Raina Telgemeier's Blog, page 2
July 18, 2016
San Diego Comic-con 2016!
Hey guys! Sorry it’s been so quiet around here. I’ve been super busy working on the details for my upcoming Ghosts book tour, writing a script for my next book, and just enjoying summer!
I’ll be at San Diego Comic-con this weekend, and if you’ve got tickets, I hope to see you there! Here are all the places to find me over the course of the show:
THURSDAY JULY 21
3:00pm-4:00pm
We Need Diverse Comics
Room 9
Nidhi Chanani (Pashmina), Ben Hatke (Mighty Jack), Nilah Magruder (M.F.K.), Raina Telgemeier (Ghosts), and Ron Wimberly (Prince of Cats) discuss the current state of diversity in the comics industry; what’s changed over the past decade, and what changes still need to happen.
FRIDAY JULY 22
11:00am-12:00pm
Author Autographing Session
Autographing Area 21
Ru Xu, Raina Telgemeier
12:30pm-1:30pm
You Can be the Next Scholastic Graphix Artist
Room: 24ABC
Find out how to get published by Scholastic, the #1 graphic novel publisher for children! What does it take to be published by Scholastic’s Graphix imprint? Join Graphix editors David Saylor, Cassandra Pelham, and Adam Rau alongside authors Jeff Smith, Raina Telgemeier, and Ru Xu to find out how. And stay tuned for a special announcement!
4:00pm-5:00pm
Behind the Curtain: Creating Heroes in all Formats
Room: 25ABC
From secret hero societies to mystery-solving kids, graphic novels prove a picture’s worth a thousand words. Join artists Kate Beaton, Raina Telgemeier, Dustin Nyugen, Derek Fridolfs, Mike Wu, Greg Grunberg and Lucas Turnbloom as they discuss the creation of their new work.
5:30pm-6:30pm
Author Autographing Session
Autographing Area 20
SATURDAY, JULY 23
1:00pm-2:00pm
Author Autographing Session
Autographing Area 21
3:00-4:00pm
Cartoon Art Museum signing
Booth #1930
SUNDAY JULY 24
12:00pm-1:00pm
How (And Why) Kids Started Reading Comics Again
Room 25ABC
How (and why) did comics and graphic novels for kids go from a sliver of the market to dominating the sales charts? And what’s next for the category? New York Times bestselling cartoonist Raina Telgemeier (Drama, Sisters) and children’s librarian Eva Volin are joined by comic industry insiders Gina Gagliano (marketing manager, First Second Books), Adam Staffaroni (senior editor, ROAR Comics), and Sarah Gaydos (editor, IDW) to discuss their theories. Moderated by Josh Elder (executive director, Reading With Pictures).
1:00pm-2:00pm
YA? Why Not? The Importance of Teen and Young Adult Comics
Room: 24ABC
Once the fastest growing genres in literature, YA books have grown beyond
babysitting and first loves. BOOM! Studios senior editor Sierra Hahn and creators Hope Larson (Goldie Vance,Compass South), Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Drama), Cecil Castellucci(Shade, The Changing Girl, Moving Target: Princess Leia) and Brenden Fletcher (Gotham Academy) discuss the significance of these emerging categories of comics and what they mean for modern literacy.
May 4, 2016
Raina Telgemeier & Gene Yang: San Francisco, 5/7!
I’ll be speaking and signing with Gene Luen Yang this Saturday, May 7, at the SFPL Main Branch in San Francisco! Gene is the creator of some of my favorite graphic novels of all time (American Born Chinese, The Shadow Hero, and Secret Coders, among others), as well as the current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature! He’s also my friend, and an all-around amazing person. The event is free — please join us!
Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang in Conversation
Saturday, May 7, 2016
12:00pm to 2:00pm
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA
More info here!
April 4, 2016
Emerald City Comicon, Seattle, WA!
My yellow brick road leads to Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, this weekend, April 7-10!
I’ll have a table in Artist Alley (Booth 16), but I will only be there at the designated signing times, listed below. Here’s my full panel and signing schedule:
Thursday, April 7
4:00pm-6:00pm
SIGNING at Artist Alley Booth 16
Friday, April 8
11:15AM-12:15PM
My First Year in Comics Panel
Room T302
You’ve gotten your first job in comics but now what? Join up-and-coming creators Tini Howard (Magdalena), Jorge Corona (Feathers), Jody Houser (Faith), Megan Levens (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Raina Telgemeier (Smile; Sisters; Drama), and Phillip Sevy (Tomb Raider) as they discuss what they’ve done to go from “Brand New” to “Working Consistently” in the Comics industry. Beyond breaking in, the focus of this panel is to discuss different strategies for getting your SECOND job in comics – and then third, and fourth, and so on. Breaking in is only the first step. Come learn about how to take your second.
1:00pm – 2:00pm
SIGNING at Artist Alley Booth 16
Saturday, April 9
11:15AM-12:15PM
YA, Why Not? Panel
Room T302
Once the fastest growing genre in literature, YA books have grown beyond babysitting and first loves. Now that graphic novels are making award-winning shortlists, comics aimed at middle grade and young adult readers are growing in popularity. Join BOOM! Studios senior editor Sierra Hahn and authors Raina Telgemier (Smile), Faith Erin Hicks (The Adventures of Superhero Girl, Friends with Boys), Hope Larson and Brittney Williams (Goldie Vance), Liz Prince (Tomboy: A Graphic Novel) and Royden Lepp (Rust) in a discussion on the significance of these emerging categories of comics and what that means for modern literacy.
1:00pm – 2:00pm
SIGNING at Artist Alley Booth 16
Sunday, April 10
10:30am – 11:30am
SIGNING at Artist Alley Booth 16
12:00Noon-1:00PM
Spotlight on Raina Telgemeier
Room W611
Come hang out with me at my spotlight panel! I’ll be talking about my work, showing old photos and artwork from my early days, doing a live reading and some drawing on stage! PERHAPS there will also be a little sneak peak at my upcoming graphic novel, Ghosts!!
1:15pm – 2:15PM
Signing, Table 26 – 6th Floor Autographing Area
Books sold by University Bookstore
March 22, 2016
Wondercon: Los Angeles, CA
This weekend I’ll be a special guest at Wondercon, in Los Angeles, CA!
Here’s my panel and signing information:
SATURDAY 3/26
Spotlight on Raina Telgemeier
I’ll be chatting with Shannon Watters (BOOM! Studios) about my life and my work, and why tween readers are so awesome. We’re going to play MASH onstage and talk about childhood crushes. It’s going to be amazing.
3:30—4:30
Room 403AB
Signing: 4:45-5:30, Author Signing Area
Books will be available for purchase via Mysterious Galaxy.
SUNDAY 3/27
Comedy in Comics
11:30—12:30
Room 152
This panel will include Kyle Baker, Ming Doyle, Francesco Francavilla, Agnes Garbowska, Joe Quinones, and Raina Telgemeier.
Signing: 1:00-1:45, Author Signing Area
Books will be available for purchase via Mysterious Galaxy.
Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!
February 2, 2016
Hourly Comic Day 2016
Every year on February 1, I participate in Hourly Comic Day! Cartoonists all over the world draw a comic about the previous hour of their day, for every hour they’re awake. This is my seventh year doing it, and it’s fun to see how things evolve over the years.
This year reflects some of the big changes in my life since last February 1. And because Smile came out on February 2, 2010, this day is always my chance to look back on the ways my career has grown and shifted and taken on a life of its own over time. As always, I’m grateful to all of my readers for sticking with me!
As we speak, I’m in the final weeks of production on Ghosts, and once that’s off to press I’ll be turning my focus back to writing for a few months, before embarking on the GhostsTour later this fall. As always, my events calendar is on the right-hand side of my website’s homepage, so keep your eyes on that to find out when I’ll be visiting a town near you.
Thanks to my friends who were part of my day today in ways big and small. Let’s all do it again sometime.
On with the comics!
(And after all that computer talk, ironically all of my tech stopped working midway through scanning my comics. The world is laughing at me today!)
Past years:
January 26, 2016
BSC Graphix #4: In Stores! Plus, A Look Back…
It’s hard to believe, but as of today, the fourth graphic novel adaptation of the Baby-sitters Club series, Claudia and Mean Janine, which was first published in 2008, is in stores in full color! This marks the end of my series that launched my career, and set the stage for me to publish Smile. It has been really fun seeing people discover my older work for the first time!
As a special treat to celebrate book 4’s release, I dug up something very cool from my mom’s storage space: Some old BSC art I drew when I was ten years old! Check this out. Proof positive that I’ve been a BSC fan from the early days. I guess that made me a good candidate to adapt the series into comics almost 20 years later!
If you’re wondering where Stacey is, according to the page of notes I also found, this was drawn during the part of the series where Stacey moved back to New York City for a little while. Mallory and Jessi had just joined the club, too. So this was in continuity!
I’d also like to note that Claudia and Mean Janine ended up being my favorite book out of the four BSC graphic novels I drew. I had the best time drawing the kids running around Stacey’s yard, chasing dogs and freaking out Jenny Prezzioso. The scene where Kristy and Dawn hang out in Dawn’s barn is one of my favorites in the entire series. And being able to depict Claudia’s relationship with Mimi was really touching — I drew a lot of inspiration from my own relationship with my grandmother, who also had a series of strokes in her later years. And of course, Claudia’s relationship with her sister draws a few parallels with my own book, Sisters. I enjoy connecting dots between art and life, and the BSC series is no exception.
Book 4 also has a really cool how-to that we created to show my working method and how I create my graphic novels!
Thanks again to the incredible people who helped make these books possible. David Saylor, David Levithan, Janna Morishima, Sheila Keenan, and Cassandra Pelham held the editorial reins; everyone else at Scholastic; John Green, my fabulous letterer; Braden Lamb, who brought the books to glorious new life in full color; all of my friends who lent a hand of support or assistance during the four years these books were in production.
And of course…Ann M. Martin herself, without whom these books would not exist. I am so happy to say that Ann became a friend over the years we worked together, and I’m always grateful for a chance to talk with her and read her books. She’s been an inspiration to me since I was nine years old, and she continues to inspire me to this day.
January 7, 2016
GHOSTS Cover Reveal & 23-Page Excerpt!
Here it is — the cover of my upcoming graphic novel, GHOSTS!
Not only that, but Scholastic released a huge 23-page preview over on Entertainment Weekly, so click away to read part of the first chapter of the book. Enyoy!
It’ll be in stores in September.
December 5, 2015
Signed Copies of My Books!
I mentioned this already, but it merits its very own blog post! You can now order signed copies of my books from my local indie bookstore, Green Apple Books! Visit their Upstream page, order some books, and shipping is only 99 cents via USPS! (They ship international, too.) Each book has a signature and a drawing, so they make wonderful gifts.
Photo credit: Ashley Despain
Upstream is a movement where authors partner with local independent bookstores, to encourage readers to support small businesses. Green Apple has been a San Francisco institution for decades, and it’s just the sort of quirky, welcoming, community-oriented place an author like me wants to work with. They’ve been good to me over the years, and have hosted me for several great events, and I am happy to continue this relationship.
Thanks for your support! Happy reading!
November 29, 2015
Happy Holidays!
Hey guys!
I know it’s been kind of quite around here. I’ve been working like mad on Ghosts, which comes out next fall. I hope it will be worth the wait! I have a few things to share with you guys about holiday items and promotions:
SIGNED BOOKS! My local indie bookstore in San Francisco, Green Apple Books, is offering signed copies of my books by mail. I don’t have the ability to personalize copies, but if you’d like one with a signature and a drawing, you can order here!
ORIGINAL ART! I still have some non-request original Baby-sitters Club comic pages for sale in the webstore. These are only $35, plus shipping. To unsure Christmas delivery, please order by December 15! (Please note that I do not sell artwork from Smile, Sisters, or Drama.)
T-SHIRTS! I am limited to unisex large-sized Smile t-shirts, but if you’d like one, order by December 15 for Christmas delivery. At this time, I don’t have a plan to re-print the shirts, but if I have any news about merchandise or other promotional items, I’ll certainly announce it here.
Thanks, everyone. I hope you are warm, happy, healthy, and have something good to read. Happy Holidays!
October 5, 2015
NYCC & New York Events!
Hey guys! Hope you’re all having a nice October so far. I’ll be in and around the New York Comicon this weekend! Here are all the places you can find me:
Friday, October 9
Camp Out with Lumberjanes!
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Room 1A24
Pack your bags, bring your s’mores kit and get your badges ready! Join the
brilliant minds and collaborators behind the breakout hit Lumberjanes, from the
BOOM! Studios imprint, BOOM! Box! Shannon Watters, Brooke Allen, and
Special Guests discuss what’s down the pipeline for the Mal, Molly, April, Jo and
Ripley and the importance of hardcore lady types! Moderated by Raina
Telgemeier (Drama).
Saturday, October 10
Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Room 1B03
Already a legend for his creation of The Spirit in 1940, Will Eisner – with the
1978 publication of his A Contract With God – would be instrumental in
popularizing the graphic novel format, changing the world of comics forever. Join
us and find out how and why Eisner did it, with moderator Paul Levitz (author of
the upcoming Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel) and Panelists Todd
McFarlane (Spawn Creator & Image Comics President), Raina Telgemeier
(Smile), Dennis O’Neil (Batman) and Denis Kitchen (The Best of Comix Book).
Sunday, October 11
Goosebumps & The Baby-sitters Club Revisited
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Room 1A10
Join legendary Authors R.L. Stine (Goosebumps) and Ann M. Martin (The Baby-
sitters Club) as they chat with bestselling and award-winning graphic novel
creators Dave Roman (Graphix Presents: Goosebumps) and Raina Telgemeier
(The Baby-sitters Club Graphic Novels) about re-imaging their classic stories as
graphic novels. From Stonybrook to HorrorLand, the original Authors and their
reimagining Illustrators describe the process and challenges of drawing their
classic characters in full color.
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
WORD SIGNING
Hall 1-B
SIGNING WITH Ann M. Martin & R.L. Stine
4:00 PM
Stock Signing at Astoria Bookshop
4:00 – 5:00 PM
31-29 31st Street
Astoria, NY 11106
I’ll be swinging by Astoria Bookshop to sign some stock after the con. Everyone is welcome. Come say hello!
