Yesterday I returned from what has been called my annual Teacher Summer Camp. Three days at Indiana State University in Terre Haute. The Extending Teacher Creativity Workshop is a way for Lilly Fellows to socialize, get ready for the new school year, and learn something new. Over the years it has evolved. I first attended in 2002, which makes me old. Cecil attends with me (his first appearance was in 2008) and usually gets the royal treatment, that includes multiple kidnapping attempts. What happens when you put a bunch of very creative people together? Ungodly horrors that mankind was never meant to experience and creme brûlée French toast. We actually get a chance to take some time and learn a new skill, practice an old one, or prepare for school. So today’s MINIon is in honor of Jim McClain, creator of Solution Squad, friend, and Lilly Fellow, who had to go through the hazing in Tier One. For those of you who don’t know Solution Squad, it’s a comic book in which a team of young heroes keep the world safe by using Math based super powers (Jim’s a middle school Math teacher). So while I was learning how to better use colored pencils I took a break and drew this MINIon- Sigma and that about sums it up.
Category: Comic Books
A Year In MINIons- MINIon #6910
Yes, I finally did it, a MINION MINIon. I hope you’re all happy now. Cecil has had minions since his first appearance years before a certain film came out, so he doesn’t like his MINIons being confused with those MINIONs… but if can’t beat them, join them.
I hope everyone who attended San Diego Comic Con had a great time and a safe trip back to where ever you call home. It looks like the one studio in particular pulled out all the stops. If you have not read about the STAR WARS VII panel in the infamous Hall H you should. Also the trailer for the Superman v Batman film looks interesting, I’m sure we’ll get more before the film actually comes out. Most of the trailers shown seem to be posted on YouTube almost as soon as the panel is over so head over to the second most popular search engine and hunt your favorite down.
A Year In MINIons- MINIon #0022
I read comic books, as if you didn’t know, when I was a kid about once a year we’d visit my grandparents, They had a ginormous house and my older brother and I would sleep in my uncle’s old room. I remember it had a mounted fish on the wall. The other thing I remember was a small pile of comic books and a couple of them were Archie. I never really got into the shorter story/gag related comics, but they did stick in my mind after all these years. And this week (since almost all the other comic companies have done it) Archie Comics decided to reboot their universe. They’d had zombies and alternate reality stories(Archie marries Betty, Archie marries Veronica), even killed off Archie, so I guess it was time. My only thought was “How?” How do you reboot a comic that really in my mind was just a bunch of short stories or long gags? DC & Marvel reboot because their continuity gets too much for an average reader to take. Archie, has no continuity as far as I remember, nothing really tied issues together. I’m not an expert but when I think of most comics that I have read, if something happens in one issue, it becomes a part of the canon. In Archie, one story he’s dating Betty, the next he’s dating Veronica it just happened with the turn of a page in the same issue. Archie was a “player,” I guess.
So they rebooted Archie and brought in some great writers and artists to do it which made me interested. So I happen to be passing a comic shop and picked up a copy of Archie Issue number one… and I think I’ll be back for issue number two. I had read some of the story online and decided I wanted to try out this new Archie, and I think they’ve got me hooked for now. I like character driven stories and try to avoid the silly event comics unless I can’t avoid them (Convergence and Secret Wars -ugh!). This wasn’t the Archie I remembered, it was a little more mature, and frankly… good. So MINIon #0022 is my salute to the relaunch of Archie, if the storytelling and artwork stay at this level, you might have a convert.
As for Saturday of San Diego Comic Con… When I’ve had a 4 day badge, I try to avoid it like the plague. The crowds are… nightmarish. If you like being around the hoards of humanity, then I’ve got the place for you. I saw this morning a photo of the line for Hall H… for tomorrow. People camping out already to get a seat in Hall H- TOMORROW. A quick explanation for those who don’t follow the San Diego “Comic” Con, except for the quick reports that make you think (as a geek) “I must go there.” Hall H and Ballroom 20 are where the panels for movies and TV shows happen, so this is where all the “fans” line up- for days. It is not pretty. See, they don’t clear out the hall at the end of each session, so once you get a coveted seat you don’t give it up. You become Gollum with his “precious.” You sit through panels and previews of stuff you could care less about so you can get that one glimpse of the actor/director/celebrity you care about. I’m lucky. When I go, I scope out the comic book related panels and those are usually empty. I remember the last time I went I was waiting outside a room for Robert Kirkman’s presentation, happy that I was first in line. The security person asked what I was doing, and then looked at me befuddled and told me to just go sit down, there’s no waiting. The same thing happened for Jeff Smith, and David Peterson, and I’m assuming any comic book creator (OK, maybe not Stan Lee). I do regret in all the times I attended San Diego Comic Con (three if my memory hasn’t failed me) I never attended the Eisner Awards or the Masquerade. There’s alway’s 2017 (if I can keep my professional badge).
A Year in MINIons- MINIon #2007
Today would normally be “Star Wars Day” at San Diego Comic Con, so you would think I’d do a Star Wars character, but I really don’t think I could top MINIon #0006. So I decided to go with another cosplay that you’d see wandering around San Diego this weekend. To all those folks dressed as characters from cartoons, I hope you are having an adventurous time! Enjoy your pizza!
A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1985
Because so many people will wander San Diego tonight dressed as characters from a video game
Wow… Best Con Ever: Kids Read Comics
You know how people tell you to go someplace over and over again and you think, “Maybe, when I have time.” I really don’t remember when I first heard something about the Kids Read Comics Convention in Ann Arbor, Michigan what I do know is I ignored it. Maybe I thought I should put that on the old bucket list, or maybe I just never wrote it down… I’m now kicking myself. I know recently some of my friends have pushed for me to go… You know who you are Jim, Chris, Ginger, & Lee. So I bit the bullet decided to take the weekend and blew my mind. I might have a few things wrong- I’m still processing everything.
I’m not a con newbie, I remember attending comic cons since I could drive. I’ve been to New York Comic Con, C2E2, and even trekked out to San Diego a few times… Those are all great, but for me, I’ll take Kids Read Comics. Remember, I’m a teacher, I’m an elementary school teacher, I like comics… This was a con for me and the little kid in me who tends to hide away too often. So what amazing stars of film and tv were there for $40 photo ops and $20 autographs? Umm… No one. It was a con emphasizing the awesomeness of comics, and focusing on the kids who read them. The cost of admission? Ummm… Nothing. Ok you had to bring unbridled joy and love of comics, and a willingness to embrace your inner kid, or at least put up with kids filled with joy. So far it sounds like some weird fantasyland that I dreamed up when I mixed up my hypertension medicine, but it isn’t.
Friday was for the adults, the teachers, librarians, and comic creators. The entire day dealt with lofty topics like “How to teach how to draw,” “The amazing history of comics in America & how they almost disappeared,” a panel of people from all over talking about creating comics, & using comics for learning, and finally a tour of a video game archive that definitely brought back waves of nostalgia. My poor brain was already full after just the pre-conference, but for my students I had to carry on and attempt to survive the first day of the actual con…
Kids Read Comics is divided into a mass of activities for kids of all ages, so many I got lost, and really need to bring an army of MINIons next time to report out. I’ll try to keep it simple by grouping them a bit:
Artist Alley- a chance to meet and talk (face to face) with amazing comic creators. I’m a big fan of the artist alley (once I get over my shyness) but recently I have found a glut of “dystopian zombie apocalypse” comics, or artists who have no concept of what “all ages” means. At Kids Read Comics it was wonderful! Every artist I spoke with had things that kids would like and parents wouldn’t blush at. When talking with the artists before I would buy something they’d usually tell me the age it was meant for, even a warning as to bad language that might work in an upper grade, but not younger kids. It was a dream. I walked out with my wallet a little lighter, but knowing that everything I had could work in my classroom. Here are just a few of the great creators who were at Kids Read Comics (Yes, Cecil needed to be in the picture, and somehow I lost a number of photos I thought I had taken- grrr.).
Quick Draw! & other drawing challenges- be it Quick Draw!, Iron Cartoonist, or Comics Quickfire it’s a great chance to see your new favorite cartoonists in action. As a really old kid what I liked best was seeing how each artist attacked their drawing. A wizard in space with a screwdriver? Sure! The drawings showed the people in the audience that there isn’t a “right” answer, but a lot a creativity can save the day!
Educational Sessions- Sessions geared for teens, or kids of all ages on storytelling technique, basic drawing, all the way to inking. I learned so much from the sessions I went to, these ideas have helped me as I reimagine the direction of My Geek Odyssey and Gizmo Girl.
Signings- Comics Rockstars… If you didn’t catch them at their Artist Alley table here’s your chance to get your favorite book signed by your favorite cartoonist. I waited in line for most creators, but it was worth it to be able to quietly mumble “I really like your work” or “My students love what you do.” Some artists were ones I have known others are new found idols… I think I’m getting better with the whole socializing thing, but I know I still need work.
Oh, and if you don’t have a copy of the book you wanted signed- Green Brain Comics has set up a table with copies of books from all the guests!
Other Amazing Activities- so many other things, drawing on the sidewalk next to your favorite cartoonist, dancing to the Shake-Ups in Ponyville, Awards ceremonies, ghosts, arts and crafts… So many things going on, my head is spinning.
Ok here’s the sad thing that I need to mention again- I didn’t get to do everything I wanted. I had to make choices. I didn’t get to all the venues- so many cool things and so few of me. You see Kids Read Comics wasn’t in just one place. The wonderful Ann Arbor District Library hosted many events, but so did the Ann Arbor Art Center, and Vault of Midnight Comics, and Robot Supply and Repair (826 Michigan). It was almost as if Ann Arbor had been taken over by comic book geeks and comic book geeks in the making… I’m now wanting to move, except I hear the further north you go, the colder it gets and I really have a thing against winter.
I’ll be going over my notes in the next few days to see how this will change my teaching, and this very comic. So here’s what I want YOU to consider- I’m around 4 hours away from this con- driving, and I went. What’s your excuse? I know I made a bunch of excuses over the years. If you live within a day’s drive and teach with, have comics in your classroom, or love all ages comics, the least you could do is take a day. You won’t regret it, in fact if you go next year and don’t learn something or discover something new, let me know, I’ll personally refund the cost of your registration to Kids Read Comics.*
*offer expires August 2016, professional driver on a closed course, your mileage may differ, offer not valid for residents of California due to some law you passed sometime, you and your silly referendums. #kidsreadcomics #aadl
Gizmo Girl Update- Oh what a tangled web.
So as I have posted I’m taking a class from the Smithsonian about comic books. Our final project is to create a superhero. Many of the ideas are fantastic, mine was Gizmo Girl, an all-ages comics with a “strong female protagonist.” The class requirements were to complete a slideshow defining your character. Week one: define your mythic inspiration. Week two: define your character’s superpowers, weaknesses, and origin. Week three: define your villain’s, origin, inspiration, powers, etc. Week 4: Construct a basic story. Week 5: Make three panels from your scene. I’ll share all of this when it’s ready, but for now I thought I would at least share an updated drawing of Gizmo Girl. There might be some subtle changes, but I think this is the design I’m sticking with. I’ve learned a lot over the past 6 years, and I know I’ll end up tweaking things, simplifying them as I draw more and more. I’ve really enjoyed the class and have until the end of the month to get the last work done… wish me luck. Now it’s off to figure out a villain (yes, Cecil would be an easy choice, but I’m trying to push myself a bit).
Comics for kids?!? That’s crazy talk!
It’s the “off season” so like any pro athlete, I spend my time “training” and getting ready for next season. For me it means going to conventions and learn new things or be reminded of things I have forgotten. Next week is Kid’s Read Comics in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A comic convention focusing on books for kids (and teens). Some of my favorite creators are going to be there, so Cecil and I are really looking forward to it. If you are in the area stop by and get some great kid’s comics, and if you happen to see a guy with a monkey on his head, that’s probably me. I won’t have a table but I’ll be wandering around like a fan boy. Here’s the a link to the program if you want to check out what’s going and who is going to be there.
Comic Book MOOC- a Quick Update
SmithsonianX: POPX1.1x The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact on Popular Culture. What was I thinking?!? Take a MOOC at the end of the school year? Yes, it is about a topic I love (comics). Yes, it is going to be fantastic (it’s through the Smithsonian). Yes, it involves some very cool people (Stan something or other is part of the teaching team). Now as they start week 4… yes, week FOUR, I’m finally able to start catching up on my classwork and lectures. I was doing all right with the lectures for the first couple of weeks, but not the classwork. I’m now behind on everything (so instead of working I’m doing a blog entry), but I’m really excited about some things I’ve been working on because of this course.
Let me introduce you to the first idea for “Gizmo Girl”
One of the major pieces (I think, you mean I should have read the syllabus?) for this course is to create your own superhero. I decided that while I love Cecil and the joy he has given me, I needed to try something else, just for comics. So yesterday… yes, yesterday, or maybe it was the day before, the idea hit me. Of course with every idea I kept thinking “How is this different than something I’ve already read?” so I know I’ve been influenced, but I hope in the end this will be originalish.
So, you have Gizmo Girl, who is a technology based superhero. She is the niece of a retired hero (Mr. Gizmo from the comic I did for my classroom). Upon his death she is given a bracelet that she thinks is ordinary but actually gives her access to Mr. Gizmo’s lair, and all his stuff. This includes his vast array of “bugs” little robots that help him thwart crime and have actually been doing most of his job for the past few years as he was getting too old for that kind thing- so know one knows he’s dead, but the bugs are starting to show some wear and tear and it’s time for Mr. Gizmo (or Gizmo Girl) enter the battle against the bad guys. So the comic deals with her life as an elementary school student: homework, testing, teachers, mean girls, parents, etc. It also deals with her life trying to figure out this whole superhero thing, so she’s learning the ropes and then seeing how some of the stuff she learns in school can help her out.
I don’t want to give away too many plot points or spoilers yet, but I’m kinda amazed at how this character & her story are just coming to me without much effort right now. When I’m done with everything I’ll post it here and then you can look for her adventures showing up on My Geek Odyssey and maybe even in comic book form… or at least that’s the plan.
A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1774
Yesterday was Geocaching and today I headed north to Apple-Seed Comic Con in Fort Wayne. Don’t panic, I wasn’t tabling or doodling for cash and fame. I was there to check out the Con, learn something, and get inspired. Apple-Seed Comic-Con is held in the same place as Brickworld Fort Wayne. It’s not one of those Mega-Cons that call themselves “Comic Cons” but deal more with celebrities and autographs. It was essentially an Artist Alley with a few vendors (including a company selling gutters- for your house, not your comic). This makes it nice, but also can make it a quick trip through the vendor hall. I arrived fairly early and I stopped by and chatted quickly with some friends (never wanting to keep others from buying their stuff) and then went to a session I was hoping would help me with a project I’m working on. “Secrets of Drawing Comics THEY Don’t Want You To Know” presented by the wonderful Kyle Latino. This was worth the price of admission. After drawing a comic strip for a little over 6 years now, the transition to drawing a full page is a little scary. The hard part about a strip is getting your idea out in three or four panels. The problem with a page is… it’s a page and there are so many things that can go wrong and so much space to go wrong with. While I’ve been reading page after page of comics for over 40 years, making the magic happen is a little harder. Kyle’s presentation I believe has got me on the right path… only time will tell if I really listened and learned.
As for the for Artist’s Alley, there were some wonderful things to see, and I’m sorry that I didn’t feel right talking to everyone. As with many cons the pitch heard most was “It’s a story about a zombie apocalypse…” For my purpose, not all ages enough. I thought I would plug a few of the folks I saw and chatted with (kids- understand that not all of these creators deal with zombies, nor are all them appropriate for elementary students): Chris & Gin, Andy Korty, Bri Rudd, Kyle Latino, G. Pike and Ron Braun. I do hope they all had a successful show, and maybe I’ll join them next year! SO I checked out the show, learned something, and got inspired to take that leap of faith fiddle with a full page… what’s next? I do know I’m planning on attending (as either a teacher or a creator) Kids Read Comics in the middle of June… I won’t be tabling, but Cecil and I will be there wandering Ann Arbor in search of comics, creators, and knowledge.