So, You Wanna Be A Comic Book Artist?: How To Break Into Comics! The Ultimate Guide For Kids
Grades 4-8--A fast-paced and practical introduction to the creative and production aspects of working in the cartoon-art field. Offering advice on materials, drawing practice, story development, self-promotion, and submitting work to publishers, the text is direct and accessible. Interspersed with interviews with such comic-book artists as Chynna Clugston-Major (Blue Monday) and Craig Thompson (Good-bye, Chunkie Rice [Top Shelf, 1999]) and factual blurbs that provide definitions and interesting trivia, the narrative also pays ample attention to young (ages 9 to 20) comic-book writers. Interviews include samples of artwork done by the subjects, a real motivator for young readers who have aspirations in the field. Final chapters offer sources for more information, art contests, and schools, although they are far from exhaustive. A particular strength of this book is its inclusion of assorted genres and popular styles of comic-book art. Some of the important comic books noted (such as Will Eisner's Contract with God) have little appeal to the audience that this volume best serves, but erring on the side of inclusiveness seems a happy mistake from which some special readers will prosper.Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CACopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.