| | | |
|
| |
|
Thursday, May 09, 2024
May 11: Phillip Kennedy Johnson at Third Eye Annapolis
Brigitta Blair has 3 more years to finish Cramming
One year ago, yesterday, and I missed it at the time.
Brigitta Blair Auctions Debut Graphic Novel Cramming, to Little Brown
Cramming, a semi-autobiographical debut middle-grade graphic novel that has been auctioned by its creator Brigitta Blair to Little Brown.
Chatting with Mirka Hokkanen, early reader graphic novelist and picture book author
Mirka Hokkanen is an early reader graphic novelist and picture book author who lives in Maryland, but grew up in Finland. Her works skews younger than I usually read, but I was glad to make her acquaintance, and will be reading Mossy and Tweedy soon. Mira quickly responded to our usual questions.
What
type of comic work or cartooning do you do?
My
work is for younger elementary school audiences, and I've completed two early
reader graphic novels, and hoping to create some more in the future.
How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?
All
my graphic novel work is digital. I usually start sketching in Procreate, and
then ink and color in Clip Studio Paint.
When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?
Late
70's kid here!
Why are you around DC now? What neighborhood or area do you live in?
We
are in Olney, and moved to Maryland for my husband's job in the military.
What is your training and/or education in cartooning?
I
have an MFA in printmaking, which doesn't help much with graphic novels. I had
no idea how to write a script, but thankfully a friend, Ken Lamug had a class
on it and how to get started in Clip Studio Paint.
Who are your influences?
Since
I create for younger audiences, I look for inspiration from work for that age
group. I took a lot of inspiration from Pelle Fantti, and Maailman Vahvin
Nalle, comic books that I grew up with. I also read an excessive amount of
Donald Duck/Disney comics. But also from contemporary graphic novels and
picture books, like Pea, Bee and Jay by Brian Smith, Beak and Ally by Norm
Feuti, Hilda by Luke Pearson. I was also influenced by Looney Tunes and similar
cartoons from my youth.
If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?
I
wish I would have had the tools to start earlier. I switched careers in picture
book illustration about 8 years ago, but wish I would have jumped in much
sooner.
What work are you best-known for?
My
concept picture book series Kitty and Cat has been well accepted and won some
awards, so it would probably be those ones.
What work are you most proud of?
It
always feels hard to choose, because I like different aspects of different
work. I'm proud of my Little Seasons books, because I really love the way they
turned out, with fun colorful illustrations, humor, educational content, and
good backmatter. In general, I create the kinds of books that I would want to
read to my kids.
What
would you like to do or work on in the future?
I'd
love to continue my already existing books series, and continue to illustrate
books in general. I also have a little dream of illustrating a fabric
collection, doing more licensing.
What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?
If
I'm on a deadline, I will just keep showing up and start working, and
inspiration follows. When in between projects, and need to work on new things,
I try to schedule big enough blocks of time (like 1.5-2 weeks), where I can play,
read, generate ideas, and have a looser brain, where there is room for ideas to
germinate and grow. I have a notebook where I put ideas when I'm too busy to
work on them, and then during the looser times, I'll come back to them and see
if there is something there to work on.
What do you think will be the future of your field?
I'm
really interested to see where this march with AI is going. I don't think AI
can replace the human element of book creation, so in that way I feel confident
that good books will continue to be created by people. There is always a
pendulum swing of things, right now there is a huge growth and push for AI-related things, but I think eventually the dust will settle, and the pendulum
swings the other way.
What comic
books do you read regularly or recommend? Do you have a local store?
During the summer, I normally read a lot of the comics from my youth when we visit Finland (= my parents house). We have the above mentioned ones, and we also have a big collection of Asterix and Obelix, Lucky Luke, and Calvin and Hobbes books. I love graphic novels too, and read a lot of them. One book that I fell head over heels for was Clyde by Jim Benton. The humor in the book was so unexpected and spot on for me, I think it's just as much for adults as it is for kids.
I often order
used books from eBay, or buy new from Amazon, or the book stores. We don't have
a local store where we live unfortunately, the closest bookstore is 25min away.
(Which is probably a good thing for my bank account.)
There
is a ton of stuff to see here! We moved here less than a year ago, and are
still exploring all the things to do around here.
I
hate driving in traffic, and not being familiar with the area, so getting
around always relies on having a navigator handy.
So
far we have been taking family to the Natural History museum, because the kids
love it.
Yes!
You can find me at http://www.mirkah.com, or on social
media at http://www.instagram.com/mirkadraws and http://www.twitter.com/mirkahokkanen
How has the COVID-19 outbreak affected you, personally and professionally?
It was hard to work during Covid with kids. My husband works in the medical field, and he was almost absent during that time, and I decided to homeschool our kids, so trying to keep everyone healthy and happy took a ton of energy, leaving much less of me for creative pursuits. We also moved to a different country (for military) towards the end of the outbreak, which was a nightmare. But it also was the time when everything I had been working on for writing and illustrating "clicked", and I ended up signing three book deals for six books in a very short amount of time. So I came out swinging, even if exhausted at the end.
Comics Research Bibliography citations update, 5/8/2024
C2E2 2024 PHOTOS – PART 3-5: Saturday
Posted by Dennis Viau on May 7, 2024
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/56859/c2e2-2024-photos-part-3
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/56858/c2e2-2024-photos-part-4
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/56857/c2e2-2024-photos-part-5
Editorial Cartoonist Clay Jones is on a Five-Year Posting Streak
by GoComics Team
May 06, 2022
https://www.gocomics.com/blog/4970/editorial-cartoonist-clay-jones-is-on-a-five-year-posting-streak
Japanese Startup To Use AI To Translate Manga
By AFP - Agence France Presse
May 7, 2024 https://www.barrons.com/news/japanese-startup-to-use-ai-to-translate-manga-36269c32
Orange Inc. Plans to Use AI to Translate Manga Faster
May 06, 2024
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/newsbrief/index.html?record=4672
INTERVIEW: Miyuli, creator of MORGANA AND OZ webtoon
Miyuli talks about the ups and downs of creating a hit fantasy-adventure WEBTOON about a teen witch and a vampire and what's to come next [Germany]
05/08/2024
https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-miyuli-creator-of-morgana-and-oz-webtoon/
Spider-Man's Origin Story
Original panels illustrate the working process of author and illustrator.
Sara Duke
Library of Congress Magazine (May/June): 17.
online at https://www.loc.gov/lcm/pdf/LCM_2024_0506.pdf
THE CURSES OF KEVIN HUIZENGA AND GEORGE WYLESOL: WONDER AND ISOLATION
Hagai Palevsky | May 8, 2024
https://www.tcj.com/the-curses-of-kevin-huizenga-and-george-wylesol-wonder-and-isolation/
Comic Industry Insiders - Brandon Schatz & Danica LeBlanc from Variant Edition Comics
Adam Freeman (as Atom! Freeman)
Prana: Direct Market Solutions
Apr 16, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIEXk5FAxww
Marvel Throwing Lots Of Press At Uncle Scrooge Including Frank Miller
07 May 2024
by Rich Johnston
Standards Manual's José Luis García-López 1982 DC Comics Style Guide
07 May 2024
by Rich Johnston
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/standards-manuals-jose-luis-garcia-lopez-1982-dc-comics-style-guide/
Woke Bagels Blamed For Flying Colors Comics Shop Closing In California
7 May 2024
by Rich Johnston
Q & A with Pablo Cartaya
By Amanda Ramirez |
May 07, 2024
Curveball by Pablo Cartaya, illus. by Miguel Diaz Rivas. Disney Hyperion
Last Kids on Earth to Launch Graphic Novel Series
By Joanne O'Sullivan
May 07, 2024
The Last Kids on Earth: The Graphic Novel by Max Brallier, illus. by Brian Churilla (Viking,
New Xencelabs Pen Display 16" Review in 5 Mins (2024)
Jason Chatfield
Process Junkie May 8 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vntTcqJI3o
LIVE FROM POWELL'S with MATT FRACTION!
Brian Michael Bendis
Jinxworld May 8 2024
https://jinxworld.squarespace.com/newsletter/fraction-chat-powers-level-fortune-amp-glory and https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65a84f07d50dc259639ba8b0/t/663c09bdb046cb6c6bcd3426/1715210716316/BENDIS%3AFRACTION+AT+POWELLS.mp3/original/BENDIS%3AFRACTION+AT+POWELLS.mp3
Wednesday, May 08, 2024
May 9: 1/6: The Graphic Novel Imagining a Dark Alternate Outcome of January 6th with Harvard Law Professor Alan Jenkins
|
|
|
|
|
Spider-Man’s Origin Story in Library of Congress Magazine
Spider-Man's Origin Story
Original panels illustrate the working process of author and illustrator.
Sara Duke
Library of Congress Magazine (May/June): 17.
Clay Jones is a streaker
Correction! 7 year streak! I didn't notice this was a 2022 article when it popped up in my feeds.
Editorial Cartoonist Clay Jones is on a Five-Year Posting Streak
by GoComics Team May 06, 2022
May 8: Vera Brosgol at Politics and Prose
I'm planning on attending tonight.
Vera Brosgol - Plain Jane and The Mermaid - at Conn Ave
Upcoming Event
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 - 7:00pm
About the Book:
In a world that values appearance, Jane has always felt overlooked. After losing her inheritance as well as her parents, she proposes to the vain, but dashing Peter. When he is kidnapped by a nefarious mermaid, she is determined to bring him home. With the help of a mysterious crone and a grumpy seal, can Jane prove to herself, and others, that beauty is only skin deep? Vera Brosgol's newest graphic novel Plain Jane and the Mermaid will sweep readers into a dangerous underwater world.
About the Author:
Vera Brosgol was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1984 and moved to the United States when she was five. Her first two graphic novels, Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared, were published by First Second, and her debut picture book Leave Me Alone! was a 2017 Caldecott Honor Book. She's also worked on storyboards for several animated films, including Coraline and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her dog Omar, a mere two hours from the sea.
Ages: 8 - 13
5015 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008
Child & Teen
Teens
By Vera Brosgol
$14.99
ISBN: 9781250314857
Availability: Coming Soon—Pre-Order Now
Published: First Second - May 7th, 2024
Comics Research Bibliography citations update, 5/7/2024
Reitha Pattison Quits Judge Dredd Comics For Yale University Press
Reitha Pattison has been appointed head of rights at Yale University Press London after left Rebellion Publishing, publishers of Judge Dredd and 2000AD.
6 May 2024
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/reitha-pattison-quits-judge-dredd-comics-for-yale-university-press/
Penguin Launches New Graphic Novel Line, Puffin Graphics
Puffin, the British children's book line from Penguin, has launched a new graphic novel imprint, Puffin Graphics, from July.
6 May 2024
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/penguin-launches-new-graphic-novel-line-puffin-graphics/
Bluey After Dark? The Episode "The Mouse" Didn't Want You to See
If you're a Bluey fan who watches on Disney+, then you're missing out. Here's the episode that "The Mouse" won't stream - "Dad Baby."
4 May 2024
by Ray Flook
https://bleedingcool.com/tv/bluey-after-dark-the-episode-the-mouse-didnt-want-you-to-see/
Marvel Now Approving Series For Ten Issues At A Time
Talking to ICV2, Marvel Comics President Dan Buckley has clarified a change in Marvel Comics publishing decision-making.
5 May 2024
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/marvel-now-approving-series-for-ten-issues-at-a-time/
Bob Iger Details "Reduced" Marvel Output: "At Most" Three Films Per Year, Two Series
The Disney CEO explained his plans to reduce Marvel Studios' output on the company's earnings call.
Alex Weprin
May 7, 2024
Medar de la Cruz Wins 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary
D. D. Degg
DSTLRY OPENS MARKETPLACE; GLOBALCOMIX ADDS VAULT, MAGMA; ORANGE RAISES $19.5M
Digital Comics News Round-Up
Milton Griepp on May 7, 2024
Neil Gaiman Has a Hero Out of Step in a Book Out of Time
In an era of endlessly safe comic universes, "Miracleman: The Silver Age" goes another way with the return of a godlike hero from a world more like ours.
By Sam Thielman
May 7, 2024 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/07/books/review/neil-gaiman-miracleman-silver-age.html
"Fairytale Ending" Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
May 6, 2024 by Lawrence Wood
https://www.cartoonstock.com/blog/fairytale-ending-caption-contest-commentary-with-lawrence-wood/
"Fairytale Ending" CartoonStock Caption Contest
Bob Mankoff, Lawrence Wood, Joel Mishon and Trevor Hoey
CartoonStock, a Cartoon Collections Co.
May 6, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy1L4K_5iXk
Interview with Creators of The Graphic History of Hip Hop
Talking with Hip Hop Chroniclers Greason and Fielder
George Carmona 3rd
05/07/2024
https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-with-creators-of-the-graphic-history-of-hip-hop/
Meet the Team! Andrea Harris
Ralph Steadman Art Collection May 5, 2024
https://mailchi.mp/ca1973111c9c/meet-the-team-andrea-harris
Paul Gillon et 13 rue de l'Espoir à la Galerie Napoléon
Jean-Laurent Truc
7 mai 2024
https://www.ligneclaire.info/expo-gillon-paris-2024-291074.html
Episode 215: Sarah H. Cho & Her Futuristic Erotic Thriller RED LIGHT From AWA Studios
Uncanny Matt and Chad B.
Comic Watch May 2, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-SaOqnJH9g
Greg Kearney has been drawing cartoons forever
People's World May 3, 2024
By John Bachtell
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/greg-kearney-has-been-drawing-cartoons-forever/
John Romita Jr. and a Legendary Life in Comics
Scott Dunbier
Comic Book Pros
Apr 30, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMphaWVBZyw
Mike Norton Returns To Shazam
wordballoon May 2, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfC3bPnlr9I
Times Free Press cartoonist Clay Bennett honored as a Pulitzer Prize finalist
May 6, 2024
https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/may/06/sub-tfp-cartoonist-clay-bennett-honored-as-a/
AI manga translation start-up Orange gets $20 million in funding; AI-translation start-up promises to make more manga available in English than ever, and do it faster and cheaper too... but what's the catch?
Deb Aoki 05/07/2024
https://www.comicsbeat.com/ai-manga-translation-start-up-orange-gets-20-million-in-funding/
The Most Underrated X-Men Stories of All Time
Want to get into X-Men but are intimidated by the hundreds of comics? Get started with these underrated standalone X-Men issues.
By Joe George | May 7, 2024
https://www.denofgeek.com/comics/the-most-underrated-x-men-stories-of-all-time/
Yoshiharu Tsuge's 'Ame no Naka no Yokujō' Manga Gets Live-Action Film
posted on 2024-04-30 14:00 EDT by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Warner Bros. Animation EVP Ed Adams Retiring This Year
By Mercedes Milligan
May 6, 2024
https://www.animationmagazine.net/2024/05/warner-bros-animation-evp-ed-adams-retiring-this-year/
Tougen Anki: Legend of the Cursed Blood manga gets an anime adaptation
Main cast and 2025 premiere confirmed
Humberto Saabedra
05/07/2024
https://www.comicsbeat.com/tougen-anki-legend-of-the-cursed-blood-manga-gets-an-anime-adaptation/
Tuesday, May 07, 2024
WaPo comic, “Searching for Maura," finalist for Pulitzer
The Washington Post wins three Pulitzer Prizes
A series on the AR-15's cultural and political impact won for national reporting. Imprisoned columnist Vladimir Kara-Murza and editorial writer David Hoffman were also honored. The New York Times also won three prizes, and the New Yorker won two.
"Another finalist, in the illustrated reporting and commentary category, was "Searching for Maura," a beautifully rendered visual telling of the story of an 18-year-old Suyoc Igorot woman from the Philippines who died after coming to the United States to be put on display at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. After she died, a portion of her brain was taken by the director of physical anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution's U.S. National Museum, who used human body parts to test his theories about biological differences between races."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)