"You better keep your noses clean!"

Final art for "Gaijin: American Prisoner of War", a graphic novel written and illus.d by me & publ.d by Disney/Hyperion in April!

gaijinamericanprisonerofwar.com

"What a cry-baby." Final art for "Gaijin: American Prisoner of War" written and illus.d by me and publ.d by Disney/Hyperion in April!

gaijinamericanprisonerofwar.com

Mess Hall 2. Final art from "Gaijin: American Prisoner of War", written and illus.d by me and released by Disney/Hyperion next month! 

Much to Koji's surprise, there were no "big, juicy steaks" in Mess Hall 2. 

Just root vegetables and spam.

They put families in horse stalls. 

Final art from "Gaijin: American Prisoner of War", written and illus.d by me 

& released by Disney/Hyperion in April!

Civil liberties on hold in Michigan.

Final art for "Gaijin: American Prisoner of War", a graphic novel written and illus.d by me and released by Disney/Hyperion next month! When the vast operation to remove 120,000 Japanese Americans from their homes commenced in 1942, temporary camps were used to house them while more permanent camps were being built in remote parts of the country. One of the first things noticed by the internees was that the latrines had no walls to provide privacy. When this issue was brought to the attention of the authorities they were told that it was an over sight due to the expediency required to house so many. Strange thing, though- when they arrived in the desolate places chosen by the government for the permanent camps they found in many cases that the latrines still had no walls. In the six months it took to construct the camps you'd think someone would've made an effort to build a wall in between each toilet. Eventually the internees took it upon themselves to construct walls. 

It happened again:

Today at a school a 5th grader asked- 

"When all is said and done, what's more important to you- getting money or being creativity." 

I'll tell you what I said to him in a moment. 

But first I want you to know that I have a purpose in presenting the issue of artists and writers acquiring income when talking to kids. It's my belief that there is a real disconnect in our culture regarding those who choose a creative vocation and many of those who choose something else. For many reasons, we as a society seem to insist that our creatives remain "pure" and not concern ourselves with worries of money. If a creative should discuss money, we tend to lump her/him into a slimy category of all those others who give up their their virtue for gold- such as drug dealers and money-launderers. The crazy part of this is that, if we, as creatives, actually buy into this societal "money-versus-creativity" trap (e.g. starving artist is good, thriving artist is false) why is it that we don't demand that our culture support us? I mean, somebody's got to foot the bill for all the wonderfulness we bring into the world, right? For instance, we could demand that society give all creatives tax abatements, free housing, free chocolate, free lunch meats even, etc.? If things were managed this way then creatives could be über-creative (maybe) and yet never have to sully our pristine selves with dirty dollars.  Still a  crappy situation but at least we'd get free chocolate and lunch meats. Until we accept that being creative is as natural a vocation as any other (requiring hard work, sensibility, discipline and, dare I say it, a desire to pay the rent on time), then we shouldn't complain when we get paid a pittance and find ourselves stuffed into a cramped box. 

And that's why I talk about how I make money to kids. Because it's good for them to know that working as an artist is a job like any other. 

So, my answer to the 5th grader?

"Yes."

The 3rd graders up front didn't like my response. 

"That's not an answer!" they hollered. 

I smiled and did another drawing for them, then gave the sketch to one of the kids.

I also smiled and thanked the media specialist when I was handed my honorarium check.

2 sketches and the final art for page 138 of "Gaijin: American Prisoner of War", a graphic novel written and illus.d by me, released by Disney/Hyperion in April! So, here is a quick display of the sketch process on an important page. I did a very detailed sketch- seen on the left- and was very proud of it. Unfortunately, it had a little too much going on and my editor pointed that out. Drat! So I did another draft- middle sketch- this one more clearly showing the hero in the center of the page. We went back and forth and eventually the design for the color piece on the right won out. Making books is fun!

Pencil, water color, gouache, 2012&2013.

gaijinamericanprisonerofwar.com

Just got back from Stasick Elementary. Shared my books with the 3rd through 5th grade crew and then the K through 2nd posse. I used to worry about whether this group or that would like me. But, after 30 years of hangin' with my elementary homies I pretty much just let the session happen and do my best to do my best, enjoying what ever comes. Today, the upper el kids were über excited to see me. Specially the third graders. Oh man, they laughed like crazy when I told jokes, even the dumbs jokes. "You're the funniest author/illustrator we've ever seen, Matt Faulkner!" they howled. They were quiet and thoughtful during the sad part when the monster eats the hero's peas but takes his brand new bike in return. They would lose it when I did wacky stuff, like when I show that goofy picture picture of me in a southern belle dress and my son and his pal in civil war soldiers uniforms that I spent a bajillion dollars on at Six Flags Over Somewhere. I tell you- it was crazy good. They wanted my autograph. They told me I was the coolest thing since sneakers that light up.
The whole gig was, as they say, awesome sauce.
The younger crowd, however, was way tough. An example- At the beginning of my presentation I asked a 1st grader if I could draw her up on the stage in front of everybody. She said "Do I have too? Oh, all right.". I tried to laugh it off and told her to come on up. When she sat down next to the easel she said, "Okay, draw." When I'd finished, she looked at the sketch "So, I guess you're an artist, huh." I asked her if she'd like to take the drawing home she said, "Not really. It doesn't look like me." My lower lip started to quiver. I must've looked pretty sad. She looked at me and said "Oh, all right, I'll take it." I then introduced her to the crowd and thanked her. Big mistake. She did an adorable little pirouette/curtsy thing. Everybody went crazy. They loved her. I couldn't compete. My timing was off. The whole show took a drastic downward spiral. The kid who made the fart noise in the third row got way more laughs than me. Towards the end I distinctly heard one of the kindergartens at my feet murmur "Dude, are you done yet? We're having hot dogs for lunch."
Big sigh.
Some presentations are like that.
But you know what? That little girl had great attitude! Think I'll put her in a book.
Just enjoying whatever comes!

Just got back from doing author presentations at Stasick Elementary. Shared my books with the 3rd through 5th grade crew and then the K through 2nd posse. I used to worry about whether this group or that would like me. But, after 30 years of hangin' with my elementary homies I pretty much just let the session happen and do my best to do my best, enjoying what ever comes. Today, the upper el kids were über excited to see me. Specially the third graders. Oh man, they laughed like crazy when I told jokes, even the dumbs jokes. "You're the funniest author/illustrator we've ever seen, Matt Faulkner!" they howled. They were quiet and thoughtful during the sad part when the monster eats the hero's peas but takes his brand new bike in return. They would lose it when I did wacky stuff, like when I show that goofy picture picture of me in a southern belle dress and my son and his pal in civil war soldiers uniforms that I spent a bajillion dollars on at Six Flags Over Somewhere. I tell you- it was crazy good. They wanted my autograph. They told me I was the coolest thing since sneakers that light up. 
The whole gig was, as they say, awesome sauce.
The younger crowd, however, was way tough. An example- At the beginning of my presentation I asked a 1st grader if I could draw her up on the stage in front of everybody. She said "Do I have too? Oh, all right.". I tried to laugh it off and told her to come on up. When she sat down next to the easel she said, "Okay, draw." When I'd finished, she looked at the sketch "So, I guess you're an artist, huh." I asked her if she'd like to take the drawing home she said, "Not really. It doesn't look like me." My lower lip started to quiver. I must've looked pretty sad. She looked at me and said "Oh, all right, I'll take it." I then introduced her to the crowd and thanked her. Big mistake. She did an adorable little pirouette/curtsy thing. Everybody went crazy. They loved her. I couldn't compete. My timing was off. The whole show took a drastic downward spiral. The kid who made the fart noise in the third row got way more laughs than me. Towards the end I distinctly heard one of the kindergartens at my feet murmur "Dude, are you done yet? We're having hot dogs for lunch."
Big sigh.
Some presentations are like that. 
But you know what? That little girl had great attitude! Think I'll put her in a book.
Just enjoying whatever comes!

"A camp for juvenile delinquents." 

Final art for "Gaijin: American Prisoner of War", written and illus.d by me, 

released by Disney/Hyperion in April!

The Mississippi Senate has just passed Senate Bill 2681 which would give any business or individual a license to discriminate against lesbian, gay bisexual, or transgender people. Now the "license to discriminate" bill is moving through the Mississippi House of Representatives.

These discriminatory bills on the state level are smelling more and more like products of the conservative steam-roller conglomerate ALEC.

Just saw a clip for the new flick "Son of God". So happy they were able to get Barry Gibb, circa 1978, to play the blonde haired, blue eyed, middle-eastern lead.

The prettiest surfer-dude-Jesus ever.