At a recent conference at the University of Iowa, I drew a six-panel comic in front of six 25-minute sessions of middle- and high-school kids, one panel at a time. It was a chance to talk naturally about the order of work, the materials needed, and to show all the behind-the-scenes action.
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If you were starting a comics studio program from scratch (and with a decent budget!), what would be the optimal comics studio set-up for your students?
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On the occasion of receiving the International Manga Award for my graphic novel, Dolltopia , this spring, I’ve been reflecting on my relationship with manga and Japan over the past fifteen years or so. I’ve been lucky enough to study in Tokyo as well as exhibit at conventions there, and am grateful to have had manga as an influence and inspiration for my own journey as a comics creator.
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It happens that there have been several popular blog posts floating around that offer different kinds of advice to cartoonists, students, and creative people of all stripes. Here are links to a few of them in case you missed them on Twitter, Facebook, or wherever else people share things these days!
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I had the pleasure of meeting Howard Chaykin last week in Minnesota for the MCBA’s SpringCon. I was particularly interested to hear that he’s been teaching in an unexpected venue: the Marvel Bullpen. He and Klaus Jansen spend 3 days every 6 months in the Marvel offices giving what-for to 5 artists under contract with Marvel.
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Kevin and Zander have collaborated on a number of comic books. This wouldn’t be unusual, except that they’ve developed an intensive style of collaboration, where each works on every stage of the comics, from conception to layouts (thumbnails), to pencils, to inks. Like French authors (who famously use a similar system) Dupuy & Berberian, they’ve evolved a consistent combined style where you really can’t tell where one’s work ends and the other begins.
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Hilary Allison came in one day beaming because she’d cracked the Nib-Holding Industrial Complex’s iron grip on her student budget, and I encouraged her to throw a post together about it for you, dear readers. This is what she came up with.
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