We’re starting up a special feature intended to look at the visuals of comics. All too often the visual side of comics, including the skilled creators including colorists, inkers, letterers, editors, and designers, are overlooked in favor of the big two names — the writer and the penciler. That is a great shame, and we intend to highlight the best of the visual element here. Â Like, check out the excellent splash page (on the right) for Faith Erin Hicks‘s fantastic online-to-print comic, Friends with Boys.
Not all visuals are positive, however, so here is also where we’ll discuss the unfortunate faux-pas (ahem, like Wonder Woman’s jacket…) of costume design, cover design, and just plain old “what were they thinking!?” panels from our favorite comics.
She/Her | Head of Reference and Programming, Woburn Public Library
Editor in Chief
Robin E. Brenner is the Head of Reference and Programming at the Woburn Public Library in Massachusetts. Previously she served as the Teen Librarian at the Brookline Public Library for 18 years. She has chaired the American Library Association Great Graphic Novels for Teens Selection List Committee, the Margaret A. Edwards Award Committee, and served on the Michael L. Printz Award Committee. She is currently the Past-President of the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table for ALA. She was a judge for the 2007 Eisner awards, helped judge the Boston Globe Horn Book Awards in 2011, and contributes to the Good Comics for Kids blog at School Library Journal. She regularly gives lectures and workshops on graphic novels, manga, and anime at comics conventions including New York and San Diego Comic-Con and at the American Library Association’s conferences. Her guide, Understanding Manga and Anime (Libraries Unlimited, 2007), was nominated for a 2008 Eisner Award.
We’re starting up a special feature intended to look at the visuals of comics. All too often the visual side of comics, including the skilled creators including colorists, inkers, letterers, editors, and designers, are overlooked in favor of the big two names — the writer and the penciler. That is a great shame, and we intend to highlight the best of the visual element here. Â Like, check out the excellent splash page (on the right) for Faith Erin Hicks‘s fantastic online-to-print comic, Friends with Boys.
