Thank you, Ruben Connolly (age eight), for sending your excellent SPACE DUMPLINS fan art!
fan art by ruben
December 8, 2015
Misc, Sketchbook, Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins
Space Dumplins
tour mementos
November 9, 2015
Misc, Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Travel
More SPACE DUMPLINS tour dates soon. In the meantime, here’s a few mementos thus far:
Upper left, CHUNKY RICE tattoo and young cartoonists/art school students from Philly. Right, fan art by talented Italian illustrator Veronica Carratello. And finally, excerpts from a huge stack of thank you notes from students at Hoffman Elementary outside Chicago.
translating dumplins
November 2, 2015
Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Travel, Upcoming
The first translated volume of DUMPLINS, Rizzoli’s POLPETTE SPAZIALI, debuted this past weekend at LUCCA Comics Festival in Italy. It’s 100 pages longer than the US edition, because of extra “making of” material.
Also, hot-off-the-press is Reprodukt’s gorgeous German edition of WELTRAUMKRÜMEL, in paperback and limited edition hardcover, meticulously hand-lettered, including the sound effects. And soon to be released is Casterman’s French edition of SPACE BOULETTES which will also debut in paperback and special edition hardcover. The latter has an acetate overlay cover, an in-depth interview, and extra pages of “making of” material.
In March & April of 2016, I’ll be in Europe to promote all of these along with Faber & Faber’s UK edition, and Astiberri’s Spanish edition of ALMÓNDIGAS DEL ESPACIO.
canadian dumplins!
October 20, 2015
Misc, Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Travel
Up next is the Canadian portion (and Philadelphia) of DUMPLINS (and D&Q Blankets) book tour!
Sunday, October 25th, 3 PM : Librarie D&Q, 211 Bernard Ouest, MONTREAL
Monday, October 26th, 7 PM : Librarie D&Q, 211 Bernard Ouest, MONTREAL
Wednesday, October 28th, 6 PM : Palmerston Public Library, TORONTO
Thursday, October 29th, 3 PM : University of Toronto, TORONTO
Friday & Saturday, October 30th & 31st, Locust Moon Comics Festival, PHILADELPHIA
Halloween… might be a good time for SPACE DUMPLINS cosplay, hint hint…
These early sketches reveal that the FISHIN’ BUDDIES from SPACE DUMPLINS were directly inspired by Canadian influences: part Bob & Doug McKenzie from STRANGE BREW, part Barf the Mog (played by my fave comedian as a child, John Candy) from SPACE BALLS!
gertie & hapy bare
October 11, 2015
Misc, Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Travel
Touching base at home for a handful of days before continuing DUMPLINS book tour. The last leg brought me to Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado… TEN school visits, four book stores, two festivals, one library. The trip launched with CXC, Comics Crossroads Columbus – the inaugural comics festival organized by Jeff & Vijaya Smith and Tom Spurgeon – which will easily become the favorite comics show of cartoonists, like the classic days of SPX. A highlight was touring the largest archive of comics art in the world at the Billy Ireland Museum, where I held the actual hand-drawn frames of Winsor McKay’s GERTIE THE DINOSAUR (1914).
At one of the school visits in Hoffman Estates, a gang of young cartoonists gifted me a 90 page, full-color graphic novel. This is the actual original art pages, so I feel like I need to donate it to the Billy Ireland archives for long time preservation as these artists, Ryan Ahn and Vikram Palani, become FAMOUS!
dumplins in the midwest!
September 30, 2015
Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Travel, Upcoming
The next leg of DUMPLINS’ book tour takes me to the Great Lakes region of the midwest.
OCT 2 & 3, COMIX CROSSROADS in Columbus, Ohio. Speaking/signing with Kate Beaton & Jeff Smith on Friday night, and throughout the day on the convention floor Saturday.
OCT 4, ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP in Naperville, Illinois. 2 PM.
OCT 5, QUIMBY’S in Chicago, Illinois. In the afternoon, I’ll drop by to sign stock and greet fans in the neighborhood.
OCT 6, A public event at LINCOLNWOOD LIBRARY at 4 PM. https://www.facebook.com/events/415204841937500
OCT 7, BOOKS & COMPANY in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin at 6:30 PM.
OCT 8, THE BOOKIES in Denver, Colorado at 4 PM.
OCT 9, MOUNTAINS & PLAINS Tradeshow 4 PM event.
On top of that, I’ll be visiting schools in Hoffman Estates, Oak Park, Highwood, Glenview, Wales, Hartland, Denver, and more!
Pictured above: Art from a young fan in Walla Walla, Washington. And young fans obsessively rereading DUMPLINS! Do send me similar photos!
space dumplins book tour!
August 28, 2015
Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Travel, Upcoming
NOTE: As of September 16th, new updates to the SPACE DUMPLINS BOOK TOUR!
September 6 • DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL
September 11 • Portland, Oregon • A CHILDREN’S PLACE Bookstore • 5 PM
September 12 • Portland, Oregon • BRIDGE CITY COMICS • 11 AM
September 12 • Portland, Oregon • POWELL’S BOOKS, Burnside • 2 PM
September 16 • Seattle, Washington • COMICS DUNGEON • 4 PM
September 16 • Seattle, Washington • UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE • 7 PM
September 17-19 • Walla Walla, WA • WHITMAN COLLEGE
September 20 • San Francisco, CA • COMIX EXPERIENCE • 2 PM
September 25 • Los Angeles, CA • SECRET HEADQUARTERS • 6 – 9 PM
OCTOBER
October 1-3 • Columbus, OH • CARTOON CROSSROADS
October 4 • Naperville, IL • ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP • 2 PM
October 6 • Winnetka, IL • The BOOK STALL
October 7 • Oconomowoc, WI • BOOKS & COMPANY Bookstore
October 9 • Denver, Colorado • MOUNTAINS & PLAINS Independent Booksellers Association Tradeshow • 3 PM
October 13 • Montrose, CA • ONCE UPON A TIME Bookstore • 7 PM
October 17 • Minneapolis, Minnesota • TWIN CITIES BOOK FESTIVAL
CANADA IN LATE OCTOBER! More info to come for late October and part of November.
Endless thanks for your patience while I road tripped across the US with Edmond Baudoin. It was completely crazy of me to be working on the NEXT book when my latest debut needed promotional attention. But I’m home now & refueling to hit the road again. Looking forward to seeing you!
trike
March 3, 2015
Friends, Misc, Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Upcoming
As ever, production & design on the book is full of headaches, but the author photo shoot this weekend was refreshing.
Here’s an outtake with my photographer buddy Joshin Yamada on my friend Dan’s Harley/VW TRIKE.
finish line stretch
January 30, 2015
Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Upcoming
SCHOLASTIC officially announced the August 25th release date for SPACE DUMPLINS, just as I was finishing the inks for the FINAL CHAPTER.
I’m not in the clear yet… there’s still book design, and pages upon pages of copyedits/corrections/redraws, but getting close! For Scholastic, this marks the tenth anniversary of their GRAPHIX line, which I’m honored to participate in. Happy New Year, Dear Readers. More soon!
six momos for the new millennium
December 27, 2014
Friends, Space Dumplings, Space Dumplins, Upcoming
Happy Holidays, Blog-Friends, and as ever thanks for your patience with these updates. As of today, CHAPTER SIX of SPACE DUMPLINS is finally complete. Only one more (shorter) chapter to complete the book. Unfortunately, I’ve fallen behind schedule – distracted by finalizing the cover design, a trip to NYC to meet with Scholastic, some health problems, and of course MOMO trampling pages in the midst of inking.
In this first photo – I moved my inking to the dining room table – the only spot with enough natural light to work during a six hour power outage. The second image documents Momo intercepting the blue pencil while roughing out a page (final inks on the left).
Now to dive into the final chapter. Despite being behind schedule, the book should still hit its off-to-print deadline for its Fall 2015 release. Thanks for sticking with me!