Best of 2017 – Storytime Magazine

We at SOTB are keen supporters of all types of children’s literature, including quality children’s periodicals and so our round up of the most notable publications of the year reflects this, as we present Storytime magazine as one of The Best of 2017!

Storytime  is a monthly magazine which is full to bursting with fables, myths and fairy tales all adapted in an engaging, entertaining yet sympathetic manner. Every tale is accompanied by truly stunning, vibrant and perfectly matched illustrations, which are a veritable feast to the eye.  It is aimed are younger children but forgoes the plastic tat ‘free gift’ confident that the quality will draw a readership, which is a welcome change.

Storytime offers free printable activity sheets each month that ties in with one of the featured stories, and are great for promoting the love of stories at home, or use as a resources in a school environment. In addition there are well thought out games and activities within the magazine itself, and its monthly competition where the prise is their children’s book of the month.

2017 was a great year for readers of Storytime, as they began including their own new stories penned especially for them. These new tales have given each issue an added dimension juxtaposing beautifully with the more traditional tales, which really enhances the reading experience.   So far we’ve been delighted by the antics of the Alphabet Zoo, naughty nobody elves, witches, lonely leopards and many more.

In September Storytime marked its third Birthday, and they are getting and better, with a great mash of old and new stories all paired with eye-catching and alluring illustrations, it really is one of the best of 2017, and we at SOTB can’t wait to see what crazy yarns they deliver through our letterbox in 2018!

Christmas Gifts (that are not books) for Kids who Love to Read!

 If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a child who likes to read, and you want something that’s not a book, as sometimes you have no idea which to buy them as they read so much, then here are a few suggestions…

Top Ten Books

This is lovely idea, which is relatively inexpensive and displays the child’s love of reading, as well as having the special personal touch. You simply order your print of their top ten favourite book prints and it is sent out in the post. It is simple and looks stunning on the wall. The only problem getting them to narrow down their favourite book down to only ten!

A Present That Keeps Giving

How about giving a child a gift that continues all year? Well there are a few options, first you can go for a magazine subscription.

 

For young children who loves stories there is the beautifully illustrated Storytime Magazine which comes monthly and is packed full of fairy tales, folk tales and stories from around the world.

For children who love a bit of excitement and action, try the David Fickling published Phoenix Comic which come out weekly with funny, and all-action comic strips which feature everything from animal antics to space or historical adventures.

If the child in question is more interested in non-fiction, then Aquila could be just the ticket. Published monthly each issue is on a theme and is bursting with facts, stories puzzles about that theme all accompanied with stunning illustrations.

For arty young adults, try Tiny Pencil magazine which explores the art of creating images in graphite.

If book is what you’re after, then try popping into your local independent bookshop, many of which do a service where they’ll send wrapped books throughout the year.

A Way to Keep Books Safe.

Many book loving children love to share their favourite reads with their friends, but are worried about the books not being returned, so how about their own Library kit or book plates?

It none of this catches your fancy than how about the good old staple gift; a good book!

WOW! Let’s Celebrate; Comics, Graphic Novels and Magazines! Stew Magazine 3D Review; Non-Fiction Author Interview with Lisa Mann

Lisa Mann is children's write and a writer in residence at a school, she is also a contributor to Stew magazine writing non-fiction articles.

What was your favourite children’s book as a child?

I loved the Faraway Tree stories by Enid Blyton, I must have read those books dozens of times. The characters were so alive for me, it felt like they were my friends! I read Nineteen Eighty-Four as a teenager and it blew my mind.

What was your favourite children’s magazine/comic/annual as a child?

It was called Twinkle. My nanny bought it for me every week. I particularly loved a story about a little girl who ran a dolly hospital.

What is your favourite children’s book as an adult?

Okay, I’m going to cheat and split this question into categories... Favourite picture book is Penguin by Polly Dunbar because I share it with my six year old daughter and it makes us laugh so much. We know it by heart and recite it as we walk to school sometimes. My favourite book for middle grade is Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian because it’s not often that a book can make you properly cry. For older readers I love Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, because it’s totally original on lots of levels. I also love Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, which isn’t actually written for children but it tells the story of an incredible child.

Do you read comics/graphic novels as an adult? If so which is your favourite?

I must confess that I don’t. I’m a novel girl (pun intended).

What do you think makes children’s books so inspirational?

Sheer scope of emotion and imagination. Everything is new through the eyes of a child/young adult, and therefore unique and exciting. Well written literature for children really gets this across.

Why did you start writing for children?

I started writing for children when I was about 4. I tried to write for adults when I was in my teens, but looking back, it was really YA stuff. Then I went back to writing adventures for kids. So I’ve never really stopped. One day, when I feel grown up, I might be able to write for adults.

How do you get your ideas?

My best writing comes out of the blue – a character, image, emotion, predicament – then a story grows from it, sometimes a whole book. My best writing isn’t forced, it takes me by surprise.

How much research do you do for the articles you write?

A lot. 90% of ‘article time’ is spent on research. We’ve got a great library in Norwich. Once I really know what I’m talking about, writing the article itself comes quickly.

What is your favourite aspect of writing for children?

Sharing with children. I’m lucky enough to work in a local school, teaching creative writing to Gifted and Talented children as a writer in residence. I cannot express enough how much joy I get out of it. They are fantastic kids, full of ideas, humour, insight, dedication. To join in with that is a real privilege.

What are the challenges and benefits of writing to such a small word count?

You write it, edit it, send it, see it in print. Writing a longer piece of fiction takes years, you have to go beyond patience and almost switch off from time. So it’s lovely to have instant gratification every once in a while.

WOW! Let’s Celebrate; Comics, Graphic Novels and Magazines! Stew Magazine 3D Review; Review

STEW FOR CURIOUS KIDS!

Adult Review

Stew for Curious Kids, is a beautiful magazine which is feast for the eyes and mind. The articles are all well written and juxtaposed for exquisite illustrations, and for added plus there are no advertisements anywhere.

There is something here for all interests from short stories to evoke the imagination, or non-fiction articles to satisfy well a child with a curious mind, to activities. The news section and what’s n section had carefully considered content formatted in easily digestible chunks.

All good magazines should have the opportunity for readers to be involved, and Stew had a ‘Readers Pictures Gallery’, plus a ‘Books to Read’ feature, where children can send their book reviews for a chance of being featured and winning a book token.

All in all, Stew, is an exciting magazine, full of quality features all presented in beautiful format. Any child would be very happy to have this land on their door mat every other month.

Child Review By Bea (Aged 10)

The Stew is a great magazine which has some exciting articles which have some unusual answers to some unusual questions such as; have you ever wondered why orchestras have conductors? Or how dogs became our favourite pet? If not then read this latest magazine from Stew! But as well as these questions answers there are some, puzzles, reviews and, topical news and short stories!

My favourite page in this book is the page of…

FROM WILD WOLF TO DOMESTICATED DOG!

This page is about a story of some dogs and information on dogs like; Help to hunt, animal graves, dog servants, powerful sniffers.

WOW! Let’s Celebrate; Comics, Graphic Novels and Magazines! Interveiw with Comic and Graphic Novelist and teacher Emily Haworth-Booth, plus TIP ON MAKING YOUR OWN COMIC!

Emily Haworth-Booth is a comics artist and educator who teaches courses on comics and graphic novels at The Prince's Drawing School in London and has run workshops for adults and children at venues including the Hay Festival, Saatchi Gallery, St George's Hospital and the National Art & Design Saturday Club. Emily won the Observer/Comica/Jonathan Cape Graphic Short Story Prize in 2013 and was runner-up in 2008. She has also performed stand-up comedy at many London venues and was a finalist in the 2007 Nivea Funny Women Awards. As a teenager she won the Young National Poetry Competition in 1998. Her comics have appeared in the Observer, Miss Vogue and on the Conversation website. Emily is represented by the literary agency Johnson & Alcock.

What was your favourite children’s book as a child?

I have always loved Beatrix Potter, and as a child one of my favourites was probably The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck, for the 'it's behind you' naiveté of its main character, whose self-diagnosed 'bad nerves' could have come straight out of a Jane Austen novel – and the contrasting wickedness of the sneaky, greedy fox. There's something so pleasing about Potter's description of him, through Jemima's innocent eyes, as a 'sandy-whiskered gentleman... sitting on a log reading the newspaper' - still one of my favourite lines in literature, and one that for some reason is always popping into my head at odd times.

Like everyone else I adored Roald Dahl and was lucky enough to be a child when he was still alive and writing. Matilda was published when I was 8! Can you imagine a more perfect age to experience the excitement of going to the bookshop and being one of the first people ever to read it?

What was your favourite children’s magazine/comic/annual as a child?

I don't think I was really into magazines or annuals as a child, but comics-wise I was obsessed with Tintin and definitely read as many of them as I could get my hands on!

What is your favourite children’s book as an adult?

As an adult, my favourite children's book is another Beatrix Potter – The Tale of Two Bad Mice. It's not only a delightful miniature, a beautifully painted voyage into the tiny, secret world of doll's houses and mouse marriages, but also a masterful and courageous investigation of difficult emotions: anger, disappointment, revenge and contrition. The absolute rage and frustration in the scene where Hunca Munca and Tom Thumb smash up the dolls' plaster ham is very funny but also deeply felt: it appeals to the part of me that sometimes wants to get really angry and smash something up, but can't because I'm too polite and worried about what people would think! In the same vein I imagine that it would really appeal to the child's inner anarchist, and the frustration of living in an adult world governed by absurd rules (especially, perhaps, in relation to eating).

I've also enjoyed discovering newer books - some favourites being Maira Kalman's 'Pete' series, Jessie Hartland's 'Bon Appétit – The Delicious Life of Julia Child', Shaun Tan's 'The Arrival' and 'Jane, the Fox and Me' by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault.

Do you read comics/graphic novels as an adult? If so which is your favourite?

Constantly! I teach a class on making comics and graphic novels so I use it as an excuse to buy far too many under the pretense that I have to keep up with what's going on. My favourites are probably Chris Ware's 'Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth', Marjane Satrapi's 'Persepolis', Daniel Clowes 'Ghost World' and Seth's 'It's a Good Life if You Don't Weaken'. Sorry, it's too hard to just pick one!

What do you think makes comics and graphic novels books so inspirational?

There's something about the way you can play with time in a comic that I really love. You can stretch it out so you get these really slow sequences that can be incredibly poetic or suspenseful. Then you can add some quick, dramatic cuts like you might in a movie. In fact, sometimes I think making comics is so much fun because it's like getting to be the whole cast and crew of a movie – director, designer, writer, actors, wardrobe, lighting, special effects. And unlike movies, comics don't cost anything to make, as long as you have something to draw with, and something to draw on.

I also love that to make comics you don't have to be a brilliant writer, or a brilliant draw-er, but there's something about putting the two together that's magical. I love it when I have students who don't think they can write or draw very well, but suddenly realise that they've creating this amazing, compelling story just by combining the right elements in the right way at the right time.

Did you always want to be an comic maker/ graphic novelist?

When I was younger I was really into animals. I wanted to be a farmer, and then a professional horsewoman (by which I mean a woman who rides horses, not a woman who is a horse. Although I probably wouldn't have minded that either. I definitely do a mean impression of a horse's neigh). When I was older I started to get into art. I liked drawing at school, but I was really slow at it, and my art teacher told me that if I did GCSE Art I would be too slow to keep up with the class! So I dropped art, and focused on writing instead, mainly poems. When I left school, I realised I missed art, so came back to it and went to art school for a bit, but found it quite boring and silly. There was no drawing allowed, and you only got good marks if you stuck a bit of chewing gum in the middle of a white wall or made a weird video that nobody understood. So I went and studied English Literature instead, but I was always torn between my writing and my art. Then one day someone gave me a copy of a beautiful graphic novel (Chris Ware's 'Jimmy Corrigan: Smartest Kid on Earth') and I realised you could make amazing work by combining words and pictures together! No longer would I have to choose between one and the other. That was a very happy day for me, and I have been messing around with words and pictures, speech balloons and thought bubbles ever since.

When writing and illustrating a comic/ graphic novel, does the story or the pictures come first?

For me they tend to come together, but I know from my experience in teaching that it's different for everyone, and I think that's because we all think and experience the world differently. I find it harder to write if I'm not drawing, and vice versa. Drawing pictures of a conversation, for example, rather than just writing down the conversation, opens me up to considering the non-verbal elements of that conversation. If we believe that communication is something like 93% body language, then for me it's crucial to give voice to that through my drawings. And I think a lot of comedy comes from the difference between what people are saying and how they look when they are saying it, so I love to play with that as well.

Sometimes, though, I'll draw a silent sequence that doesn't have words, or I might jot down a bit of dialogue or narration that I know I want to use but I'm not sure yet which pictures to put with it. The most important thing is to get everything down on the paper as it comes to you and not worry about doing things the 'right' way.

Then I ask for three or four tips for children who want to create their own comic.

1) Think in panels: they're the little boxes that make up comics. You can use as many as you want to tell your story. You can have panels that have just drawings in, or they can combine words and drawings together. 6 or 9 panels per page is often a good amount, but experiment and see what works for you.

2) Try all the different ways of using words in a comics: speech balloons, thought bubbles, captions (boxes at the top and bottom that narrate the action of the story, a bit like a voiceover in a movie), sound effects, and words that are inside the picture itself, like signposts or advertisement billboards.

3) Too many words in a panel can be overwhelming though, so make sure you leave your drawings some space to breathe. You could even try having some panels that just have drawings and no words. This can be good for a dramatic or a quiet moment in the story.

4) Experiment with close-ups, long-shots, and bird's-eye-views. Think about which one feels right for what is happening in your story at that moment. Close-ups, for example, can be used for showing the emotion on a character's face.

5) Try telling stories about your own life! Super-heroes are cool, but real life has so many awkward, strange, magical and ugly bits in it that are worth sharing. Think about a recent time when something good, bad, weird, unexpected or beautiful happened to you, and see if you can tell it in one page of comic panels.

6) Don't worry about getting it right or making it perfect! The voice in your head that say's it's got to come out perfect first time is the enemy of creativity and fun and should be ignored. Mess and mistakes are actually often the thing that makes an artist's work unique and interesting, and can lead to experimentation and brilliant new ideas

Emily run's courses in Comic book and graphic novel making, at The Prince's Drawing School:

Drawing the Graphic Novel 1 on Thursdays evenings in Shoreditch for more information about the course press here.  

Drawing Comics and Graphic Novels on Monday evenings in Oxford Street or more information press here.

WOW! Let’s Celebrate; Comics, Graphic Novels and Magazines! Stoplight on The Phoenix

Comics are tricky, the choice offered by supermarkets is limited and unless you are lucky enough to have a local comic store with dedicated and enthusiastic staff, where do you start? Well we thought long and hard and decided to have a spot light on The Phoenix.

In earlier WOW features we have mentioned The Phoenix, and many of our interviewed professionals have raved about it too, and so here is our review. The Phoenix is the second comic brainchild of David Fickling, its forefather DFC (David Fickling Comic) closed due to company changes (all for the better as David Fickling is now an independent publishers) and soon afterwards The Phoenix rose, proud and loud.

The Phoenix is bursting with colour character and the passion of which it is created oozes out of each and every page. Each feature is well written with exquisite full colour artwork by talented and well know writers and illustrators. This comic does what comic should do, grab you with the cover and demand to be read, not play second fiddle to a plastic toy.

The stories inside the page are varied with something for everyone (not exclusively children) from the manic madness of Jamie’s 'Bunny Vs Monkey', which is my eight year old sons favourite to the Fantastical capers of 'Tales of Fayt' by Conrad Mason and David Wyatt, which is a kind of Dickenson adventure with mythical beasts which is a favourite of my ten year daughter. My favourite (and it’s another of my daughters favoured features) is 'Corpse Talk', which is a talk show with host Adam Murphy, only he doesn't have a fancy leather sofa but prefers to lean on the shovel that he’s uses to dig up a famous or infamous corpses to interview. It is a funny parody of talk shows, and is amusing and yet educational in a way that kids don’t know there learning something which is genius!

Each feature has a unique story and accompanying art work, from Bunny v’s Monkey’s highly stylised illustrations reminiscent of Powder Puff Girls to the art works that have a more Manga feel like 'Tamsin in the Deep' by Neil Cameron and Kate Brown. 

Each week there is a How To Draw section, where there is a step by step guide to drawing characters from the magazine. There is a Fan Fare section where you can send in your own art work for consideration to be included, plus there are completions, which are all based on Phoenix features and characters and the prizes are merchandise or books which are all Phoenix based. There is NO ADVERTISING and you are not paying to have the latest blockbuster promoted to you either, so there are no distractions from the quality sequential narrative storytelling.

Another plus about The Phoenix is that if you like a certain strip or feature they have a whole library of bind-up graphic novels, which will keep small people entertained for hours. 

Another Phoenix presentation is the recently published; ‘How to Make Awesome Comics by the Phoenix regular contributor Neil Cameron. The book is a hands on DIY guide to creating comics with exercises and activities. Here is a child perspective…

How to Make Awesome Comic  - Child Review by Bea aged 10

In How to Make Awesome Comic there is lots of AMSOME stuff and thing to do such as, guides to draw zombies, penguins, vampire and many more. It tells you how to make funny characters. My favourite guide is monkey. The author is always giving you ideas and tasks they have inspired me to make my own comic, Green Girl V’s Zombies!

WOW! Let’s Celebrate; Comics, Graphic Novels and Magazines! Magazines Top Picks

For this post I wanted to do a best of ‘off the shelf’ magazines, and so scouted around all the supermarkets and newsagents around my local area, only to discover that I couldn't actually see what magazines were on offer as I couldn't see the titles beyond the plastic covering and ‘free gifts’.

However being a determined type of lass, I did find two. One isn’t actually a magazine, but a newspaper but it was the best of the options available, the other I picked up due to the wave of nostalgia that came over me when I spotted it.

Best of the Shelf Magazines

First News

I told you not strictly a magazine, but the newspaper designed specifically for children. In the format of a broadsheet, published weekly, First News brings new to children from around the world but delivering it in an appropriate and accessible way for children. It breaks news down into bike sized chunks, world news helpful set around a map of the world to help children understand where the events are taking place. First News doesn't shy away from the important issues, and brings them to children’s attention in suitable ways but it also brings feel-good stories too, which brings a lovely balance to every issue. It also boast regular features, a healthy book section with author interviews and book reviews by children, puzzles and competition, and a helping of features relating to popular movies and television series. However one of the real strengths of First News is that it is more than a paper having an web-site where you can become a member and read other news that not made the paper and submit your own stories and reviews for consideration, which if not printed may be published on-line.

National Geographic Kids

Here is my second off the shelf pick, and it was the nostalgia that made me look beyond the plastic free gifts that eclipsed the cover. The kids version of the National Geographic sticks to the brand iconic yellow rimmed cover, but isn’t just a child focused version of the original. It does have charming and fact based article about the world, history and animals, this current issue has an article about Orcas, but it has opted for a commercial element with articles about upcoming movies and shows.

Best Subscription Magazine

Some of the best magazines for children are ones that aren’t found on the shelves of supermarkets. These are more feature and content focused not relying on the current blockbuster or plastic toy to attract readers. Also they have the added bounce of not having adverting with them, which for parents is a real plus.

Aquila Magazine

Aquila is a subscription magazine for 8-12 year olds and features articles, puzzles and fun activities that will enrich their general knowledge. It also has a science focus, bring a new science based article with every issue. This magazine is very popular with a lot of boys that I know.

Stew Magazine

Stew Magazine was first published in January, and is a magazine for the curious child, and is aimed for 8-12 year olds. The beautifully designed magazine is published bi-monthly, and brings news, short stories and non-fiction articles all accompanied by exquisite illustrations. However forgive this brief review as (forgive the spoiler) come back next week to read a more in-depth look at this fantastic magazine.

WOW! Graphic Novels, Comics & Magazines - Interview with Writer, Illustrator, Cartoon-Creator and Graphic-Novelist Dave Shelton

Dave Shelton is an illustrator and writer, his novel A Boy and a Bear in a Boat was shortlisted for the 2013 Carnegie, to read our review press here. Dave also creates comics, both penning the text and inking the illustrations, his work can be found in the The DFC Comic (forefather of The Phoenix) and as graphic novels published by The David Fickling Library.

What was your favourite children’s book as a child?

This is a question I get asked quite a lot and I really struggle to answer it, I’m afraid. I remember reading quite a lot when I was a child but I don’t remember having any particular favourite book at any stage. I do have fond memories of Dr Seuss books in general though, and The Cat in the Hat in particular. There’s a scene in a Harrison Ford movie (I forget which one) and I was watching it while visiting my parents sometime in my thirties, I think. My dad happened to walk into the room as the Harrison Ford character was reading The Cat in the Hat to his daughter. As he did so, my dad started reciting the words in time with him, still remembering them from when he read it to my brothers and me 25 years or so earlier. So I guess that must have been a favourite with us - one of those “Again! Again!” books.

What was your favourite children’s magazine/comic/annual as a child?

I read a lot of comics and annuals as a child but the one that really turned me into an obsessive was the science fiction comic 2000AD, the home of Judge Dredd, among many other characters. I’d avoided it for the first year or so of it being published but then I read a copy that my dad bought me when I was off school ill (we always got comics and Lucozade when we were ill) and I quite liked it. Then my older brother and I started to get just the occasional copy, and we liked it more and more. Then at some point we started having it delivered weekly by the paperboy, and I saved all the back issues in a big suitcase in my bedroom and read and reread them, and I knew the names of my favourite artists and started trying to draw like them. Then I was off on the slippery slope to eventually (occasionally) writing and drawing comics for a living myself.

What is your favourite children’s book as an adult?

I’m not sure what my absolute favourite children’s book is now. I’ve just been one of the judges for the Branford Boase Award, and I loved the book we chose as the winner for that: Infinite Sky, by C J Flood. It’s just so beautifully written. But I still love a good picture book too, so I could easily choose Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back, for instance, because it’s so hilariously funny. Or there are the comics that I love to read to my step daughter, like Tintin (my favourite of those is probably The Black Island) and Asterix (Obelix and Co. is my top choice of those.)

Do you read comics/graphic novels as an adult? If so which is your favourite?

I most certainly do read comics and graphic novels (though I tend just to call all of them comics) as an adult. My earliest memory of reading is of me reading a comic while on holiday at the seaside, and I carried on reading them all through childhood and into adulthood. There was a time when I fell a little out of love with them simply because there didn’t seem to be very much exciting new work coming out (I think this was around the early 2000s) but now it kind of feels like we’re in a ridiculously rich golden age of great and beautiful comics being published all the time, so it’s actually rather hard to keep up with it all. Some of my favourites these days are from Europe. There’s a lot of really lovely work over there only a tiny fraction of which, sadly, has been translated into English. A couple of my favourites that have are: Green Manor, by Fabien Vehlmann and Denis Bodart; and Isaac the Pirate, by Christophe Blain. The UK scene is very vibrant too now though with some wonderful titles coming out from publishers like Selfmade Hero, Blank Slate and Nobrow. Favourites include Rob Davis’s adaptation of Don Quixote, Joe Decie’s work, Jon McNaught, and, oh, loads of others. And of course, specifically for children, there’s The Phoenix, a proper, high quality weekly comic full of original stories by the likes of Gary Northfield, Jamie Smart and the Etherington Brothers. An embarrassment of riches.

What do you think makes children’s books so inspirational?

I think children make children’s books so inspirational. Because children tend to be less constricted by any kind of rules about how stories can be told this gives authors a freedom to be a little bolder, take more risks with both the story itself and the way that it’s told. There’s less of a sense that some things just aren’t allowed.

Did you always want to be an illustrator/ comic maker?

I didn’t always want to be an illustrator/comic maker, but I think from about my mid teens I had at least some idea that I’d like to somehow do something involving drawing for my living. So I studied on a couple of illustration courses at college and l started to get some illustration work here and there. Then little by little I drifted toward drawing (and writing) comics and from there I’ve drifted further still into writing and illustrating prose novels for children. But it’s mostly been happy accidents that have got me here rather than any sort of a plan.

When writing and illustrating a comic, does the story or the pictures come first?

I don’t really know which comes first when I make a comic. My process is a bit of a mess. Sometimes I’ll just draw the characters for a while and play around making them do things. Then that might give me some elements that I’ll want to work into the story. Then I might try to work out some sort of overall structure for the story and begin to, really badly, draw the pages in a fast, doodly way, just to work out what happens when and roughly how to tell it, mostly working on the timing of the action and jokes. Then once I’m reasonably happy with that I’ll probably start to draw the pages up properly. But, as I say, it varies a lot. The only thing that stays the same is that it always takes far too long.

How does creating a comic differ from illustrating books?

Comics are harder.