LACC 2023: Andrews McMeel Publishing Talks Kidlit
by Gary Catig
Amongst the various books that Andrews McMeel Publishing releases are graphic novels and collections of comic strips. At this year’s Los Angeles Comic Con, they held a panel highlighting their kidlit titles. Senior editor, Erinn Pascal, led the discussion with creators Terrance Crawford, Simón Estrada, Danielle McKechnie, Dean Ravenola, Joshua Pruett, and Dora Wang.
Crawford works on many licensed works that include Big Nate and Puss in Boots. Fans of the Afro Unicorn brand from April Showers should be excited to learn that there will be a graphic novel coming in July of 2024, which Crawford is contributing to. Afro Unicorn: The Land of Afronia takes place in the vibrant and bright titular world where two Afro Unicorns, Divine and Unique, uncover a scheme to drain all their kingdom’s color.
Arguably one of Andrews McMeel Publishing’s biggest licenses is for Neopets. Ravenola works on the related graphic novels with Neopets: The Omelette Fairie slated to come out in August 2024. If you want to get your hands on the book early, there is a pre-release during San Diego Comic-Con 2024. In addition, the wait for the next book isn’t that long with Neopets: The Discarded Magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity arriving in fall of 2024. Ravenola pitched it as a combination of the Barbie movie and plushies.
Estrada and McKechnie are working on the Otto Normal’s Monsterton series. It will comprise of three books and is a hybrid of prose and graphic novel. The first installment is Otto Normal’s Monsterton: The Disappearance of White Pine Beach, which will be released on August 6, 2024. It revolves around a normal eleven-year-old boy who moves to a town of monsters and has problems fitting in.
Pruett’s project is the only novel of the group. It is Gyro and the Argonauts, which follows Gyro the first Greek geek. He used to admire the Argonauts but soon discovers that they suck and it’s really the monsters who are cool and should be admired. It’s a fun and funny tale that weaves in facts about Greek and Roman mythology.
Wang is the creator of Pocket Peaches, an extension of her webcomic that she posted on her Instagram. It’s a very cutesy and simple about a group of cat friends. The first book is currently available with Book 2 releasing in the Fall 2024.
