So storytime. When I went to school a thousand years ago, I took a class in making comics, the writing part. Where I read the seminal Making Comics by Scott McCloud. The book is one of the most important ones when it comes to learning how to make comics. Scott Mcloud has done a lot of work with comic theories. He has also worked with some of the big publishers. Anyway when I saw his name attached to the this project I was instantly invested.
His co-writer is Rania Telgemeier is perhaps more well known recently. She has worked on projects from like Smile and Drama. In addition to working as an artist on the graphic novels of the Babysitter’s Club.
With this A+ talent being a part of the project you can expect it to be very good. And it does not disappoint.
Synopsis
Middle schooler Makayla is bursting with ideas and doesn’t know how to make them into a story. She has a story in her mind and she’s an artist but she’s having a problem editing her ideas.
She wants to know how someone decides what to put in their story. Her classmate Howard loves to draw but has problems coming up with ideas. He doesn’t have family support when it comes to his hobby.
Meanwhile Lynda draws constantly but can’t get past what she thinks are mistakes in her art. And Art simply loves being creative and wants to try something new. They all come together to form The Cartoonist club with the help of their school librarian.
The Cartoonists Club serves as part story/part instructional guide. The character show some of the different conventions of comics throughout the piece. Examples such as how sequential art is interpreted or different styles, as well as a guide in the back.
Review
The Cartoonists Club serves a great introduction to young people for making comics. While this reads like an adapted Making Comics. It doesn’t dumb down the content for the young reader. If anything both authors celebrate the enthusiasm new creators have and how important it is to have new blood in creative hobbies.
While this book is meant for young people. I think that it could be a great introductory read for anyone who is interested in learning more about comics. These two greats have done a wonderful job writing an introductory guide and I had a great time reading it.
I would happily give it five stars for both the art, which is beautiful as one would expect. And the content which makes some high level concepts very easy to digest. I would love to see more projects like this discussing other comic conventions or the history of the hobby.
About the Author
Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award–winning creator of Smile, Sisters, and Guts, which are all graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, the adapter and illustrator of the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels, and, with Scott McCloud, the cocreator of The Cartoonists Club. Facing Feelings: Inside the World of Raina Telgemeier is based on an exhibition that was held at The Ohio State University’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit her online at goraina.com.
Scott McCloud is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art;Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics,Manga, and Graphic Novels;Zot!; and The Sculptor. He is also, with Raina Telgemeier, the cocreator of The Cartoonists Club. Scott is a frequent lecturer on the power of visual communication and creator of the international 24-Hour Comics Day. In 2021, he was inducted into the Will Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. Scott lives with his family in Oregon. His art and stories are available in more than thirty languages and on the web at scottmccloud.com.
Photo by khairul nizam: https://www.pexels.com/photo/gray-and-black-alien-drawing-16516/
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