SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

September 10, 2017 by Lori Henderson

Wondercon 2017: Boom! Studios: Discover Yours

September 10, 2017 by Lori Henderson   Leave a Comment

Brave Chef Brianna
Brave Chef Brianna

Editor’s note: GC4K writer Lori Henderson attended this year’s WonderCon, which took place on March 31-April 2 in Anaheim, California. Over the next few days, we will publish several writeups of the panels she attended there, which featured editors and comics creators from different publishers discussing their work.

Boom Panel 1Since its humble beginning in 2005, BOOM! Studios has grown as a comics publisher, from original works to licensed titles. Today, the publisher has four imprints to appeal to different demographics. At Wondercon 2017, they held a panel with editors and creators to explore each imprint. Editor in chief Matt Gagnon and president of publishing and marketing Filip Sablik moderated the panel, which featured four creators of comics from these imprints: Sam Sykes of Brave Chef Brianna, Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith and Kurt Lustgarter of Misfit City, Delilah Dawson of Lady Castle, and Simon Spurrier of Godshaper.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Boom Panel 2Sablik started things off by asking the panelists how they got into comics and the origins of their fandom. Gagnon started out collecting the Garfield comic strips, Sykes read both traditional and web comics, while Smith admitted she was a recent convert who was brought into the fold by Lumberjanes.

Boom Panel 3Sablik then spoke about BOOM! Studios’ philosophy towards comics, saying “comics are for anyone, so we make comics for everyone.” The company has four distinct imprints, each for a different type of comic. KaBOOM is intended for younger readers and features titles such as Adventure Time, Garfield, and Brave Chef Brianna. BOOM! Box is an imprint for teen to young adult readers, as well as for independent creators. Lumberjanes helped kick off this imprint, but you’ll also find Giant Days and Goldie Vance under this banner. Misfit City represented it at the panel. Archaea was an independent publisher that was acquired by BOOM! Studios, and its titles are firmly in the Young Adult demographic, including Mouse Guard and the Jim Hensen comics. The final imprint is the main BOOM! Studios. It is used for adult and genre titles. Most of BOOM!’s library falls under this imprint, and it was represented by Godshaper.

Boom Panel 4Each creator was given a chance to talk about their books while art from them was displayed. Lady Castle and Brave Chef Brianna were already available at the convention, and Smith’s description of Misfit City and how she was inspired by the town in Oregon where The Goonies was filmed sparked my interest in it. Spurrier’s description of Godshaper, a story set in a world where everyone has personal gods that provide for them, except for the “godshapers” that are simultaneously shunned and needed to spruce up others’ gods, got me to pick up the first issue.

Boom Panel 5As well as talking about their books, the panelists talked about the medium of comics and comic creation. Several mentioned webcomics as the starting point. Because many creators were just starting to learn the craft, the early webcomics emphasized character; the stories tended to be more slice of life, and even though the art or plot might not have been as strong, they still drew an audience because of the characters. The creators also discussed how comics were used as inspiration for filmmakers. Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics is held up as a bible in many film classes, as it helps visualize different ways to frame a scene.

Boom Panel 8  All of the artists on the panel agreed that it was important for the artist to also be able to tell a story, even when working with a writer. The artist is the most responsible for world building. They create the look and feel of the world. An artist being able to tell a story is just as critical to the storytelling as the words.

The panel ended with an exclusive announcement: The Archaia imprint would release David Peterson’s upcoming book Mouse Guard Alphabet Book. The art will be hand painted by artist Serena Malyon, and it is the first time Peterson is collaborating with an artist on the series.

Boom Panel 8aBoom Panel 8b

Filed under: Uncategorized

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
All AgesBoom! StudioscomicsConventionpanelsWondercon

About Lori Henderson

Lori Henderson is a mother of two teenage daughters and an avid reader. She blogs about manga at her personal blog Manga Xanadu as well as contributing and editing for Manga Village. She blogs about all things fandom (mainly Doctor Who) at her other personal blog Fangirl Xanadu. She's been at it so for over 5 years now and counting!

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

December 2022

Two Gardening Books to Read Now | Reviews

by Lori Henderson

November 2022

Animal Rescue Friends | Review

by Lori Henderson

October 2022

Review: Parachute Kids

by Lori Henderson

June 2022

Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #331 | Preview

by Lori Henderson

June 2022

Comics News from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim | Incoming

by Lori Henderson

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

One Star Review, Guess Who? (#181)

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

That Flag: An Interview with Tameka Fryer Brown

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Monkey Prince Vol. 1: Enter the Monkey | Review

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Heavy Medal

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Readers’ Poll Results

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

The Value of Innocence for BIPOC Students, a guest post by David Mura

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Looking Ahead: Our 2023 Preview

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Funny Books for Unfunny Times

Exclusive Excerpt of "The Baby-Sitters Club" Graphic Novel 'Jessi's Secret Language'

The Comics of COVID | Stellar Panels

10 Sports Manga for Hardcore Fans and Newcomers Alike | Mondo Manga

Superheroes Meet Real-Life Science in DC’s ‘Flash Facts’

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023