People are different except when they're the same
We’ve posted book reviews and news flashes about what’s been going on at SAW in Gainesville, but we’ve been missing our weekly staple: the Mighty Network roundup. Here we bring you the highlights from the last week on our online community. From comics inspiration to free resources, get ready for the best of the best. Or sign up for the Mighty Network and never miss out on a thing!
TUESDAY INSPIRATION
Thanks to everyone who shared their Tuesday comics inspiration this week! First up is They Called Us Enemy, a graphic memoir by actor, author and activist George Takei. The story returns to his childhood in an American concentration campy, one of 120,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned by the US government during World War II.
Next is another story set against the second world war: Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, a powerful anti-war graphic novel, offering up firsthand the life story of a Korean girl named Lee Ok-sun who was forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese Imperial Army during the second World War - a disputed chapter in 20th century Asian history.
Our last comics inspiration is an instructional book for writing outlines, scripts and pitches for sequential art: The Art of Comic Book Writing by Mark Kneece.
FREE RESOURCES
The panel discussions from the Bethesda Small Press Expo (SPX) have recently gone up on youtube. Search SPX 2019, or start here with this great discussion about queerness, science fiction and world building. Moderated by critic and publisher, Carta Monir, with discussion from Hannah Templer (Cosmoknights), Rosemary Valero-O’Connell (What Is Left), Shing Yin Khor (Salvage Station No. 8), and Alison Wilgus (Chronin).
IN FLOW
Tom shared one of the prompts for his prompt bouquet (see below): Anna and Elsa. And yes, that is THE Anna and Elsa from Frozen. Draw ---> Two characters, with the exact same body language, and exact opposite body language <---- People are different except when they are the same! Your characters too! See this illustrated with Anna and Elsa over on the Mighty Network in the ongoing FLOW group.
FROM THE MEMOIR GROUP
Thanks Donna for sharing this great exercise for plotting narrative. If you follow the exercise, it’s a great visual way of thinking of story and character relationships without having to draw it on paper: pin it up and create your own kind of mystery board (the great mystery of just what the hell is this comic is going to be?!)
TOM’S 30-DAY PROMPT BOUQUET
Tom put together some of his own working and teaching creative prompts from the last thirty-plus years of comics. Presenting, Tom’s 30-day prompt bouquet! A prompt a day to keep the doctor away. You can test it out in a free 7-day trial! Sign up over here!
INKTOBER
Here are some highlights from the inktober feed! Shout out to everyone maintaining momentum and sharing on social media and through the Mighty Network!
More to come next week!
Kelsey Rust.
Beth Trembley, Pattern.
Cynthia Clark, Swing.
Michelle Bissonette.
Holly Curcio.
COMING UP
We’ve got a whole host of upcoming events.
We’re currently in the midst of Inktober madness. Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to share with our online community!
Tom’s Going in for the Snake’s class is starting next week. Sign-up for six intensive weeks of supported storytelling learning. You can start reading through content now in readiness!
Our regular week-long low-residency workshop starts next week! We’re excited for the studio to be inundated by people from all over! There’s still space if you’ve got a spare week and a heart for comics.
Starting October 23, we have our comics 101 class here in Gainesville. Taught by SAW alum, Emma Jensen, it will cover the basics of comics making from materials to storytelling in five short weeks.
You’ve probably already heard word of our week-long workshop with Jackie Davis in March next year, but have you heard about our first-time, three-day graphic memoir workshop? Come to Gainesville for three days of living on top of each other, talking memoir and making comics.