews and reviews:

Con/event reports:

Debuts and new issues:

Upcoming releases:

Events:

  • Ongoing until June 17: “Life Unreal: Art by Evan Keeling and Scott White,” Northside Social, Arlington, Va. Artist reception is May 26 from 7 to 9 p.m.
  • May 18-June 23: Christiann MacAuley (artist profile) at Artomatic, Arlington, Va.
  • May 19: Super Art Fest 2012, noon to midnight, Metro Gallery, Baltimore, Md. Benefit for Ulman Cancer Fund. More information on Facebook or at Super Art Fight.
  • May 24: Henry & Glenn Forever #1 release party with Tom Neely and Ed Luce, 7 p.m. at Atomic Books, Baltimore, Md.
  • May 26: Jerry Gaylord, artist of Fanboys vs. Zombies, singing, 1 to 3 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, College Park, Md.
  • May 27: Tumbler Tour of the Tumbler and Bat-Pod, Washington D.C. Time and place to be determined.
  • Beginning June 2: Mark Burrier: Rare Words Exhibition, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Md. Opening reception 7 to 10 p.m. June 2 with music by Old Indian.
  • June 2: Russ Kick, editor of The Graphic Canon, signing, 1 to 3 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • June 5: Matt Dembicki, Trickster signing, 2 to 3 p.m., Book Expo America, New York, N.Y.
  • June 6-July 8: The History of Invulnerability , Theater J, Jewish Community Center, Washington, D.C. Tickets and showtime information at the link.
  • Beginning June 7: “Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women” at the Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery, Jewish Community Center, Washington, D.C. More details to come.
  • June 9: Nick Abadzis, creator of Hugo Tate, signing, 3 to 5 p.m. at Big Planet Comics, Bethesda, Md.
  • June 10: Team Cul de Sac book launch, 5 to 7 p.m., One More Page Books, Arlington, Va.

Have comic news or events related to the D.C. area to share? Email me! Submit no later than Wednesday at 9 p.m. for inclusion each Thursday, but the earlier, the better! More information is here.

]]> 3024 Small Press Expo 2011! https://www.comicsgirl.com/2011/09/12/small-press-expo-2011/ Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:39:01 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=2802 I don’t even know where to begin with Small Press Expo. I think I’m still recovering.

I love this show. I love the people. I love the exhibitors and I love the attendees. If people want to know why I love comics, I just need to point them to this show. I think they’d get it.

Everything is a blur at this point, honestly. I had fun on Friday night — although I was dragging on Saturday due to that.

It was amazingly packed all day Saturday from what I saw (yes, we’re expanding the hall next year) and everyone I talked to said their sales were great. I am absolutely thrilled that there was so much excitement over comics. I saw a lot of new faces in the exhibitors and new books from older ones. I loved it. The energy was so thrilling and everyone seemed to be having fun. And that’s exactly what I want this show to be like.

I had a busy couple of hours counting the Ignatz ballots (thank you to everyone who voted!), getting dinner and then getting everything ready. Due to last-minute issues, I really didn’t have time to get nervous. People did tell me they enjoyed the ceremony, which is what we set out to do. (While neither things were my fault, I offer many apologies for how hot it was in the White Flint Auditorium and how packed it was. I think next year, we’ll be back in Brookside.)

I absolutely want to thank Dustin Harbin for being an excellent and enthusiastic Ignatz host. He made my job easy and I deeply appreciate the work he put into hosting.

So then there were drink tickets and much fun. I don’t think I can really over-emphasize the social aspect of SPX. No, you don’t have to be a part of it — you can definitely just go to buy comics — but I’ve made so many friends at SPX and met so many amazing people who it’s what I look forward to the most. I’m going to quote our incredible volunteer coordinator, Michael Thomas, because he puts it best — “One of the things that makes SPX so special is thatit feel like family. There are no barriers between organizers, attendees and staff.” And for me, that’s really what this show is about.

I had a delightful time chatting with Nick Abadzis. It was good to see him and talk to him again.

Sunday, I finally got around to buying comics (I managed to get into the hall early, but it did quickly fill up). I’m not even sure what I bought but I’m looking forward to going through it.

I was feeling sore and kind of out of it — I was physically tired, certainly, but it was more mental exhaustion and relief (Jim Dougan made fun of me for how giggly I was at a certain point). Still, this weekend was a culmination of nearly 9 months of work for me (as well as the rest of the board!), as well as many hours devoted to it in the past several weeks. I think we all deserve to be exhausted.

It was an amazing weekend and I think I’ll be riding the high for a bit longer. Reviews of comics will be forthcoming (and reviews of all those other comics people have sent me recently). And then I suppose I will need to start thinking about next year.

Yes, seriously — people handed me submissions at the show. I’m glad they’re excited but I was happy I’d finally gotten all those comics out of my apartment. I suppose it never ends.

But I think I’m OK with that.

(I’m using the Jim Rugg program cover on this post because I failed to take any decent photos, but this is exactly what SPX is like. Much like I once again failed to go to any programming. Also, I got to see the original artwork of the cover and it was stunning. The detail was incredible.)

]]> 2802 Review: Gingerbread Girl https://www.comicsgirl.com/2011/07/05/review-gingerbread-girl/ Wed, 06 Jul 2011 01:39:03 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=2689

Gingerbread Girl
Buy at Powells.com

Annah Billips is an unreliable narrator in Gingerbread Girl (Top Shelf, 2011). Of course, she’s not really the only one who’s unreliable here. In their graphic novel, Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover play with identity, sanity and what makes us who we are.

Annah, when she first introduces herself to readers, is in her underwear and says she’s a tease. She says she dates both men and women but is reluctant to label herself as bisexual. Annah may be slight manipulative — she tells readers she’s made two dates and she’s going to go out with whoever shows up first — but Coover draws her in such an adorable way, it’s all too easy to understand why she gets away with it. Annah is presented as someone who thinks she’s more seductive than she actually is.

The bulk of the story involves Annah’s belief that her father separated her Penfield homunculus from her brain and created a sister, Ginger, from it. Annah’s been on a quest to find this sister, who is, more or less, the keeper of her physiological senses. Annah’s story is not only told by her, but by her more-or-less girlfriend, Chili; Annah’s other date, Jerry; a fake psychic, Alphonse Spectra; a doctor, Greg Curling; and a few others — including a couple of animals and bystanders.

It all sounds pretty metaphorical but that’s part of Tobin’s and Coover’s purpose here. We all divide ourselves into pieces, and it’s ultimately the people who love us despite our fragments that are worth it. Is Annah crazy? Did she really have a mad-scientist father who made a sister out of a part of her brain? Does it matter?

While Coover was clearly the artist here and Tobin the writer, the book feels like a true collaboration. Coover’s art does carry the story — her characters, especially her women, are cute and appealing and the black, white and sepia tones give imbue the book with a mysterious and shadowy quality. Tobin’s dialogue is playful and he doesn’t shy away from the absurd. By putting some of these points in the mouths of pigeons or petty thieves, it keeps the story from feeling overly serious even when it is.

Maybe in the end, people who are who they are. You can put up with the fact your girlfriend is possibly crazy and a tease because you like enough other things about her. You know enough other things about her. Maybe, in the end, we’re all still growing and changing and that’s all that matters. And I like that’s what Colleen Coover and Paul Tobin had to say. I’d love to read more about Annah (she is a tease, after all, so you want to), but I’m happy to know her in whatever way this book allowed me to.

(You can read the whole book here at Top Shelf’s site, but it’s a really lovely book to actually physically hold and read.)

Two notes that are only tangentially related to the book:

  • I was planning on making the switch over to Powell’s partner program anyway, but since Annah and Chili both worked at Powell’s Books, this seems like an appropriate time to start.
  • And since I did buy this at Big Planet yesterday, I feel completely justified in linking to the “The Alternative Endings to Laika Show” just in case you happened to miss it when I linked to it about 500 times earlier today.
]]> 2689 Kid’s Stuff: Making Comics for All Ages https://www.comicsgirl.com/2010/11/08/kids-stuff-making-comics-for-all-ages/ https://www.comicsgirl.com/2010/11/08/kids-stuff-making-comics-for-all-ages/#comments Mon, 08 Nov 2010 23:14:43 +0000 http://www.comicsgirl.com/?p=2107 Kid’s Stuff: Making Comics for All Ages was the main panel I had wanted to see at King Con since comics for non-traditional readers is something I’m very interested in. With Nick Abadzis, Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman and Colleen AF Venable, I knew it had a high probability of being good.

Moderated by Heidi MacDonald and shamefully under-attended (yes, I know it was 12:30 p.m. on a Sunday, so most people were probably recovering from the night before and there was a marathon going on right outside, but still …), it did not disappoint.

MacDonald opened by asking Telgemeier how her tour for Smile had gone and what sort of reaction she’d gotten. Telgemeier said it had gone “amazingly well” and talked about a girls’ school that did a school-wide purchase of Smile and she got to make comics with 150 girls. She said in two weeks and 15 stops, she was able to connect with 1,000 kids and that Smile really resonates with them.

Abadzis was asked about Laika and he said he didn’t intend it to be a young adult book and was surprised it was marketed as such. The book’s publisher, First Second told him not wot worry since it would widen the audience and not reduce. That was later echoed by Venable, since people who love comics don’t really pay attention to age groups, just if something is good. (It’s maybe the opposite way to look at this, but Laika is one of the few graphic novels my mom has read.)

Roman then talked about the history of his upcoming Astronaut Academy — it started as a webcomic and a few minicomics and then he reworked it as a graphic novel. He also said there will be a lot of new stuff in it and he redrew about 80 percent of it (so you see, you will really have no reason not to buy it when it comes out, even if you have read it online). He says he doesn’t necessarily intend to make comics for kids — it’s just what he likes.

Both Roman and Telgemeier then talked about the X-Men manga from Del Ray and how the second book was canceled (sniff) and that there wasn’t one reason, but several (but mostly, it came down to the licensing cost). I am happy they got paid for the second book, but I’m going to continue to be upset that I’ll never get to see it.

Venable talked about the series of books she writes for Graphic Universe, Guinea PIG, Pet Shop Private Eye. The series is aimed at second to fifth grades and she said she’s having fun and getting good letters from kids.

MacDonald asked about some of the covers Venable has designed for First Second, including Foiled. Venable said she’s always been a big Jane Yolen fan so it was fun for her, but she always got nervous when she had to call her to discuss the cover.

The discussion then turned to how comics get shelved in libraries and bookstores. Abadzis said that kids don’t want to read books that are too “young” for them, but comics are mostly missing those sorts of divisions. Roman said that shelving comics can be hard because usually, they can only be in one place. He was a fan of multiple sections for graphic novels — not just one huge section that has everything.

Venable said that librarians have figured this out a little bit more quickly than booksellers.

Everyone basically agreed that comics can be great gateways to reading. Telgemeier said she’s had a lot of parents say that Smile was one of the first books their children read voluntarily. Roman praised teachers for taking the initiative in introducing comics into the classroom. Abadzis agreed with all of this, but said that comics still need to get past “gatekeepers” — people who may doubt their value.

MacDonald then asked the panel what they thought of the big two publishers — Marvel and DC — and their failure to market to kids.

Roman said that the direct market is the problem — kids don’t go into comic book stores. And while I know of stores that have really wonderful sections of kids’ comics, if kids aren’t going into these stores, the comics aren’t getting to them. Roman said that other publishers — like Scholastic — are able to sell through school book clubs to kids directly.

Telgemeier brought up there’s almost too much variety in mainstream comics and it can be hard for a parent to pick which Iron Man would be good for kids. Roman said that while there are things like Marvel Adventures, kids don’t want to read Spider-man Jr. when dad is reading regular Spider-man.

MacDonald asked how kids where getting into comics. Venable said web comics were big with teens and that actually, she didn’t read comics until she discovered web comics. Roman said kids don’t discriminate about reading on a screen and that classic newspaper strips like Calvin & Hobbes and Garfield are still gateways for kids … they’re just not reading them in the newspaper (and there was some painful and knowing laughter from the audience when that was said. Or maybe just from me).

A question from an audience member asked the panelists what they thought of the floppy/pamphlet format for kids. Roman said it wasn’t dead, but it was once again the matter of the direct market. MacDonald brought up that kids are more used to reading larger chunks — like manga volumes — so floppies aren’t necessarily as satisfying. But everyone seemed to agree that electronic versions of floppies could still probably work, and no one was declaring print dead.

MacDonald asked if anyone had any final advice for kids who wanted to make comics. Telgemeier said they should learn to write short stories and start small as well as draw. Venable said they should read constantly.

I didn’t take a photo because I forgot, but it would’ve been bad anyway (it was a dark, warehouse-y space and there were windows behind the panelists) so I grabbed a panel from Abadzis’ “Cora’s Breakfast”, which he did for the Guardian before they cut their childrens’ comics pages (sigh). This story needs a publisher right now.

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