Two Comic Superstars Come Together As Raina Telgemeier And Scott McCloud Bring You ‘The Cartoonist’s Club’
by Richard Bruton
This one’s going to be one of the biggest books of the year, as comic superstars Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud team up at Scholastics Graphix for a story of friendship and creativity in The Cartoonists Club.
Yes, it was announced a long time back now, but we’re getting closer and closer to the 1st April publication date so that means more info, plus a tour taking place in Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado in April.
Like I say, it’s going to be a big book, just like any Telgemeier book, only made better with the addition of McCloud here as the book promising us something of the best of both, describing The Cartoonists Club as “a one-of-a-kind friendship story about creativity and self-expression that blends how-to and comics magic!“
Telgemeier is, of course, the multi-million selling graphic novelist behind Smile, Sisters, Drama, Guts, and Ghosts, and someone whose work is beloved by millions of children around the world. McCloud is a cartoonist from a different generation, whose Understanding Comics became the number one explanatory text of the medium (not to mention a fun read by a masterful storyteller).
The Cartoonists Club would appear to be a perfect melding of the pair’s styles and skills to bring something of the magic of comics to the page, an how-to guide for a generation of kids who’ve been brought up reading graphic novels with both artists writing and drawing parts.
Telgemeier described the collaboration in these terms: “When I was 16, I read Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, a ‘comic book about comic books.’ It immediately cemented my desire to be a cartoonist–as well as gave me a shape and vocabulary for the scope, philosophy, iconography, and downright magic of comics storytelling. That was a pivotal moment for me, and I speak with a lot of young readers who have been looking for a similarly pivotal book for them. The Cartoonists Club is the result of almost 5 years of working together with Scott himself, to create what we hope is that book!”
And then she went onto say, “I’m happy to say that after decades of being his fan (and nearly two decades of being his friend), Scott is a delight to work with. Our minds operate in completely different ways, and we pushed each other to create and think in new directions both on the page and off. I realize that not all young readers (or their grown ups!) are yet familiar with his work, so it is a thrill to introduce them by way of our collaboration. He’s one of the most brilliant minds working in the medium of comics, and it is an immense honor to share a title on the shelf with him.“
As for what it’s about — here’s the Graphix PR for this one:
‘Makayla is bursting with ideas but doesn’t know how to make them into a story. Howard loves to draw, but he struggles to come up with ideas and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time. Lynda constantly draws in her sketchbook but keeps focusing on what she feels are mistakes, and Art simply loves being creative and is excited to try something new. They come together to form The Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about making comics and use their creativity and imagination for their own storytelling adventures!
‘In a dream team collaboration combining Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud’s trademark charm, reliability, and comics expertise, The Cartoonists Club will blend narrative, how-to advice and “comics magic” to showcase the power of storytelling and inspire a new generation of cartoonists.’
THE CARTOONISTS CLUB – by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud
Published by Scholastic Graphix on 1st April 2025 – ages 8-12 (although let’s face it, there’s no upper age limit for this one!)
