Cartoons and Comics
The posts below feature stories by artists who make cartoons and comics.

Clown Fish of the Lit Ecosystem Lee Francis of Red Planet Books & Comics on finding his niche
Entrepreneur Lee Francis is the “Indiginerd” mastermind behind Indigenous Comic Con (aka IndigiPop X) and Red Planet Books & Comics. Dr. Francis dishes on cultivating Indiginerds, supporting community and how his niche bookstore thrives in the retail ocean.
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Knowing the World Through Art: Inspired by Iranian Illustrators
For the last few years, I kept checking for accessible foreign editions of some of these books. I reached out directly to Reza Dalvand, the illustrator of Ace, who put me in touch with his publisher in Iran.
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Build a New World with Zines
Zine fests make small cracks in the foundation of authoritarian, nationalist, dictatorial power that hides under progress of the digital age.
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What Does It Mean When Someone Says, ‘Your Work Reminds Me Of…’
Inevitably someone is going to compare your work to someone else’s. And when someone says, “This reminded me of your work” it’s hard to know what they mean.
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When and How Often to Take a Chill Pill
If I look tired, I probably am, and therefore I am either: A) grumpy or, B) not wearing eyeliner, and well, screw you either way. If I am angry or anxious, maybe I have my reasons, and a chill pill isn’t what I need.
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9 Ways to Make Your Cartoons into Fine Art Masterpieces
How come those graphic-y novel pictures fail to deck the walls of high-class galleries and command the same big bucks? What do we need to do to get taken seriously around here?
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Are You Excited? Or: How, when I finally got my book published, I didn't feel how I was supposed to feel
I draw comics. I make books. I’m doing what I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. No, I didn’t “arrive.” There was no “big break.” It was more of a slow gradual climb up a steep hill that’s just starting to level out.
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Alarmed That’s right, I am the snooze-master
You and I can continue to snooze our loud and buzzing iPhones, skip a shower and eat half of a granola bar for breakfast—but it’s time to wake up and stop snoozing our feelings, our art and our common future.
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The Social Network and the Art of the Hobnob Minus Jesse Eisenberg becoming a billionaire, plus all the awkwardness
Facilitating connections between other people makes you a valuable member of business and society, which will eventually, theoretically, and if you believe in karma, pay off.
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How to Throw a Proper Pity Party A step-by-step guide (for myself, and you, if you want it)
Skip steps 1, 4 and 5. Replace 3 with helium balloons, and get out of your stupid, too soft, bed. Pity parties are a fucking bore for everyone; no one wants your smelly complaints to stain their Saturday.
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Takin’ the Free Out of Freelance
That Clooney lovin’ asshat is gonna keep underpaying people with talent, people who spend hours and hours thinking and inventing and creating and perfecting, and it’s just not right.
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You’re Not as Good as You Think You Are
This is a lesson you have to keep teaching yourself if you want to be any good at all. And the thing about it is, you have to think you’re better than you are, before you can realize that you aren’t.
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Adding Movement to Your Illustrations
If you want to portray movement in illustration, studying great animation can be as valuable as studying a great painting.
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I Can’t Read Your Mind: Why Illustrators Are True Collaborators
We need to consider illustrators the true collaborators that they are. It’s not about where their name ends up on the cover, but how we treat their contribution.
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Art Is a Big Word, Wear It Out
There is bad art and good art and mediocre art and popular art and exploitative art and “serious” art and not-so-serious art and if you insist, “fine art.”
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How L. Frank Baum’s Oz Launched My Career in Children’s Illustration
About seven years ago I did an illustration for an Oz convention. Oz conventions are to Oz fans what Star Trek conventions are to Trekkies.
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