CARS comics magic.
As much as I enjoy writing prose, be it for books or articles; there is something extra special about creating comics. For year's I've had a sticker on the side of one of the filing cabinets in my office that reads "COMIC BOOKS: Enjoy the Art of Reading," and that for me is the perfect description of what makes the medium so special - that magical mix of art and words that combines to provide, at times, an almost magical experience unmatched in any other type of story-telling.
If creating comics is special, then working on all-ages comics is pure joy. The looks on the various kids' faces at the recent Wizard World con in Austin when they spotted the CARS books on my table were priceless. So were the various "thank you"s from parents who were looking for a way to share a love of the medium with their kids, or for something that would engage the younger generation in a love of reading. All-ages comics can be the perfect cross-generational bonding experience.
This morning I received a note from my good friend, and indy-comics champion, Wayne Beamer that once again bought home the point of the power of comics.
Thought you'd love to know my daughter Skyped me last night so I could watch my granddaughter Zoe reading your CARS Vol. 1 Graphic Novel to her brother Zack. Thanks for making comics my grandkids love to read. :)
That short note made my day.
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(1) Postscript to this post from Wayne - What Alan and I didn't know before he wrote his awesome blog post: Going to a doctor's appointment the other day, Sandy told a little boy on an elevator that a friend of hers wrote comics about the Cars chracters on his t-shirt. In turn, his Mom asked Sandy to give Alan a big thank you for writing comics her child could read. Awesomeness squared...
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(2) and CARS cover artist Allen Gladfelter has started blogging about his experience working on the CARS book over the last couple of years. - Check out his stories and sketched HERE
******
If creating comics is special, then working on all-ages comics is pure joy. The looks on the various kids' faces at the recent Wizard World con in Austin when they spotted the CARS books on my table were priceless. So were the various "thank you"s from parents who were looking for a way to share a love of the medium with their kids, or for something that would engage the younger generation in a love of reading. All-ages comics can be the perfect cross-generational bonding experience.
This morning I received a note from my good friend, and indy-comics champion, Wayne Beamer that once again bought home the point of the power of comics.
Thought you'd love to know my daughter Skyped me last night so I could watch my granddaughter Zoe reading your CARS Vol. 1 Graphic Novel to her brother Zack. Thanks for making comics my grandkids love to read. :)
That short note made my day.
******
(1) Postscript to this post from Wayne - What Alan and I didn't know before he wrote his awesome blog post: Going to a doctor's appointment the other day, Sandy told a little boy on an elevator that a friend of hers wrote comics about the Cars chracters on his t-shirt. In turn, his Mom asked Sandy to give Alan a big thank you for writing comics her child could read. Awesomeness squared...
******
(2) and CARS cover artist Allen Gladfelter has started blogging about his experience working on the CARS book over the last couple of years. - Check out his stories and sketched HERE
******