Announcing: A surprise bonus episode!
Join us for a bonus episode of “Amanda Interviews…!” where we talk with comic book and graphic novel creator, Jeff Earls.
Jeff is here to teach your students about visual storytelling, art, and the graphic novel creation process. His latest project “Nemo: the Lad” is a sci-fi/steampunk graphic novel retelling of some classic Jules Verne material.
Join us Monday night at 8 pm EST on my Instagram Live to hear some insider tips on how to break into the graphic novel industry.
Show Notes and Replay Link
You can find the replay here on my IGTV.
You can find J. S. Earls online in the following places:
Check Out His Projects!
- Playing Games With Strangers podcast: A family-friendly, role-playing, improvisational storytelling experience
- Bible Dig Archaeology podcast
- Sithrah by Jason Brubaker (coming soon)
- Pistolfist graphic novel by J. S. Earls
- Supersonic Pod Comics shared universe
Recommended Educational Resources for Students
- Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
- “DC Comics Guide To…” series (Guide to Writing, Guide to Drawing, Guide to Inking, etc.)
- Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
- Story by Robert McKee
- On the Page podcast by Pilar Alessandra
- From J. S. Earls’s Dropbox: “Sequential Art Techniques“
- From J.S. Earls’s Dropbox: “Save the Cat‘s Story Structure Beats by Medium“
Recommended Distribution Solutions for Young Creatives
*Parental guidance advised.
- Wattpad: Free online fiction platform
- Webtoon: Free comic, manga, and graphic novel distribution platform
Basic Interview Outline with Timestamps
This was a long episode filled with lots of great information! I took some rough notes during the interview with key timestamps for your convenience. Check it out below!
- 00:00: Brief discussion of thoughts on homeschooling and overview of J.S.’s main projects
- 00:30: Basics of sequential art, including definitions, industry norms, and history of the medium
- 00:54: Overview of the creation process
- 01:11:54: Different types of professional roles in the sequential art industry
- 01:23:27: Favorite graphic novelists/comic book artists and what is inspiring about their work
- 01:28:46: Important skills
- 01:29: Recommended resources for students
- 01:40:43: Recommended supplies and equipment
- 01:46: J. S.’s latest graphic novel project, Nemo the Lad
- 01:54: Close