Mac McCool - Children's Book Illustrations and Graphic Novels

Monday, November 06, 2006

Where the Wild Things Are: Children's Graphic Novels

I have been teaching and championing the study of the art of graphic novels since 2002 from Coast to Coast, at the Comic-Con and through the National Association of Comic Art Educators. What a ride we have experienced as we have seen comics gain more cultural, commercial, and academic acceptance. Yet, one of my rare regrets during all those years came from the lack of children’s graphic novels. The irony! In many minds, comics are for children. In reality, these days, only few graphic novels come out catering to readers, ages 2 to 12. Françoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman’s Little Lit was a wonderful exception. Well, times are changing, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators knows it! I have been granted the honor of championing graphic novels for children at their 8th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference in New York (Feb. 9-11, 2007) through a series of presentations. The world of children’s graphic novels is going to be a great adventure! That’s where tomorrow’s “wild things are”! Be part of it in New York with us!

4 Comments:

Blogger mike said...

very cool, mac! congrats!

I'm all for the advocating of more graphic novels aimed towards a younger artist.

11/10/06, 8:12 AM  
Blogger Andy J Smith illustration said...

Christian,

Thought I'd check out your work as I'll be attending your graphic novel workshop at SCBWI NY in Feb. I'm currently writing/illustrating graphic novels for Stone Arch Books and it looks like that trend will continue so I thought I'd see how others approach it.

Check out my site somtime!
http://www.SmittyCartoons.com

-Andy Smith

11/10/06, 2:43 PM  
Blogger pascal said...

that's funny.
I went to school in France, where I had a class that was"the history of the children's books"
We went from way back when, all the way up untill the 80's(after that, it became contemporary, and since allof our teachers were children book illustrator's , we got a pretty well rounded education)

Maurice Sendak has always been one of my favorite author, and, when I discovered his other works, outside of where the wild things are, I gained even more respect for this phenomenal Author.
Same goes for the Babar creator, or , really, any creator at all who pushed for his "point of view" to be seen.

I'm all with you on this one, and I admire what you are doing, MAC!

11/20/06, 9:28 AM  
Blogger Dik Pose said...

You GO Christian!!! Preach the gospel of Childrens comics!

11/20/06, 2:36 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home