The Making of a Book Blog Tour: The Creation of Compass South

Today I'm excited to be a part of a very special blog tour for Compass South, a MG adventure graphic novel by Hope Larson and illustrated by Rebecca Mock. Each stop on this tour is going to be sharing some behind-the-scenes info about what went into the making of Compass South, so be sure and follow along to get all the juicy details! I'm kicking things off today, so I'd like to extend a very warm Supernatural Snark welcome to Hope Larson!

I have always loved adventure stories. As a child, all my favorite books were fantasies and quests. I spent weekends traveling through Narnia, Prydain and Middle Earth. When I discovered comics, I traveled the world along with Tintin, and Europe with Astérix and Obélix. I loved quieter books, too, but I never tired of seeing a protagonist rise above humble beginnings to become a hero. For an introvert, it’s a great comfort to be told that one can become more than she is; that friends and guides will appear to help when they are needed; that there’s a happy ending on the way.

Still, it took me a long time to write a story like this. Compass South, my first adventure book, is my seventh graphic novel. There are several reasons for this: While adventure stories are the bread and butter of the comics industry, they are mainly confined to the mainstream comics industry–that is, superhero comics. No one would discount the importance of Bone or Amulet, but they remain exceptions in traditional publishing. It’s tricky to fit a big, rollicking story into 200 small pages, and equally tricky to make a publisher commit to more than one graphic novel at a go; comics are expensive and time-consuming to produce, and backing one is a significant financial risk.

Compass South would not have been possible without A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel. The success of that project enabled me to lobby for a bigger, bolder, more action-packed story, and it also showed me the important of such stories: because they appeal to reluctant readers. When Wrinkle came out, I heard from many parents who explained that my adaptation was the first book their son or daughter had read on their own. This touched me, and for the first time I was able to justify my work as a cartoonist. I love comics, but for years, when I was asked to explain the importance of the medium, I didn’t have a solid answer. Because that’s what I’m drawn to? Because I love words and pictures? Because it’s how I envision the stories I tell? Just . . . because? Now I could see that comics were a way for kids intimidated by walls of text to enjoy reading. That kids with learning disabilities or autism could pick up a comic and understand the characters’ emotions through pictures in a way that is impossible with words alone.

I started writing a story that would be big and fun, but not intimidating. I made my protagonists brother and sister, so the book wouldn’t feel gendered. I adopted the episodic, chapter-based structure of A Wrinkle in Time and broke the story into small chunks. I enlisted the help of illustrator Rebecca Mock to bring it all to life on the page, and found the sort of brilliant, passionate collaborator all comics writers dream of.

I am so proud to share Compass South with the world, because getting it out into the world has been its own adventure. The story began humbly, a few sentences scribbled down on a plane. It swelled into an outline, then a script. An artist and editor appeared to lend their aid, and the three of us had many adventures and endured many trials. We sacrificed sleep and evenings and weekends, but we knew it would be worthwhile–that, someday, there would be a book. I can’t think of a happier ending than that.

Thanks so much Hope!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

COMPASS SOUTH

It’s 1860 in New York City. When 12-year-old twins Alexander and Cleopatra’s father disappears, they join the Black Hook Gang and are caught by the police pulling off a heist. They agree to reveal the identity of the gang in exchange for tickets to New Orleans. But once there, Alex is shanghaied to work on a ship that is heading for San Francisco via Cape Horn. Cleo stows away on a steamer to New Granada where she hopes to catch a train to San Francisco to find her brother. Neither Alexander nor Cleo realizes the real danger they are in — they are being followed by pirates who think they hold the key to treasure. How they outwit the pirates and find each other makes for a fast-paced, breathtaking adventure.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR

Hope Larson adapted and illustrated A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel, for which she won an Eisner Award. She is also the author and illustrator of Salamander Dream, Gray Horses, Chiggers, and Mercury. She lives in Los Angeles.

Website

Rebecca Mock is an illustrator and comics artist. Her work has appeared  in various publications, including theNew York Times and the New Yorker.  She is co-organizer of the Hana Doki Kira anthology. Compass South is  her first book

Website

Be sure and check out all the stops on the tour for more peeks behind the book creation curtain!

June 27th — Supernatural Snark
June 28th — Love is not a Triangle
June 29th — Forever YA
June 30th — YA Bibliophile
July 1st — Sharpread
July 2nd — Watch. Connect. Read.

Children's Book Week: Celebrating Graphic Novels with Sam Bosma!

Today I'm excited to be a part of a very special tour celebrating Children's Book Week, one where each blog features a fun interview with a graphic novelist! Each interview is conducted by Hippopotamister author John Patrick Green, and he's here at Supernatural Snark talking to Sam Bosma about his inspiration, sports and of course, wizardry. No interview is complete without wizarding questions. Obviously. Take it away John and Sam!

Your graphic novel series, Fantasy Sports, combines competitive sports like baseball and volleyball with spells and magic. Did you A) play a lot of sports as a child, and B) are you a wizard?

I did play sports as a child! I was on the swim team, played baseball and basketball for a few years, and tried my hand at soccer as well. I was just outrageously average at all of those things that, when I started getting older and the sports became more competitive, I couldn’t really keep up. I rode the bench for awhile, where I had plenty of time to think about wizards and dragons and stuff. Never did become a wizard, but maybe those powers manifest in middle age. Fingers crossed!

I'm a huge fan of Steven Universe, which you draw backgrounds for. How does working on an animation project with other writers and artists compare to making your own comics?

Making my own comics will always be number one. I love working on comics because I get to do the whole thing, every part, from A-Z. In animation, it’s more like I’m working on A, while someone else is working on B-Z, while sometimes maybe I’ll help out on M, R, and X. It’s not the same, having to rejigger your mind to be happy working on just part of the whole. In comics, because I write them as well, I create my own problems and then I solve them. In animation (and other fields of illustration), someone else creates the problems and I help to solve them. It’s still a process I enjoy, but it’s not quite as satisfying as working on my own stuff.

Making a graphic novel has a lot of stages, like brainstorming, doodling, or thumbnailing, and of course penciling, inking, and coloring. What's your favorite part of the process? Do you have a least-favorite part?

My favorite part is definitely the inking part. That’s where all of my story decisions have already been made and I can just draw and draw. That’s where I feel most comfortable and most confident. I like really any of the stages where I’m drawing, since that’s what first drew me into making comics. The writing is nice, but I still have a long way to go before that becomes natural for me. I’m a very mechanical writer.

My LEAST favorite part is definitely coloring. It’s so hard for me and takes the longest. It’s become a little easier over time, but I still spend more time floundering during that part than I do in any other part of the process.

What are some of your childhood influences, and where do you get your inspirations today?

I didn’t read a lot of comics as a kid – I didn’t really know anything about them aside from Spawn or Venom or any of the other SuperCool anti-heroes of 90’s. I did, however, watch a lot of cartoons. I really loved the RankinBass animated movies like The Last Unicorn and The Hobbit – both movies that were at turns funny and scary for a kid. I think those helped influence the tone I want to shoot for in comics. Possibly the most formative cartoon for me, though, was a VHS tape I had called Warriors of the Wind, which I would later learn was a butchered American version of Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. In the US version I had, whose cover featured a Pegasus, a laser-shooting robot, and a Luke Skywalker lookalike, the names were all changed and about 30 minutes were cut. I loved it so, so much.

Today, I cull most of my inspiration from books. I read a lot — like, a lot a lot. Maybe 40 books a year, mostly fantasy and non-fiction. My favorite authors are Ursula LeGuin and Gene Wolfe, who are both sci-fi/fantasy authors of very different colors, but both write great fantasy worlds with really unique viewpoints.

What are other topics you're interesting in covering with comics? Since you've combined "fantasy" with "sports," what sort of combination should we expect from you next?

Fantasy will likely be the constant in my work for a good long while. It’s what I’m interested in drawing, and so I must find new ways of exploring that. Fantasy Sports will continue for a little while, but I’m working on something of a Western in addition. Dusty frontier towns, cowboys, mesas, duels, the whole thing. But, you know, with swords and stuff.

If you couldn't be a cartoonist, what would you be?

Unemployed.

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FANTASY SPORTS 2

Wiz and Mug are back in action, and the action this time goes by the name of BEACH VOLLEYBALL!

Wiz and Mug's adventures continue when a misunderstood teleportation spell accidentally drops them off in a ruined beach town. When the town's amphibious inhabitants confront Wiz and Mug with the revelation that the United Order of Mages may not be exactly what it seems, a new tournament begins!

In this sequel to the 2015 best-selling graphic novel, we’ll also find out where young Wiz’s story began—and if you were to find out it was on a baseball diamond, would you really be surprised?

Goodreads • Amazon

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

SAM BOSMA

Sam Bosma was born in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, but lived most of his life in suburban Pennsylvania. Sam relocated to Baltimore, Maryland to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he subsequently taught in the Illustration department from 2011 to 2013. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Known primarily for his award-winning work in the illustration industry, Fantasy Sports #1 was his debut graphic novel. Sam loves basketball, comedy podcasts, roleplaying games, smoothies, and Ken Burns documentaries. His greatest regret is that he's never dunked on anyone.

Website • Tumblr • Twitter

Be sure and follow along with the rest of the tour!

Monday, May 2^nd – Forever YA featuring Gene Luen Yang

Monday, May 2^nd  – Read Write Love featuring Lucas Turnbloom

Monday, May 2^nd – Kid Lit Frenzy featuring Kory Merritt

Tuesday, May 3^rd – Sharp Read featuring Ryan North

Tuesday, May 3^rd – Teen Lit Rocks featuring MK Reed

Wednesday, May 4^th – Love is Not a Triangle featuring Chris Schweizer

Wednesday, May 4^th – SLJ Good Comics for Kids featuring Victoria Jamieson

Thursday, May 5^th – The Book Wars featuring Judd Winick

Thursday, May 5^th – SLJ Fuse #8 featuring Eric Colossal

Friday, May 6^th – SLJ Scope Notes featuring Nathan Hale

Friday, May 6^th – The Book Rat featuring Faith Erin Hicks

Saturday, May 7^th – YA Bibliophile featuring Mike Maihack

Saturday, May 7^th – Supernatural Snark featuring Sam Bosma

Sunday, May 8^th – Charlotte’s Library featuring Maris Wicks

Sunday, May 8^th – The Roarbots featuring Raina Telgemeier

Dare to Disappoint Blog Tour: A Look at the Creative Process

Today I'm excited to kick off a fun and unique blog tour for Dare to Disappoint, a new graphic novel from Ozge Samanci. This tour is going to focus on Ozge's creative process and the unusual materials she used in the creation of her book, with each blog highlighting one material in particular. I always love getting behind the scenes information on how a novel comes to life, so I hope you guys follow the tour to see more of Ozge's work!

The first unconventional material on the tour is stamps, complete with an image of the stamps she uses as well as how they look in the context of Dare to Disappoint!

STAMPS

I combine comics and collage. Sometimes three-dimensional objects from real life become part of my images. I used ten different kinds of stamps in Dare to Disappoint. I found some of the stamps at thrift stores, I bought some of them from a stamp store, I made some of them myself by carving an eraser-like plastic material. I repetitively stamp the paper with the stamp and create backgrounds, landscapes that contribute the atmosphere of the image.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

DARE TO DISAPPOINT

Growing up on the Aegean Coast, Ozge loved the sea and imagined a life of adventure while her parents and society demanded predictability. Her dad expected Ozge, like her sister, to become an engineer. She tried to hear her own voice over his and the religious and militaristic tensions of Turkey and the conflicts between secularism and fundamentalism. Could she be a scuba diver like Jacques Cousteau? A stage actress?  Would it be possible to please everyone including herself?

In her unpredictable and funny graphic memoir, Ozge recounts her story using inventive collages, weaving together images of the sea, politics, science, and friendship.

Ozge Samanci is an artist and an associate professor. She was born in Izmir, Turkey, and currently lives in Chicago, Illinois. Dare to Disappoint is her debut graphic novel.

Find Ozge:

Website • Facebook • Tumblr • Amazon • B&N

Body Parts Blog Tour!

Happy Friday Everyone! Today I'm thrilled to be participating in a very cool and different blog tour for Maris Wicks' nonfiction graphic novel, Human Body Theater. Each stop on this tour will share an original illustration as well as a few interesting tidbits about the part of the human body it features, so be sure and follow along (full schedule below) so you can pick up all kinds of fun things to toss out at your next social gathering:)

THE STOMACH

 

It’s not just the nose, mouth, throat, and eyes that make mucus; our digestive tract does it too. Mucus coats the surface of the stomach to protect the stomach from…itself!  The stomach also makes acid to break down food. This acid is so strong that it would break down the lining of the stomach as well if it weren’t for that protective mucous layer. The stomach is made of muscle, but we can’t flex it like we flex our biceps. Instead, the stomach moves on its own, churning a mixture of food and acid, eventually leading it down to the intestines for further digestion. This movement, along with gases in the stomach, are what cause our stomachs to growl, gurgle and rumble. 

On a personal note, I just want to say that if that was my stomach in the above illustration, it would be reaching its little arm toward a big bag of chocolate. Or perhaps a cupcake. Or cookies. Probably not a nice healthy apple though ;-)

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HUMAN BODY THEATER

Welcome to the Human Body Theater, where your master of ceremonies is going to lead you through a theatrical revue of each and every biological system of the human body! Starting out as a skeleton, the MC puts on a new layer of her costume (her body) with each "act." By turns goofy and intensely informative, the Human Body Theater is always accessible and always entertaining.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads 

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MARIS WICKS

 photo courtesy of Dave Waller

Maris Wicks lives in Somerville, Massachusetts. She has harnessed the power of her various biological systems to draw comics for Adhouse Books, Tugboat Press, and Spongebob Comics, and written stories for Image and DC Comics. Wicks is the illustrator of the New York Timesbestselling Primates, with Jim Ottaviani. When she's not making comics, Wicks works with New England Aquarium. She's especially proud of her pulmonary system.

Website • Tumblr • Twitter

Fuse #8, 10/5

SLJ Scope Notes, 10/6

Sharp Reads, 10/7 

The Roarbots, 10/8 

Supernatural Snark, 10/9 

The Busy Librarian, 10/12

Watch Read Connect, 10/13 

The Book Rat, 10/14

Love is Not a Triangle, 10/15

Librarian’s Quest, 10/16

Fable Comics Blog Tour: Interview with Charise Harper

I'm super excited today to have cartoonist Charise Harper stopping by the blog as part of a very special blog tour for Fable Comics, an anthology that includes retellings of a number of Aesop's fables (and more) in comic form. I had a blast reading this book and seeing all the varying styles of artwork, so if you're looking for a really fun collection of stories I hope you add this to your lists. Charise was nice enough to answer a few questions for me about her contribution, "The Belly and the Body Members" (this one was new to me!), so a huge Supernatural Snark welcome to her!

If your various body parts could all talk to one another (or complain as the case may be!), which part of you do you think would be the chattiest/loudest or the first to mutiny against the others?

Oooh – that’s a personal question – very daring! Let’s see … Well, because of my job, which involves a lot of sitting and drawing and typing, I think my legs would be bummed out that they don’t get to do very much. They spend a lot of time just hanging out under my desk. If they were complaining, they’d say things like, “Get up!  Walk the dog!  Chase the cat!  Let’s do something! PLEASE!!!” But my butt would say, “No way man!  I’m staying right here until the brain runs out of ideas.” Then my bladder would be all prissy and full of herself (pun intended.) “I can move the butt whenever I want.”

During any given work day, which part of you would correctly argue that they are at a 6 on the Work O’Meter?

In waking hours, my brain is always way beyond a six – even when I want it to be at a three or a four. Drinking coffee probably doesn’t help. I’d say my hands are the work horses of the Charise Harper operation. They type, they draw and they always take time out to pet the dog and the cats. Plus that right hand is an expert at holding my coffee cup. He hardly ever spills a drop. “Great job little buddy!” 

In “The Belly and the Body Members”, the mouth recalls a particularly rough day when the guy he belongs to was younger and decided to eat a few things he shouldn’t have. What’s one food your mouth would raise a very vocal objection to having to eat? One food it would beg you to eat on a daily basis?

Mouth hate - My mouth would protest long and hard about having to eat brussel sprouts! I’ve never liked them. As a kid I always had to choke down two or three when they were on the table, and my mother would say, “When you get older you’ll love them, just like your father and I do.” Well Mom was wrong! I’m grown up and I’m not a fan. I have honestly tried to eat them, on numerous occassions, but my mouth does not like mutant cabbages!

Mouth love – My mouth would ask for my mom’s homemade rhubarb pie. Cold or warm, I could eat it every day! Maybe even sneak down in the middle of the night and have a bite or two – it’s that good!

“The Belly and the Body Members” is a retelling of one of Aesop’s fables, what’s one other fable you would love the chance to recreate in comic form?

My father is from France, and every year my french grandmother would take the long journey over to visit us for a few month. One year she brought me a present of a handkerchief, with the story of the fox and the crow printed in french around the edge and a lovely image of the two main characters in the middle. My french skills weren’t very good, but I practiced, until I could read the whole story out loud in French. I was so proud of myself. I made my whole family sit down and listen to me recite it from memory. Unfortunately for them – more than once. The Fox and The Crow would be my pick.

If you were to create a comic in which you starred, what would the name of that comic be?

Again – not an easy question. Sometimes I feel lke my outsides and my insides don’t really match up. I’m terrible at chit chat in a group. Shyness is not a plus – it often comes off as aloofness. People often seem surpised once they get to know me – like I was not what they were expecting, I’m like that rescue dog you adopt – it takes a while to get to know her personality, and then over time you find out she’s full of surprises – hoefully the good kind. So here is my title:

Rescue Girl – I Won’t Pee On Your Carpet.

Thanks so much Charise!

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FABLE COMICS

From classics like "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Grasshopper and the Ants" to obscure gems like "The Frogs Who Desired a King," Fable Comics has something to offer every reader. Twenty-eight fables from different cultures and traditions are wonderfully adapted and illustrated in comics format by twenty-six different cartoonists. Edited by New York Times bestselling Fairy Tale Comics' Chris Duffy, this jacketed hardcover is a beautiful gift and an instant classic.

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N

This is an epic tour, so be sure and check out the full schedule so you can follow along and meet all the amazing artists included in this anthology!

Last Man Blog Tour: Author Interview

Today I'm thrilled to welcome authors Bastien Vives, Michael Sanlaville and Balak to the blog to answer a few questions about their hugely entertaining Last Man series. This week is apparently my week to step outside my comfort zone as I don't read too many graphic novels, but I had a great time meeting protagonists Richard and Adrian, and as always, was fascinated by the artwork. I hope you all enjoy the interview, and don't forget to check the bottom of the post for the full list of participating blogs!

Richard Aldana, young Adrian’s mysterious partner in the fighting tournament, has a very blunt way of dealing with people. If he were teaching a class in the art of fighting instead of Mr. Jansen, what would his first three tips to students be?

Number 1: Don't do it. Have a beer. Smoke good cigarettes. Life is too short to spend it being punched in the face.

Number 2: Don't listen to adults. They may look like they know what they're doing, but it's just pretend. Hell, don't listen to me.

Number 3: God dammit, why are you still here?
 
If Adrian found his way into our world, which martial artist or professional fighter, past or present, would he be most fascinated by?

Bastien: Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Balak: Gina Carano. Or... allow me some French "Pied Noir" pride here, and let's say the great Marcel Cerdan.

Michael Sanlaville: The Great Khali!

What villainous character from any other piece of fiction or film would Richard most enjoy facing down in the tournament if he could?

Balak: Bloody Ivan Drago in Rocky IV!!! This bastard must go down twice for what he did to Apollo Creed. And that would be a fight we would like to see.

Bastien: Adolf Hitler.

Each volume of the Last Man  series leaves us on a cliffhanger of sorts. What one other series has the most brutal cliffhanger you’ve ever come across?

Bastien: When Joey proposed Rachel in Friends, season 8.

Balak: When Kelly Kapowsky cheated with her boss, leading to Zach Morris and her breaking up in season two of Saved By The Bell. I was twelve and the pain was real.

Michael Sanlaville: When CC Babcock and Niles kiss eagerly after years of wickedness in "The Nanny"... OUCH!

*Jenny dies laughing*

If Adrian knew his and Richard’s adventures were detailed in book form, what one reason would he give potential readers to encourage them to pick up his story?

Bastien: "Buy this book, the royalties are good."

Balak:"That's the best comic book I have ever read. Well, comic books don't exist in my world, so I don't know if that is a valuable piece of advice, but still."

• • • • • • • • • • • 

LAST MAN: THE ROYAL CUP

(Volume 2)

Richard Aldana, the mysterious stranger who entered the Games in the first volume of Last Man, continues to defeat all of his competitors, despite his outlandish refusal to use any magic, and to rely solely on martial arts. With young Adrian fighting at his side, he’s beginning to look like a likely contender for the Royal Cup.

But in a breathtaking twist, everything changes: this world is not what you thought it was, and Richard Aldana is certainly not who he claimed.

With the same fast-paced action-oriented storytelling and gorgeous art as The Stranger, the second volume of the Last Man series changes all the rules, and will leave readers eagerly awaiting book three!

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • 

THE AUTHORS

Bastien Vives studied illustration and animation at the Ecole des Gobelins. After movie-making classes, he dived into comics, and his first title came out in 2007.

Michael Sanlaville graduated from the Emile Cohl school, and later the Gobelins, after which he followed twin careers in animation (at the Xilam studio) and in comics with Casterman Publishers.

Balak (aka Yves Bigerel) works as a storyboard artist, 2D animator and TV show director in France. He works with Marvel Comics on the new digital Infinite Comics brand, as a storyboard artist (Avengers VS X-men with Mark Waid, Guardians of the Galaxy with Brian M. Bendis, Wolverine: Japan's Most Wanted with Jason Aaron and Jason Latour).

• • • • • • • • • • •

THE TOUR

Each stop on this tour will be featuring a fantastic Q+A with the authors, so be sure and follow along for more magic and martial arts!

Good OK Bad, 6/15http://goodokbad.com/

Supernatural Snark, 6/16 http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com/

The Book Wars, 6/17 https://thebookwars.wordpress.com/

Alice Marvels, 6/18 http://www.alicemarvels.com/

Comics & Cola, 6/19 http://www.comicsandcola.com/

Fleen, 6/22 http://fleen.com/

Graphic Policy, 6/23 http://graphicpolicy.com/

The Book Rat, 6/24 http://www.thebookrat.com/

Graphic Novel Resources, 6/25 http://graphicnovelresources.blogspot.com/

Women Write About Comics, 6/26  http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/

Kids Comics Q+A Blog Tour: John Allison

Today I'm thrilled to be a part of a very special blog tour celebrating all things kids comics in conjunction with Children's Book Week! Though Children's Book Week was technically last week, you can still check out their website for all kinds of fantastic information, and don't forget to check the bottom of the post for the full list of participating blogs for more fabulously fun interviews.

Each participating blog is sharing a Q+A with different kids comics authors conducted by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado (Dragons Beware!). I have the pleasure of welcoming author John Allison to the blog to answer Jorge and Rafael's questions about his recent and upcoming projects, so I'll turn things over to them!

RAFAEL/JORGE:  Hi John, thanks very much for taking the time to answer a few questions from us. It' s a pleasure to cyber-meet you!

QUESTION:  As a veteran of Webcomics, have you seen a change in public and fan perception of that type of publishing? what’s a good place to start, if you’re a total newbie to webcomics?

When I started, webcomics were a total amateur ghetto, but the barrier to entry was so low that everybody got a look in. The audience seemed to grow exponentially at first, and it was very much a DIY culture that seemed to work. The early webcomics were an offshoot of newspaper strips, rather than comic books, so they drew from a wider demographic than the kind of people who just read mainstream books. The visual language wasn't so far from Calvin & Hobbes, Dilbert or Get Fuzzy or alt-weekly strips, but it spoke to people in a more niche, specific way that gave them a feeling of ownership. I don't think anyone looks at someone doing a comic on the web as being a figure working in a ghetto anymore. These are popular works that, in a lot of cases, run for a long time.

The best of webcomics is pretty much the best of comics, so a newbie is on safe ground with the widely accepted best - Kate Beaton, Perry Bible Fellowship, Achewood, Dinosaur Comics, Octopus Pie - but there are dozens and dozens of other great comics working in so many different styles, formats and media.

QUESTION (FROM RAFAEL): This is a techie question: I saw on your blog that you work in Manga Studio. I’ve drawn both “Giants Beware” and “Dragons Beware” in Photoshop on a Cintiq, but I’m really digging the drawing tools in Clip Paint Studio (Manga Studio), and I’m considering switching to it for book 3. Would it be a huge leap?  Any bits of wisdom you could pass on?

I think that if you're comfortable with a way of working, switching to different software can really throw you for a loop. It's like searching for the ultimate pen that will make you a "better artist", when you're already doing pretty well. On a long journey isn't the old soft shoe better than a new boot that gives you blisters for the first ten miles of walking? You only throw out the old shoe if you think the sole is going to fall off.

Manga Studio/Clip Studio has a lot going for it. I love the story management features, the panelling tools, and I'm very used to the pens and pencils. It suits my way of working well, but then it should, as I've been using it for 7 years! If you've got Photoshop set up just as you like it, and working in it feels natural and good, I'd stick with it.

QUESTION (FROM RAFAEL):  What do you listen to when you work?  I saw your Top Forty list for last year and noticed a lot cross over with mine (MacDeMarco, Metronomy, Future Islands…) What are you listening to lately?

I listen to a lot of podcasts - Kermode and Mayo's film show, Ken Rudin's Political Junkie, Earwolf stuff - when I work. It's a solitary job and they keep me company. When I listen to music, it tends not to be new stuff because it makes me feel like the job is taking longer! I play my old Husker Du and Replacements records if I want to blaze through some colouring. But we do listen to a lot of new music around the house. Recent powerplays have been the new Dutch Uncles album 'O Shudder', Mount Eerie's 'Sauna', Viet Cong, Jib Kidder, Richard Dawson's 'Nothing Important' Liam Hayes' 'Slurrup', and I've been playing the Frozen Track EP by Home Blitz every day, but that's from 2012 so I guess it doesn't count.

QUESTION:  What's on your nightstand (or laptop screen)?

I don't read a lot of fiction. I just finished reading David Niven's autobiography 'The Moon's A Balloon' and I've started Top 40 Democracy by Eric Weisband, a pretty dry tome about the pop charts. It's a little stiff, but full of hot analysis. I don't know if that's a rave review. And of course I read the New Scientist nearly every week.

QUESTION:  What are you working on next?

I feel like everything I'm working on at the moment is just winding up for the time being - I'm working on the last of six issues of Giant Days for Boom, the fourth Bad Machinery collection for Oni Press, and steering my current webcomic to a natural end. I'm going to have to take a couple of weeks off to gather up all the notes, diagrams and half-complete plans and come up with some sort of map to where I'm headed over the next couple of years. I've got a lot of ideas - the hardest thing is deciding which one to go with.

• • • • • • • • • • • 

THE CASE OF THE TEAM SPIRIT BAD MACHINERY

Tackleford, England is a town full of mysteries. Shauna, Charlotte, and Mildred just want to help the mysterious old immigrant woman keep her home. Jack, Linton, and Sonny just want to find out why the owner of the local football stadium has been plagued by a curse. If only the two groups could stop fighting with each other, they might realize there's a shared solution...

Of course, when you're just starting your first year at Griswalds Grammar School, nothing matters quite as much as football, friends, stylish jackets, trading cards, or your nerdy teacher's fancy wife. And when all of these things are competing for your attention, just how are you supposed to find the time to solve mysteries, anyway?

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N 

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BLOG TOUR

Monday, April 27
Cece Bell interviewed at Sturdy for Common Things

Tuesday, April 28
Kazu Kibuishi interviewed at Geek Dad

Wednesday, April 29
Joey Weiser interviewed at The Brain Lair

Thursday, April 30 
James Kochalka interviewed at Bumbles & Fairy Tales

Friday, May 1
Mariko Tamaki interviewed at A Book and a Latte

Saturday, May 2
Jorge Aguirre interviewed at The Windy Pages

Sunday, May 3
Luke Pearson interviewed at Mr. Schu Reads

Monday, May 4
Jeffrey Brown interviewed at For Books’ Sake

Tuesday, May 5
Cecil Castellucci interviewed at WinterHaven Books

Wednesday, May 6
Frank Cammuso interviewed at Reading with ABC

Thursday, May 7
Hope Larson interviewed at The Book Wars

Friday, May 8
Eric Orchard interviewed at Alice Marvels

Saturday, May 9
Kean Soo interviewed at Jenuine Cupcakes

Sunday, May 10
Dave Roman interviewed at Amy the Frog Queen

Monday, May 11
Gene Luen Yang interviewed at Finding Wonderland

Tuesday, May 12
Nathan Hale interviewed at Kid Lit Frenzy

Wednesday, May 13
John Allison interviewed at Supernatural Snark

Thursday, May 14
Maris Wicks interviewed at The Roarbots

Friday, May 15
Jenni and Matt Holm interviewed at The Busy Librarian

Saturday, May 16
Craig Thompson interviewed at The Book Rat

Sunday, May 17
Chris Schweizer interviewed at Panel Patter

Monday, May 18
Sara Varon interviewed at Sharp Read

Tuesday, May 19
David Rubin interviewed at Teen Lit Rocks

Wednesday, May 20
Adventures in Cartooning interviewed at Word Spelunking

Thursday, May 21
Mike Maihack interviewed at Bookish

Friday, May 22
John Patrick Green interviewed at Haunted Orchid

Saturday, May 23
Rafael Rosado interviewed at Shae Has Left the Room

Sunday, May 24
Faith Erin Hicks interviewed at Good Books and Good Wine

Monday, May 25 
Dan Santat interviewed at SLG Fuse #8

Tuesday, May 26
Andy Runton interviewed at The Hiding Spot

Wednesday, May 27
Colleen AF Venable interviewed at Graphic Policy

Thursday, May 28
Jay Hosler interviewed at My Bookish Ways

Friday, May 29t
Eleanor Davis interviewed at Love is Not a Triangle

Saturday, May 30
Ben Hatke interviewed at YA Bibliophile

Blog Tour: The Last of the Sandwalkers

A number of you are probably looking at the repeated word "beetles" on this blog tour banner and scratching your heads (possibly because you feel like there might be beetles on you now that I've brought it up), but I really love participating in tours that are a little different, and the group at First Second Books (and Macmillan in general) never disappoint!

Today I'm thrilled to welcome Jay Hosler to the blog to share with us some facts about the Carrion-Burying Beetle Family, along with a custom illustration. While you may suffer a slight loss of appetite after reading about this particular family of insects, you'll at least have newfound knowledge to pass along at your next social gathering! Nerd win. Be sure and check out Jay's newest release, The Last of the Sandwalkers for more fascinating tidbits about the insect world!

Character Name:  The Carrion-Burying Beetle family

Species:  Nicrophorus sp
Length:  25-35 mm
Color: Black with organge markings on the elytra
Habitat:  all over the place
Superpower: masters of food preparation

Most of us are familiar with the numerous, gigantic families of honey bees, wasp and ants. They usually contain a massive queen pumping out babies that are cared for by thousands (sometimes millions) of siblings. These are industrial-sized, assembly line families. By comparison, there aren’t too many social beetles and those that are social run more of a Mom-and-Pop operation.

Burying beetles start their family by looking for something dead. They have antennae that are tuned into the odors associated with rotting corpses. After a male of female has located a dead mouse or bird, they will wait for a member of the opposite sex to show up. Once united, the couple may have to fend off other couples that also want the yummy dead thing.

In some cases, the carcass needs to be moved to a suitable location for burial. To do this, the beetles will crawl under the corpse, lay on their backs, lift with their legs and shift the body. Imagine getting under your car, lifting with you hands and legs and moving the car down the road a couple inches at a time. Impressive. You can watch them at work in the National Geographic video.

Eventually the winning couple will bury the carcass and remove any skin, hair and feathers. Then, the beetles will treat the dead critter with digestive enzymes, anti-microbial and anti-fungal secretions from their mouths and butts. As the carcass is turning into a pasty, grey goo, the female lays eggs around the chamber and waits for the larvae to hatch and crawl over to the food. The parents look over the larva as they develop and prepare for metamorphosis. At this point, the larvae burrow into the surrounding chamber walls and begin the pupation period. With their parenting work done, the adult burying beetles will leave the burial chamber in search of a new carcass.

In Last of the Sandwalkers, our beetle explorers meet a family of burying beetle and make a surprising discovering in their food.

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THE LAST OF THE SANDWALKERS

(releases April 7th)

Nestled in the grass under the big palm tree by the edge of the desert there is an entire civilization—a civilization of beetles. In this bug's paradise, beetles write books, run restaurants, and even do scientific research. One such scientist is Lucy, who leads a team of researchers out into the desert. Their mission is to discover something about the greater world...but what lies in wait for them is going to change everything Lucy thought she knew.

Beetles are not the only living creatures in the world.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

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JAY HOSLER

Photo: Lisa Hosler

Jay Hosler is a biology professor at Juniata College, and a cartoonist. He enjoys telling stories about science and the natural world, and his first graphic novel (Clan Apis) won a Xeric Award and was selected for YALSA's 2002 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. His latest book, Evolution: The Story of Life on Earth, was a 2011 Junior Library Guild selection, a nominee for YALSA's 2012 Great Graphic Novels for Teens, and has been included in the Texas Library Association's Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List. He lives in central Pennsylvania with his wife and his two little nerdlings.

Website • Twitter

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TOUR

Don't forget to check out the rest of the participating blogs for additional beetle info as well as original artwork from Jay!

Tuesday, March 24
Seven Impossible Things

Wednesday, March 25
Great Kid Books

Thursday, March 26
The Brain Lair

Friday, March 27
Supernatural Snark

Monday, March 30
The Book Rat

Tuesday, March 31
Miss Print

Wednesday, April 1
Mr. Schu Reads

Thursday, April 2
Geek Dad

 Friday, April 3
Cuddlebuggery

Monday, April 6
Librarian’s Quest

Tuesday, April 7
SLJ Scope Notes

Wednesday, April 8
Alice Marvels

Thursday, April 9
The Roarbots

Friday, April 10
Sharp Read

Count Spatula's Guide to Baking: Blog Tour + Recipe

Today I have something hugely fun and different to share with all of you for my stop on the Count Spatula's Guide to Baking tour. Having participated in a wide variety of blog tours over the years, it's always exciting for me when an author or publisher comes up something completely unique, so I hope you guys enjoy the below as much as I did!

For those of you who don't know, Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula is a graphic novel by Andi Watson that releases tomorrow from First Second Books. For the tour, Count Spatula himself (who just happens to be a vampire and a chef) is hopping from blog to blog sharing kitchen tips and tricks, recipes and all sorts of other delightful things you don't want to miss. I have the pleasure of sharing a very special recipe with you, one I'm greatly looking forward to trying as anything sugar-related is an automatic win for me!

Without further ado:

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PRINCESS DECOMPOSIA AND COUNT SPATULA

Princess Decomposia is overworked and underappreciated.

This princess of the underworld has plenty of her own work to do but always seems to find herself doing her layabout father's job, as well. The king doesn't feel quite well, you see. Ever. So the princess is left scurrying through the halls, dodging her mummy, werewolf, and ghost subjects, always running behind and always buried under a ton of paperwork. Oh, and her father just fired the chef, so now she has to hire a new cook as well.

Luckily for Princess Decomposia, she makes a good hire in Count Spatula, the vampire chef with a sweet tooth. He's a charming go-getter of a blood-sucker, and pretty soon the two young ghouls become friends. And then...more than friends? Maybe eventually, but first Princess Decomposia has to sort out her life. And with Count Spatula at her side, you can be sure she'll succeed.

Andi Watson (Glister, Gum Girl) brings his signature gothy-cute sensibility to this very sweet and mildly spooky tale of friendship, family, and management training for the undead.

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N

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ANDI WATSON

Andi Watson was born and raised in the north of England where he loved to draw and read books. It rained a lot. Upon graduating college he realised this was the perfect background for a cartoonist. He has created comics for grown ups and children and those somewhere in between. Occasionally he's been nominated for awards (three Eisners, a Harvey, and a British Comics Awards). He works from home where he should buy fewer books or more bookshelves. He lives in Worcester with his wife and daughter.

Website • Facebook • Twitter

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BLOG TOUR

Be sure and check out all the stops on the tour for more guest posts, recipes and magical kitchen fun!

Monday, February 16 - Stacked
Tuesday, February 17 - Bumbles & Fairy Tales
Wednesday, February 18 - Love is Not a Triangle
Thursday, February 19 - Alice Marvels
Friday, February 20 - Haunted Orchid

Monday, February 23 - Supernatural Snark
Tuesday, February 24 - Cuddlebuggery
Wednesday, February 25 - The Book Rat
Thursday, February 26 - The Midnight Garden
Friday, February 27 - The Book Smugglers