Happy Book Birthday to Drew Weing’s The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo!
In the first volume of this new middle-grade series, Drew Weing delivers a fresh and funny take on the age-old battle between kids and closet-dwelling monsters. Make sure to pick up a copy and join snarky blogger Charles and monster mediator Margo Maloo in this ghoulish adventure!
Happy Book Birthday to Ben Hatke’s best work yet—Mighty Jack, the first of two volumes in a modern-day graphic novel retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk.
Mighty Jack is a vivid, warm, and sensitive epic fairytale adventure. It’s a story of how a few magical seeds push three kids to each be their own kind of hero. Make sure to pick up this mighty adventure. And don’t worry about that cliffhanger ending—volume 2 is coming next fall!
Happy Book Birthday to the newest book from Gene Luen Yang & Mike Holmes’ awesome Secret Coders series, Paths & Portals!
The Secret Coders series really picks up steam in the second volume, Paths & Portals. We learn more about the secret history of Stately Academy. And Josh,who you might have written off as an annoying jerk-face, turns out to be an important part of the team.
Make sure to check this series out and start your journey to being a coding master!
Collaboration is a vital part of the comics-making experience — it’s so often that comics are made by more than one person.
And comics are never a solo endeavor! Between editing, design, production, and the whole publishing process, there are always other people behind the scenes in making the comics we read.
We’re celebrating collaboration this month for First Second’s tenth anniversary!
First Second: What was the first comic you remember reading?
Andrew: I honestly couldn’t tell you! But I do remember the first time my parents took me to a comic shop: it was right before a family vacation. We were driving from Houston to Florida, which meant a lot of time to kill in the car for an 8 year old. My next-door neighbors (who eventually became great friends) were into comics, and they suggested I bring some with me to read along the way. My parents drove me to the shop, let me pick out a few, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
First Second: What about comics inspires you?
Andrew: That moment when text and art come together seamlessly. It’s like you’re not reading text or looking at pictures; you’re reading comics and that’s all it can be.
First Second: What are some of your favorite graphic novels?
Andrew: Maus, Walt Simonson’s run on Thor, American Born Chinese, Persepolis, And Kevin Huizenga’s Ganges are a few that jump out at me. I also love Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One. Saga is one that I’ve been hooked on for awhile.
First Second: What are some things you’re working on now at First Second?
Andrew: So many things, and I only just started! I’m wrapping up a middle grade comic by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham that’s super charming. Shannon’s story is about making friends for the first time and how to deal with bullies. It’s incredibly honest and Uyen’s artwork captures that beautifully. I’m also working on something by Scott Westerfeld and Alex Puvilland that I’m excited about. Oh, and I heard that some pages of Battling Boy 2 are rolling in, but I don’t think I should reveal too much about that yet . . . I’m new to the fold and the last thing I want to do is spill the beans.
First Second: What do you have to say to the world about comics?
Andrew: It’s a great time to be in comics. People continue to experiment with the form and I’m so excited to be on the front lines of it all. I really can’t wait to see what comes next!
We’re delighted to be publishing the Last Man series, by Bastien Vives, Michael Sanlaville, and Balak. These books are such fun magical adventures — delightful, fun, and charming stories with dynamic, engaging artwork.
There are five volumes so far, with a sixth coming this fall — please do check these out!
Characters — an obviously essential part of any book!
For many authors, a character is where the story thoughts — creating a persona, an ideology, a background, an appearance for something kicks off where the adventure goes and how it unfolds.
And characters really stay in your heart after a story is over!
We’re excited to be celebrating characters this month, for First Second’s tenth anniversary.
It’s our tenth anniversary this year, and we’re excited to be celebrating one of our authors who’s been with us for years — the amazing Ben Hatke, author of the Zita the Spacegirl trilogy, the Eisner-nominated Little Robot, and two picture books with comics elements — Julia’s House for Lost Creatures and Nobody Likes a Goblin.
Ben’s graphic novels are charming and adorable and full of heart — they win readers with everyone who opens them.
We’re delighted to be Ben’s publisher!
We’re going to be at the ALA annual conference this week, exhibiting with our parent company, Macmillan Children’s. Please come by the booth — 2118 — and say hi!
What is :01 doing at the show? Here’s our schedule!
Saturday
9:30am — Reading Readers with Graphic Novels at the Graphic novel Stage, with Dinosaurs: Fossils and Feathers author MK Reed
10:00am — Ben Hatke signs advance copies of Mighty Jack in the MacKids booth!
1:00pm — Making Graphic Novels for Fun and Profit at room W104, with :01 Marketing/Publicity Manager Gina Gagliano
1:30pm — First Second Anniversary Stage at the Graphic Novel Stage, with Ben Hatke, Mark Siegel, Junko Yokota, and Elisa Gall
3:00pm — First Second Anniversary Toast (and tote bag give-away) at the MacKids booth
Sunday
8:30am –First Second 10th Anniversary Panel, at room W208, with Gene Ambaum, Evan Volin, Betsy Bird, Luann Toth, and Candice Mack
9:30am — Comics Events in the Library at the Graphic Novel Stage, presented by Hippopotamister author John Patrick Green
1:00 — The Best/Worst Graphic Novels and Manga at Bayhill 19, with :01 Marketing/Publicity Manager Gina Gagliano
3:30 — Great Graphic Novels for Fall 2017 at the Graphic Novel Stage, with :01 Marketing/Publicity Manager Gina Gagliano
At this point you may be wondering, what awesome authors will you find in the ALA Artists Alley?
Well! These are the awesome authors! We’re so glad to be seeing them at the show — please do stop by their tables to say hi.
See you soon!
We’re delighted to talk with our new :01 Associate Editor about all things comics!
What was the first comic you remember reading?
Probably Calvin and Hobbes. It’s certainly the first comic I remember loving.
What about comics inspires you?
It’s a very personal form of visual storytelling. If you want to make a movie, for example, you generally need a cast, a crew, and a lot of money. With comics, all you need is a pencil.
What are some of your favorite graphic novels?
Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes, One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry, Perfect Example by John Porcellino, I Never Liked You by Chester Brown
What are some things that you’re working on now at First Second that you’re excited about?
The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing is coming back from the printer soon, and I can’t wait! You’re going to love it. and The Dam Keeper is sooo good! Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi are master story-tellers, and art are is stellar. I’m also happy to help with the Demon series, because I’ve been a Jason Shiga fan for over a decade. I even have some super rare zines by him!
What do you have to say to the world about comics?
It’s a good time to be in comics. My biggest problem is I can’t keep up with all the good work out there.
