The Ameliaverse

2011-03-18T11:41:00.001-04:00

Well, this is totally fascinating to me. In your free time (ha ha) check out the book "Rebel Without a Crew" by Robert Rodriguez. He essentially worked the same way you describe here, virtually editing with the camera. This technique allowed him to create his first feature film, EL MARIACHI, for just $7,000. Oddly, I create a comic more like people put together a TV show, "shooting" out of sequence, going back for "pick ups" etc. I used to feel bad about it until I read that's how Jaime Hernandez does it, so now I just think I'm a genius.

Not really.

How much alienation do I feel from the comic book field? Almost total, I guess, but I've always felt that way. When Amelia started, we got excellent reviews, but low sales, when I started getting nominated for Eisner and Harvey awards, that made a slight difference, but not much. The real ace in the hole for Amelia turned out to be librarians. Around 2005, I contracted Harold Buchholz to work for me on a freelance basis. This was another counter intuitive move, because at the time I was paying Harold, I still had to keep a full time job myself, but Harold is an amazing person, and understands the comic book business inside and out. He actually IS a genius, in my view. So he started analyzing where the sales of our trade paperbacks were coming from, and libraries were a huge, huge percentage. He then devised a way of figuring out library check out rates across the US. This technique was super time consuming, but worth it because we found out that AR was the 4th most checked out graphic novel among kids. The other results were shocking as well. You had to go all the way to number 13 before you found a superhero book. So, we started hitting library shows and book shows just as much as scomic book conventions, and this paid off almost immediately.

But comic shops were still comic shops. The ones that invested in Amelia tended to see a nice return, and the rest pretended it didn't exist. Which is what I see as the biggest problem the direct market has had and probably always will have. If something does not conform to their own already established view of the market, it gets ignored. It's not that those stores think of me as Jimmy Gownley the small presser, it's that they don't think of me at all.

Since Amelia has always survived as a series of small successes across a bunch of different venues, it doesn't really bother me. Those "funny conversations" happen a lot though. I have been lectured about the biz many, many times by people who have had like three issues out, and sold a few hundred copies. One guy I remember seeing at two Baltimore shows in a row, and he was just bubbling over with his success. He said he really admired my ability to "struggle along". He was even going to plug Amelia Rules! in his upcoming free comic book day book (which WAS very nice of him). As for him, his success was happening "Almost too fast." His new trade paperback was also just about "to drop" and he gave me a free copy. The next year, Karen and I are at the same show, just browsing the aisles, and I come across a two dollar trade paperback box. There are about 15 copies of this guy's trade. I pulled one out and showed it to Karen. "I guess it happened too fast," she said.

I remember being lectured by a VERY big name about how this idea of publishing a kids' comic was just suicidal in today's market, and that he just KNOWS I'm spending all my parents money on this (I was like 34 at the time!). All the while, I had a check from a book fair sale in my back pocket that was going to pay Harold's salary for the next TWO YEARS. But I just stood there and listened, because what are you going to do, you know?

Even when I was just a fan, I never felt a part of the comics world. As a kid, I lived nowhere near a comic shop. My dad would drive me 70 miles to one maybe twice a year, and that was it. I never contributed to fanzines or anything. My friends were never interested in comics. Shades of Gray was about as far away from a fanboy type comic as you could get, so this kind of isolation is nothing new.

Plus, I actually kinda like it. I love that I can have an eight book deal with one of the largest publishing houses on the planet, and still feel that it's me versus the world.

Now I'll ask YOU one. Michael (Strange Attractors) Cohen and I were talking about Glamourpuss lately (which we both LOVE), and your experiments with non fiction comics. As more and more narrative elements creep in to Glamourpuss (like the Alex Raymond/Stan Drake story) do you find yourself being enticed by the idea of writing fiction again?

about an hour ago

2011-03-17T13:09:00.000-04:00

There are a few major advantages. The first being that it greatly reduces the element of risk. Amelia Rules! really didn't begin to grow until it was able to be sold outside of the direct market. In a lot of ways, it was the opposite of what comic shops really want, so I needed to take the book out into other arenas, but most of those arenas come with the huge risk of returnability. Compound that with the fact that at the time we were beginning to place Amelia into the chain bookstores, the whole IDEA of a kids' graphic novel section was a risk. Both Borders and Barnes and Noble launched their kids' graphic novel sections with Amelia as one of the core titles. Great to be sure, but literally NO ONE knew if a single copy of any of these books would sell, and if they didn't sell I would be the one responsible for the returns. Obviously, now that risk is assumed by Simon and Schuster.

Also, with this particular deal, because I had already published 4 volumes myself, and because there was already an audience to be tapped into, S and S was willing to make the commitment to not only license the existing 4 volumes, but also commission 4 new ones. That was great because, like you said, it becomes easier if you know how far into the future you can plan. Not just with the day to day stuff like paying your mortgage, but creatively as well.

There is a certain prestige and clout that comes with the name Simon and Schuster that automatically transferred to AR once the first book was published. This isn't really something that matters to the readers, but in a lot of the behind the scenes dealings it makes a big impression.

And lastly, there is a nice feeling when you get a package in the mail, and it contains a copy of your book with a note that says “Congratulations. Your book has been reprinted.” and that is the ONLY part of the process you needed to even think about.

I remember when we sold a “Best of “ collection to Scholastic Book Fairs. They ordered so many copies that we were able to OVERPRINT 10,000 to experiment with. An order came in from one of the library wholesalers for, I think it was 3,100 copies, and my father in law was at our house. He offered to help me ship them out. To reduce overhead I always filled the orders myself, which is insane, but that's me. When we got to the warehouse, and he actually saw what we were going to be doing and the size of the boxes, he went kind of pale. I said, “I know, but it keeps you fit. Can you imagine how strong JK Rowling must be?”

I'm glad I don't do that anymore.

As far as drawbacks, for a lot of people, I imagine there would be none to speak of. Especially if you came out of traditional publishing. But, when you self published for so long, it is difficult to get used to relinquishing control, and to trust others with the work you have put so much care into. I have had a very nice relationship with the people at S and S, but that's really just luck. It is possible we could have gone with a different publisher, and I wouldn't have had such an easy time working with them.

My editor Namrata Tripathi is a really great person, and very smart. She makes suggestions, but it is really up to me whether or not I follow them. I almost always do though, because one of the decisions I made before signing was that I was going to try to understand the system, and use it to it's greatest advantage. Part of that means trusting your editor.

There was really only one MAJOR disagreement. I wanted to call Volume 6 “Tanner Rocks!” No one else thought this was a good idea. Nami really fought against it. She tried to sell me on every other title under the sun. Finally, she took a line of dialog Tanner has occasionally spoken, and suggested “True Things (Adults Don't Want Kids to Know). This was a brilliant idea, because since I had written the dialog, it was easier for me to accept. Anyway, I grudgingly allowed the title change. Since the book has been out many, MANY people have told me they love the title, and more than a few have said they bought the book BECAUSE of the title.

Still, it's tough to give up control.

OK, Now I'll ask you one...

I worked in TV for years before quitting to be a cartoonist full time. You did Cerebus for decades before launching your own internet TV show. Can you talk a little bit about the decision to launch such an ambitious project at the same time you are producing Glamourpuss? And also, do you find producing Cerebus TV to be creatively fulfilling in it's own way?

My chat with Dave Sim Continues...

2011-03-16T09:19:00.001-04:00

First, I just want you to know that I guarantee that "Bubble it out" and "Let me love you over to the edge" will become common phrases in the Gownley household from here on out!

Also, I found your whole second paragraph really resonant. A friend of mine is starting a long term project and has started to notice people seemingly accidentally setting themselves up as obstacles. My only advice was "Get used to it."

But the opposite can be true as well. Unexpected support, or those strange little "coincidences" that allow huge breakthroughs to occur.

Which brings us back to your question...

I remember the moment of Amelia's creation vividly. It was in my basement apartment just outside of Harrisburg. Karen lived in a basement apartment as well, on the other side of the Susquehanna River, but she was over visiting. My art desk was in a corner of the living room, and Karen was sitting on my crappy $300 Boscov's (a local dept. store) couch.

I had signed on with Caliber to produce Shades of Gray, and was working on what I knew would be the last issue. I was just fed up, and disgusted, and sick and tired of cross hatching. (If you go back and look at mid nineties small press comics, it's hilarious how many people were trying to draw like Gerhard without, y'know, knowing how to draw. "If I just cross hatch enough, that will fix everything!") Without giving it a moment's thought, I took the page I was working on, flipped it over, and drew this little girl. She looked almost exactly like she would look in the first published issue.

I held it up and said; "Hey Karen, what do you think of her"

"She's cute."

"Yeah. Maybe I should do something with her."

Karen says she remembers me saying something about the girl looking like a troublemaker, but I don't remember that part.

I DO remember saying; "What should we call her?" We both thought about it for about ten seconds or so, and then said simultaneously… "Amelia."

I know nothing about Amelia Earhart other than what everyone knows. I had a very minor acquaintance from years ago named Amelia Something, but no one who would inspire me to pick that name.

Honestly? I just think it was her name, y'know?

Of course, Karen and I know each other pretty well. About a month or so ago we were taking a walk with the kids, and we weren't talking or anything, just out enjoying the local nature trail in silence. About 20 minutes into the walk, apropos of NOTHING, Karen goes; "Which one did they almost leave off?" And I said; "Man Sized Wreath."

Not "Hey Jimmy, which song did R.E.M. almost leave off their 2008 album "Accelerate"? Just "Which one did they almost leave off?"

Karen? anything to add?

Ok, Now I get to ask YOU one… Pretty much since I began being interested in comics, people have been spouting doom and gloom about the future of the medium, but for every disaster, it seems something good or at least new comes out of it. What do you think are the tone or two MOST POSITIVE aspects of the current comics environment for a young cartoonist?

Dialog with Dave Sim: Part 3 Karen's response...

2011-03-15T17:20:00.001-04:00

First, I must say I’m very flattered you asked! It’s not often I get asked about my perception of this whole comic book experience.
As for Amelia’s “birth” moment, I remember it exactly as Jimmy does (and perhaps, oddly, with more clarity than the birth of our own children, since I was heavily drugged during their birth…and Amelia’s inception, not so much). If your question is a larger “What on earth did you think about this 180-degree turn?” then that requires more thought.
Jimmy had been plugging away at Shades of Gray for years. But toward the end I could tell it was becoming less joyful and more of a burden. He was ready for a change, that was clear. Was I surprised that this change came in the form of a little girl cartoon character who had absolutely no resemblance in style to anything I had ever seen Jimmy draw before? Yeah, a little. What I remember being struck by is how naturally Amelia’s art style came to him. Unlike Shades of Gray, which seemed like so much WORK to draw, the style of Amelia seemed much more intuitive to him. I’m not saying it’s not work, there just appeared to be no struggle – as if this style was always the way he should have been doing it.
The book being in color was, for me, a no-brainer. I was dragged…er, I mean, introduced, to black & white comics and the self-publishing movement when I met Jimmy. I always said that gave me a unique perspective because I wasn’t a part of it, I was an outsider looking in. And to me, the average consumer, kids books were in color. Period. So if Jimmy wanted to do a kid’s book, it had to be in color. Period.
I never discouraged him from doing it because there never was never a need to. We weren’t married at the time, we didn’t own a house, we didn’t have kids, so what the hell? If you’re going to attempt to do something crazy, you might as well do it when you’re in your 20s and your responsibilities are minimal.
And sure, I enjoyed (and still enjoy) the experience, even though this journey has been incredibly stressful and times and the hardest thing I can imagine (next to taking care of newborn twins. That wins first prize, hands down).
I’m not an entrepreneur my nature, so if left to my own devices, I’d probably be looking at a very basic highway kind of drive through life. Jimmy enjoys the scenic route. And admittedly, it’s a lot more fun. In fact, it’s been a blast. I have a lot of great stories and some of the best times of my, and our, lives have been at comic book shows & events, and I’ve met some really dear wonderful friends through it all. In the time between Shades of Gray and doing conventions for Amelia, I really missed the comic book people. I was actually eager to get back into it.
Beyond that, I’ve gotten a lot of out of it professionally. A person learns a lot of skills when self-publishing. I have ten times more confidence now than I did before Amelia. I know how to design publications and all about working with printers and paper samples, etc. I can organize events, speak decently in public, and can work through just about any problem. So I’ve gotten a lot out of this as well.
Lastly, I’ll add that Jimmy is a cartoonist. Not just because that’s his job, but because it’s an intrinsic part of who he is. I guess in some alternate universe when he held up that little sketch of Amelia I could have said, “No. Absolutely not. I’m not doing this anymore” but to what end? I might as well have asked him to turn into a different person. It simply wasn’t an option, nor did I want it to be.

I will now thank you again for asking me to be a part of the discussion and gracefully bow out so that Jimmy can continue to get his geek on...

Karen Gownley

Ok, so there you have it! Thanks Karen. Ok, now I'd like to ask Dave one.

I started reading Cerebus when I was 14, and I always took it for granted that you would make it to issue 300.

I mean, why wouldn't you?

Now that I've produced over 1,000 pages of Amelia Rules!, I honestly can't comprehend how you did it! My question is; over the course of 26 years, 300 issues and 6,000 pages of Cerebus, was there ever a moment when you really, sincerely thought you were not going to make it? And if so, how did you work through it?

Dialog with Dave Sim: Part 2

2011-03-15T15:27:00.001-04:00

Dave's portion is conducted by fax. Click on the image to enlarge.

Did everyone see what just happened there? My very own dialog just got hijacked!!

sigh.

While we wait for Karen to respond, check out Dave's blog post from 2006 about his early impressions of AR! and Karen for that matter...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cerebus/message/98634

Dialog with Dave Sim: Question One from Dave...

2011-03-15T13:58:00.001-04:00

I guess it depends on how you look at it. My dad was a coal miner, and then worked highway construction. So relative to THAT, no not really tough at all. But it's a lot tougher than, say… putting out a few mini comics.

At the time I created Amelia, I was ending Shades of Gray, and wasn't sure if I wanted to do another comic book series. Then one day, this character just appeared out of nowhere. Literally, I just flipped the SOG page I was working on over, and doodled this little girl. I pretty much decided then and there that I was going to be working with this character.

When Karen and I both said the name "Amelia" simultaneously, that clinched it.

But deciding to go with Amelia as the main character created a number of obstacles.

A humor comic. For kids. Starring a 9 year old girl. Sold only in comic shops. in 2001.

I mean, even I can look at that and see that it's insane. To try to combat these obstacles meant I had to do some other things which seemed counter intuitive. Color was the big one. The audience I was publishing for really wasn't going in to comic shops, but I had to have faith that they were out there somewhere. Since comic shops were the only venue available to me at the time, I figured I could at least get the character out in the world, and see what happened. The individual comic books only needed to break even, or at least come close. I had a career as Art Director for a TV station at this point, so I didn't need the comic for my livelihood.

Thinking long term, I figured kid's comics really should be in color. I was already picturing the graphic novels in book stores approach, or even better Scholastic Book Clubs, and fairs. To me, reaching kids in these venues required publishing in full color.

It was really touch and go at the beginning. The first issue sold 3100 copies, which was right where it really needed to be, but of course there was the inevitable drop off with issues 2-4. I remember the 4th issue, the Christmas story sold around 1400 copies through Diamond. But this was still ok, because I was thinking long term.

In spring of 2002 I met (re-met really, but that's another story) Harold Buchholz, who was an all ages print broker at the time, and who now works at Archie. He devised a way of taking the overstock of issues 1-5, and stripping the covers so that they could be rebound as a trade paperback. That worked great. The print run sold out in a few weeks, and really made Amelia financially viable again.

Ultimately, I guess I was vindicated. The original comic books never sold that well, but the trade paperbacks have been great. For me, the real milestone is that Christmas story, which may have only sold 1,400 copies as issue 4 of the comic book series, but has since been reprinted TWENTY times in four languages, and has sold well 100,000 thousand copies.

One funny thing I remembered while typing this. I handed a copy to Evan Dorkin at the 2001 Pittsburgh Comic Con. He flipped though it and said; "Color! I hope you don't lose your house!"

If there is one thing I noticed is lacking from cartoonists, it's a sense of perspective. I mean printing that comic cost like $2,000. Who's house costs $2,000?

Ok. Now I'll ask YOU one…

Ok, You mentioned here that you thought self publishing in color was crazy, and you wrote elsewhere that you considered advising me to give up. Why didn't you?

Dialog With Dave Sim!

2011-03-15T13:44:00.002-04:00

Join me and Cerebus creator Dave Sim, as we embark on "Now I'll ask YOU one..." a dialog. Dave's posts will be made via fax, and mine will be posted here, and on the Amelia Rules! facebook page. First post comoing up in a bit. Stay tuned!

Amelia Rules! art auction

2010-09-20T21:11:00.001-04:00

Want to own your very own piece of Amelia Rules! artwork? Well check out eBay for our latest art auction! Some very nice pieces up, including the COVER for "A Very Ninja Christmas"! Plus, a percentage of the proceeds goes to support Habitat for Humanity. The seller name is tannerrocks. Bid early and often!

Chicago appearance! Tuesday April 6th.

2010-04-05T09:29:00.001-04:00

1st stop, Chicago!

Come see me Tuesday, April 6th at Anderson's.

Presentation, Discussion, &
Signing
Location: Anderson’s Bookshop
5112 Main St.
Downers Grove IL 60515
Tel: 630/963-2665

New How-To Cartooning Videos!

2010-01-12T12:37:00.000-05:00

I am very excited to announce a new venture!

We are creating a collection of “how-to” videos for the Professor Garfield website: www.professorgarfield.org.

Professor Garfield is an awesome, interactive site for kids that teaches all about comics, literacy, and creativity.

The videos are being produced in conjunction with Media Boomtown, a documentary production house that focuses on art-themed projects. Each instructional piece will be fun, energetic, and most of all, informative.

We'll be making three videos. They will cover the topics: What Is A Comic, Where Do Cartoonists Get Their Ideas, and How To Draw A Comic Book Page.

I love traveling around the country talking to students about comics and creativity. These videos are a great way for me to reach even more kids and share even more information.

They will be featured on the “Comics Lab Extreme” section of professorgarfield.org.

The Professor Garfield Foundation learning portal is a fun interactive online environment where children can safely explore, learn and creatively express themselves.
The web site receives about ½ million users a month and gets about 8-10 million page views.

For more information on Professor Garfield: professorgarfield.org
For more information on Media Boomtown: mediaboomtown.com

Booking Appearances For 2010

2009-12-29T15:27:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a great holiday! I'm really excited about 2010 - we have a lot of projects in the works, including the long-awaited release of Amelia Rules! Vol5: The Tweenage Guide To Not Being Unpopular.

I'll be traveling a lot this coming year and am currently putting together a personal appearance schedule for 2010. If you're interested in hosting one of my presentations at your school, library, or other event, send me a message and we'll try to make that happen!

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year,
Jimmy

2009-09-29T02:27:00.001-04:00

Countdown Clock by Zoodu.com

Get Your Daily Dose of Amelia

2009-08-28T15:23:00.001-04:00

Starting immediately, I will be sending out a direct link to "The Daily Rules" via Twitter. We thought it would be a fun way to bring Amelia directly to you.

The Tweets will go out 3:30EST. You can follow me at: jimmygownley

Of course I will also Twitter about other comic-related things, like my progress on the latest books, release dates, appearances & book tours, and random thoughts about life in general.

And of course you can feel free to ask me any questions as well.

-Jimmy

Gearing Up For SDCC

2009-07-16T13:48:00.001-04:00

Hard to believe that SDCC 2009 is only a week away. I'll be at booth 2207, be sure to stop by. In addition to all the Amelia Rules! graphic novels, I'll also have a brand new limited edition print and new t-shirts for sale, which are a SDCC exclusive.

As a guest of SDCC this year, I get to have my own "Spotlight On" panel (totally cool). It will take place on Thursday from 1-2 in room 10. My wife Karen & I will discuss the journey of Amelia Rules! - how I went from drawing a comic in my basement to landing an 8-book deal with Simon & Schuster, and how you can do it too. I always like talking about the process of creating comics and self-publishing. It will be an informal discussion with lots of Q&A, so I hope to see you there!
Afterwards will be my autograph session in AA3 from 2-3.

Other panels I'll be a part of are:
Comics In The Classroom. Saturday 2:30-3:30 Room 4
Comics For All Ages. Sunday 1:30-2:30 Room 3
The Cultural Shift. Sunday 2:30-3:30 Room 3

Additionally, I'll be signing books at the Mysterious Galaxy booth (1119) on Sunday at 10am

It will be a busy convention, but I'm sure great as always. Can't wait to see everyone!

Signed Bookplates Now Available!

2009-07-02T14:17:00.003-04:00

Available for a limited time – I’m offering personalized autographed bookplates with an original Amelia sketch to those who purchase the new Simon & Schuster edition of Amelia Rules! Vol 1: The Whole World’s Crazy.

What you need to do:
-Email proof of purchase to karen@ameliarules.com. Proof of purchase can be copy of store receipt or internet receipt from online purchase

-Include your name & address, along with the name of the person you would like the bookplate signed to.
If no name is specified, bookplate will simply be autographed.

All bookplates are professionally made on archival quality, acid-free paper and will feature an original sketch of Amelia McBride.
They will be sent in a secured envelope, standard USPS.

Because of demand, I can only provide bookplates for the new Simon & Schuster edition of Vol 1.

Thanks for your support!

Hot Hot Hot!

2009-06-04T15:47:00.005-04:00

Hi Guys,

Graphic Novel Reporter has named Amelia Rules! "The Whole World's Crazy" one of the "Hottest Graphic Novels for Summer." You can read about that here. Plus, John Hogan conducted a nice new interview with me here. The interview covers self-publishing, the move to Simon and Schuster, as well as the exclusive revelation of the title for Volume 6!

Great New Interview

2009-04-28T15:14:00.003-04:00

While I was out in California, I was interviewed by cartoonist Justin Thompson for his "Comics Coast to Coast" show. The interview was conducted at No. 1 Snoopy Place, in Charles Schulz's studio, just 4 feet away from where he drew Peanuts for over 20 years. So maybe that explains why it's the best interview I've ever done. Justin was a great host and we covered topics ranging from self-publishing, to self-confidence (I know quite a bit about both)... From drawing equipment, to growing up in Girardville, PA. and selling comic books out of my school locker.

You can download it for free at iTunes, or hey, just follow this link.

Also, check out Justin's comic Mythtickle. It's beautifully drawn, and really really funny.

2009-04-27T14:15:00.002-04:00

Hey guys.

So, Simon and Schuster has prepared a little "About Jimmy Gownley" site as part of their "Authors Revealed" series. It's mostly Q and A stuff, but they also have little 30 second video interviews I did on my last trip to New York. They're kind of fun... half way between a job interview, and speed dating, but without the pressure.

So, check out this link to find out the answers to such burning questions as: What are may favorite books? What do I consider my best quality? Can I successfully count to 7? (Spoiler alert: no.)

Oh, and you can also order the book there too.

Just sayin...

California Tourin’!

2009-03-09T16:45:00.005-04:00

Starting March 14th, I’ll be appearing at several places in Sunny California, to promote the upcoming Simon and Schuster release of “The Whole World’s Crazy।” Come on out and say “Hi!”

Saturday, March 14th -Charles M. Schulz Museum
1:00-3:00 pm
2301 Hardies Lane
Santa Rosa, California 95403
- Artist in residence Sketching, signing, art demonstration

Tuesday, March 17th -Charles M. Schulz Museum
9:30-12:00 noon
2301 Hardies Lane
Santa Rosa, California 95403
-Sponsoring schools; one day for homeschools, girl scouts

Wednesday, March 18th -Hicklebees
3:00-4:30 pm
1378 Lincoln Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
-Public meet-and-greet at store

Thursday, March 19th -Los Altos Library
170 State Street

4:00-5:00 pm
Los Altos, CA 94022
-Signing and Presentation

Sunday, March 22nd -Cartoon Art Museum
1:00-3:00 pm
Cartoon Art Museum
655 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
-Artist in residence Sketching, signing, art demonstration

Join Jimmy on Facebook

2009-01-28T14:02:00.002-05:00

Wanna keep up on the day to day progress of Amelia Rules! Volume 5,

as well as get sneak peaks at the upcoming Simon and Schuster editions?

Then just search for "Jimmy Gownley" on facebook, and befriend me! I'll be doing

daily updates, as well as posting pics and videos from all the upcoming Amelia events.

Join me, and together we will waste time with the best of them.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T13:32:00.009-05:00

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season.

This has been an amazing year for Amelia and me, and next year looks to be even bigger and better.

So, as a thank you to all of you who have made our success possible, we have posted a brand new production of "A Very Ninja Christmas" for you to enjoy.

The stage production was directed by Sharon McHugh, and produced by Media Boomtown.

Just click here to enjoy the live Amelia experience.

New Home for Amelia!

2008-10-07T18:24:00.003-04:00

New York, NY, October 7, 2008—Ginee Seo Books, an imprint of Atheneum/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, today announced it has acquired the world rights to Jimmy Gownley’s popular comic and graphic novel series AMELIA RULES!. The deal was brokered through an auction by Judith Hansen of the Hansen Literary Agency. Originally published by Renaissance Press, the AMELIA RULES! graphic novels and comics have become a favorite with both critics and fans alike.

“Jimmy is a true creative genius, and AMELIA RULES! has that rare combination of mass appeal and literary substance that every publisher dreams about. We are thrilled for Jimmy to be joining the S&S list, as we work to expand our list with some of the top comic and graphic novel talent publishing today, and we look forward to making his name and his characters known to even wider audience beyond his already substantial following,” said Ginee Seo, VP, Editorial Director of Ginee Seo Books.

Jimmy Gownley added, "It was important for me to find the perfect home for AMELIA RULES! and I strongly believe Simon & Schuster and Ginee Seo books are a great match. I am more excited than ever about Amelia and kids graphic novels in general"

The plan is for Simon & Schuster to put out reprints of the first four already published AMELIA RULES! books over the next two years, with the first reprint AMELIA RULES!: The Whole World’s Crazy to be published in Spring 2009 and the last reprint AMELIA RULES!: When the Past is a Present scheduled to be published in Spring 2010. AMELIA RULES! #5: The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular will be the first original publication with the hardcover and paperback scheduled to come out simultaneously in Fall 2010.

Come Out and Say 'Hi!"

2008-09-10T17:28:00.002-04:00

Come on out to the "Time of Wonder' Children's Bookstore in Exeter, NH this Friday at 3:30.

I'll be there signing books, doing sketches, and chatting with readers about Amelia, comics, and whatever else you want to talk about.

The address is: 125 Water Street Exeter, NH 03833 Tel:603-778-9731

Hope to see you there,

Jimmy

PS: Check back next week, for a major announcement regarding upcoming appearances.

In Comic Shops Now

2008-08-06T12:49:00.007-04:00

Our $4.99 128 page full color digest “Funny Stories” is in comic shops today. Originally created for Scholastic Book Fairs and Clubs, this book is a really nice overview of the entire Amelia series.

We’re back from San Diego now, and it was our best convention ever. We did terrific business, met up with a lot of old friends, and were introduced to a bunch of new ones.

Up next is Baltimore in September. Also, we will be announcing more personal appearances throughout the US for this Autumn, so be sure to check back her for an announcement soon.

San Diego Bound

2008-07-23T00:45:00.001-04:00

San Diego Bound

We’re just about to head out to San Diego for the 2008 Comic-Con. I look forward to this every year, and this year is really special because of the Eisner Nominations. Win or lose though, being nominated for 4 Eisners has really been the thrill of my professional life.

Our San Diego booth is 5531. Due to the way booths were booked, we are listed as "Kids Love Comics." Drop by and Say hi. And if you come on Preview night, ask for your free Amelia Rules! button.

Amelia Rocks!

2008-07-05T14:46:00.010-04:00

View the Official Music Video for “Fighting Over Me” from the Amelia Rules Musical Here! And stay tuned to this space for more info on the upcoming, Top-Secret “December Project.”

Talk, Talk, Talk

2008-06-25T18:23:00.002-04:00

For those of you who don’t live in Pennsylvania, PCN has my recent interview up online. Check it out by clicking here. A full hour of me talking about Amelia, Charles Schulz, The Yellow Kid, and the real life “Sneeze Barf.” TV will never be the same.

As I said before, it was a real pleasure to do the show, and I thank PCN and host Larry Kaspar for having me on.

PA and NC

2008-06-19T14:34:00.004-04:00

Hi guys.

For those of you planning to attend Heroes Con this weekend in Charlotte, make sure you stop by and say hello. I’ll be at the Kids Love Comics booths, happily sketching and signing books. Charlotte is a wonderful town. I haven’t been there in about seven years, so I’m very excited to be going back.

If you can’t make it to Charlotte, and happen to live in PA, you can see an hour long interview with me on PCN’s “Pennsylvania Profiles” this Sunday at 10pm. I taped it a few weeks ago, and the interview was really a lot of fun. A very informed host with interesting questions, and some actual comic book type knowledge! Go figure! Sometimes, it seems I’ve been giving the exact same interview for years, so this was a really nice change. If you don’t get PCN (Which is probably about 90% of you) check this site for a link to an online version sometime after the show airs.

I’ve been working hard on the upcoming “Tweenage Guide to Not being Unpopular” and it’s coming along quite nicely. I’ll post a few preview pages soon.

Hope you guys are having a great summer.

-Jimmy

PS: Celtics Rule!

Updates

2008-05-28T13:17:00.002-04:00

Hi guys.

As we move into the summer, we'll be having a lot of exciting things revealed here at ameliarules.com, so I just wanted to bring you all up to speed.

First, There are now three issues of Amelia Rules! available for free download from wowio. com. Check out this amazing site that gives you access to hundreds of free books, and is a great resource for publishers.

Second, the New Hampshire Project, that I mentioned a few months ago is finished, and will be up online in a few days.

Also, Project 21 is still a go, but has been postponed for a few weeks, so we can make it as good as we possibly can.

And hey, anybody want to see an Amelia animated short? I thought so... Stay tuned.

So anyway...

2008-04-30T14:43:00.005-04:00

Sorry about the long gap in posts... So much has been happening lately. Obviously, the Eisner nominations are huge, and we've been really enjoying the attention they've brought to Amelia.

Also, Volume 4 debuted at New York Comic Con to a very enthusiastic response from the crowd at the show. And of course, yesterday was Free Comic Book Day.

If you’re one of the people who discovered Amelia yesterday, welcome aboard! You can download the entire issue of the Eisner nominated story “The Things I Cannot Change” by clicking here. The story is available for free through the Wowio site, which allows you to download all sorts of cool books and comics (Scott Sava’s way cool Dreamland Chronicles) absolutely free.

Also, after a slight delay, Project 21 will debut at tweeniezeenie.com tomorrow, and continue every Monday thereafter. it will detail the entire creative process behind the creation of the upcoming Amelia book The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular.

Now, I know we were in the middle of discussing Volume 4 story by story, but since I’ve discussed “The Things I Cannot Change” in other places, I’ll just point you here, here and here, and pick up with “When the Past is a Present” next time.

Amelia Rules the Eisners!

2008-04-14T12:44:00.006-04:00

The nominations for the 2008 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are out, and Amelia and I have been nominated for FOUR! This is tied for most nominations by an individual along with Joss Whedon, Brian K. Vaughn, James Sturm, and Fred Chao.

The nominations are for:
Best Single Issue or One Shot: Amelia Rules! 18: The Things I Cannot Change
Best Publication for Kids: Amelia Rules! and Amelia Rules! Funny Stories
Best Letterer: Jimmy Gownley
Best Colorist: Jimmy Gownley

This is a huge honor, and I'd like to thank the nominating committee and I'd just like to say...

Y'know, I really don't know what to say...

FOUR!
WOW!

Runaways

2008-04-12T22:00:00.007-04:00

Continuing to discuss the stories in Volume 4...

So, I was pretty pleased with the way "Funny Story" came out. Everyone on "Team Amelia" (Michael, Karen and Harold) seemed to think it was the best issue so far, and I was excited to get to work on the follow up.

We were coming up on the fifth anniversary of the publication of issue one, so I thought it would be neat to do a special issue featuring five separate short stories. This was really me taking my New Adventures in Hi Fi plan one step further. Short, short stories without any forethought given to how they might relate thematically. But then something weird happened...

As I started working on the stories (and I worked on them all concurrently. I tend to skip around a lot while writing and drawing. I used to worry about that until I read Jaime Hernandez does too.) I noticed that despite my best intentions, they all seemed to be related by the theme of running away. Amelia literally, Tanner from her past, Reggie from school, Rhonda from her nerdy reputation. Plus there was the scene when Amelia literally called Kyle out on running away when she needed him in Superheroes. At this point I thought, well maybe I should take this synchronicity as a sign and tie the different stories together into one big 48 page tale that moved back and forth in time, jumped to different locations, but somehow still all tied together under the general theme of running away.

It took a lot longer than I had hoped, and I once again took heat for a late issue. But you know what? I don't care. This issue came out great, and I was pretty sure that at this point I was on a roll. All the mail and reviews were extremely positive too. The things I like best are the polar bear call back gag, Tanner walking out of the store in a daze, "Why are you here?," the "old paper" effect I used on flashbacks, and Amelia's story about running away to find Snoopy. That part, believe it or not, is autobiographical.

Okay, now next up should be "The Things I Cannot Change," but y'know what? I have a feeling we may be discussing something else on Monday.

I really, really, do...

Writing a "Funny Story"

2008-04-02T12:00:00.006-04:00

Picking up from last Thursday's post.
So anyway...

I realized that a lot of the success of the New Adventures in Hi Fi record came from treating the songs as individual units, rather than worrying about an overall album theme and structure too much. So for my first issue in what was to become Volume 4, I wanted to write a story that was as stand alone as I could make it, but that played off as many of the strengths of past Amelia stories as possible. I made a list of things I wanted to include: Wisecracking jokes, poignant moments, semi-gross humor, Rhonda's jealousy, Pajamaman's coolness, Reggie as Superhero, Tanner's guidance, pop culture references.

The one element I wanted to add was an increased focus on Amelia's relationship with her mother. Once or twice, I'd seen the series criticized for showing a disconnect between Amelia and her parents. I always thought this was weird. The criticism made it seem like this was a flaw that was there ACCIDENTALLY, when to me it was THEMATIC. I mean it's not by mistake that we go hundreds of pages into the story before we find out Amelia's mom's NAME, for cryin' out loud.

"Funny Story"was one of only three Amelia stories that was scripted and thumbnailed entirely in advance of any artwork being produced. It's also one of my two or three favorite Amelia stories.

Next time, we'll discuss "The Runaways."

International Intermission

2008-03-28T13:12:00.008-04:00

I'll get back to volume 4 on Monday, but I got these

covers in yesterday, and wanted to share them with you. They represent the Italian, Spanish and German editions of Amelia.

Cool, huh?

The Spanish and Italian books are due out in May, and the German edition is out now.

New Adventures in Funny Stories

2008-03-27T14:56:00.007-04:00

Continuing from yesterday's post...

So anyway, I was in the middle of this writer's block. I remember that the block was caused by being depressed about something. I can't remember what exactly, but I know it began in November 2004.

It lasted almost a year... seriously. And then, one day, it was gone. Just like that. Determined not to let it happen again, I was looking for a strategy to approach the next book. I've always been a music fan, and a fan of R.E.M. in particular, and for some reason I began playing their record New Adventures in Hi Fi a lot around this time. I was just looking for some "rockin' tunes" for background music, but it suddenly struck me that this might be the template I was looking for.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the group, one of R.E.M.'s great claims to fame is their willingness to experiment. As a fan, you never quite know what to expect from them. I've always loved artists who were willing to grow and change...The Beatles, Charles Schulz, Brian Wilson, y'know, people like that. But what I found special about this particular record was that it somehow managed to move forward by taking all of the elements found in the band's previous output (strong melody, jangly guitars, brooding lyrics, riff based rock, etc.) and mixing them all up into a new musical stew. Where previously one or two of these elements might be the focus of an entire record, here it was their synergy that made the record pulsate.

So I thought to myself; Can I do that with Amelia? Rather than going off in a completely new direction, as I had tried to do with Superheroes, could I take what people had already come to expect and heighten the work by allowing all of the elements I typically worked with to bounce off each other in new and interesting ways? With that thought in mind (and New Adventures playing in the background) I began writing "Funny Story."

Which I will deal with in greater detail tomorrow...

World Premiere of Volume 4 at NYCC!

2008-03-26T12:20:00.005-04:00

When the Past is a Present will make it's world premiere at this April's New York Comic Con.This is very exciting for me, as I think this book represents probably the best work I've ever done. It was very pleasurable getting my advance copies, and thumbing through the pages. Ask any artist, and they'll tell you that that is the kind of experience you always want, but rarely get. More often than not, all the creator of a particular work is able to see is the struggle and the failings. Now, to be sure, I see the struggle all over WTPIAP, but it seems somehow less prominent than usual, and that feels great.

So, what I thought I'd do over the next few postings, is go over the book chapter by chapter and talk a little bit about what went into creating the individual stories, as well as the concept for the book as a whole.

See, the thing is, I don't very often sit around thinking; "Man, I just gotta do a great Little Lulu style comic." Or, "Gosh, what would Len Wein do in a situation like this." Even though I like both Little Lulu and Len Wein quite a bit, I'm far more likely to be inspired by something from a different medium entirely. Like music, for example. There must be 4 or 5 issues of Shades of Gray where I was trying to capture the feel of Strawberry Fields Forever in comic book form. Now, when I started planning the stories which make up WTPIAP, I was just coming off a massive writer's block which lasted for months. Up until this point, I didn't really believe such a thing existed, as I had never experienced it before. But having gone through it, I didn't want the same thing to happen while working on Volume 4. The solution I came up with was to go back to writing short stories. But I was afraid this would become a retreat, that I would just be doing easy jokes and stories I could write in my sleep as a means to avoid failure. What I needed was a template. A piece of art that was somehow both reflective and comfortable, but also radical and forward thinking. That was when I rediscovered a wonderful piece of music; 1996's New Adventures in Hi-Fi by the rock band R.E.M.

Check back tomorrow, and I'll explain how you go from listening to "Electrolite" to writing "Funny Story."

No Duh, Right?

2008-03-24T12:27:00.004-04:00

School Library Journal has selected the top 25 graphic novels for kids, and Amelia Rules! Volume 4: When the Past is a Present has been selected. The article, which was penned by the great Michele Gorman highlights many other winning books like Josh Elder's wicked awesome Mail Order Ninja and Scholastic's beautiful new Amulet.

Michele is the author of the new guide to kid's graphic novels titled Getting Graphic: Comics for Kids.

Amelia fans should take note of this book, as it has a cover and an original 4 page story by me. The story will most likely never be reprinted, so if you're a completist, you have your mission.

Funny Stories

2008-03-12T13:50:00.008-04:00

Funny Stories the Amelia Rules! "best of " digest is being offered in this month's Scholastic Arrow Book Club. So for those of you with kids, or who ARE kids. in grade 4, 5, or 6, be sure to check it out. Also, this special 128 page full color book will be available to comic shops in June. It retails for $4.99, and contains stories from Amelia Rules Volumes 1,2, and 4. It's a really cool little package, and it was the culmination of a dream to have Scholastic Book Clubs and Fairs carry it. I remember way back in '02, I was sitting in a hotel lobby chatting with Harold Buchholz about how I wanted Amelia Rules! in the Scholastic Book Clubs. This was really crazy talk at the time though because NO ONE was thinking about doing quality kid's lit in comics back then, and it was unthinkable that a company like Scholastic would carry something like Amelia. But of course, just because something is impossible, that doesn't mean it won't happen.

Y'know, I remember listening to an interview with Axl Rose years ago where he was talking about how Guns 'n' Roses were going to open for the Rolling Stones some day. He was reminded that, at the time, the Stones had broken up, so this was an impossibility. "I don't care," he said "You wait." And sure enough, a few years later, it happened. So there you go... I'm just like Axl Rose.

The Past and the Podcast

2008-03-10T13:19:00.007-04:00

Hi gang, Amelia Rules! Volume 4: When the Past is a Present has shipped from the printers.

It should be arriving in the US in the next few weeks. The book is in the same format as the previous three volumes, and contains issues 17, 18 and 19, as well as the 2006 and 2007 Free Comic Book Day Editions. I think it's some of my best work, and I'm thrilled to see it come out in book format.

Speaking of cool things which are brand new, have you checked out the first Amelia McBride podcast? It's the first of what will be a monthly feature on our sister site, the Tweenie Zeenie. While you're there, click around and explore some of the other neat freebies on the Tweenie Zeenie.

New Hampshire Rules!

2008-03-04T19:39:00.005-05:00

Just a little teaser about the project I was working on this weekend in New Hampshire. It's very exciting. So exciting in fact, that I'm not going to do much talking about it yet, but
check out the image to the left, and let your imagination run wild!

New Website!

2008-03-01T00:55:00.010-05:00

Hi everyone, and welcome to the brand new ameliarules.com. I'd like to take this moment to thank Leslie Ocko of Glacier Blue Studios, who's web development magic made this new site possible. Thanks Leslie, you rule! If you need some web development type stuff yourself, visit her at glacierbluestudios.com

While some parts are still under construction, we're about 90% a go, and I just wanted to pull the trigger and let you all in on what we have cooking here. Please take the time to search around, as there are a lot of nifty new features for your entertainment and enlightenment.

The song that plays when you arrive on the home page is called "Fighting Over Me." It was written by Amelia editor Michael Cohen, and singing the part of Amelia is the mighty Kasey Perkins. This is a new recording of the song that was originally performed in the Amelia Rules! musical "A Very Ninja Christmas" which was performed in Marlborough, New Hampshire this past Christmas. Actually, I'm typing this from Michael's kitchen in Marlborough, where we're working on a very special surprise. Stay tuned to this spot for more details as they develop.

Oh, and by the way, if anyone had trouble emailing me in the past, those issues should be resolved, so drop me a line! Now, go play "Whack a Ninja."

Free Comic Book Day

2008-02-13T03:39:00.002-05:00

I spent the weekend, as well as the last 2 days finishing up the Amelia Rules! Free Comic Book Day 2008 edition. It's looking good, a mix of new and old, with some fun surprises thrown in.

It's snowing now, as it was all day, the first really significant snow of the winter. It's made Harrisburg look very beautiful, and very peaceful...especially since I didn't have to drive in it!

Bonus Friday Blog!

2008-02-08T17:19:00.000-05:00

I just saw the printer's proofs for Amelia Rules! Volume 4, and they are gorgeous!

Our printer, Samwha, does an outstanding job, and I think this will be the nicest book we've published so far. Also, a big shout out to Harold Buchholz, for getting this book ready for press.

So, What's the deal with blogging?

2008-02-08T12:02:00.000-05:00

We'll pick up with my fascinating life story as soon as the new site is up. Until then, lets take a detour or so.

So, now that I'm blogging, I'm forced to think about... well, blogging. I mean who would do such a thing? Evidently everyone, including, now, me. But of course I have an ulterior motive. I'm blogging, at least in part, to promote my comic Amelia Rules!. But why do other people blog, and even more to the point, who reads them? I heard a news story a few months ago, that the average blog has a readership of one, so maybe the answer is nobody. Then again, you're reading this, so that can't be right.

Who ARE you?

I mean if I knew that, maybe I could tailor the posts to your interests. But really, all I can do is guess.

I can see my adult readers, the ones who found Amelia in comic shops, and supported it for years, reading this when and if they find out about it. But the kids who discovered Amelia through the Children's Book of the Month Club or Scholastic Book fairs, will they find this stuff interesting? When I was a kid, I would have loved to read cartoonists' journals, even if they were only writing about their grocery lists, and I hated the books they worked on. But that was me, and that was then.

My parents will most likely never read this, even though they have read probably every word I've ever had published. They are not, to say the least, of the internet generation. So that's weird.

Karen will read it, even though she's heard all of this before.

I can't see my friends reading this, because, let's face it they probably get enough of my blathering in the real world, so they don't really need a cyberspace version.

On the other hand, I can see old friends, people I haven't seen in years, come across this and peruse a post or two. After all, they probably have no idea what happened to me, and have never heard of Amelia Rules!. That's the beauty and the frustration of the comic book field.

You can sell a quarter of a million books in 18 months (which we have), and still, no one has heard of you.

Well, whoever you are, thanks for reading this, and feel free to drop me a line at jimmygownley@ameliarules.com. Let me know what you'd like to read about here, and I'll see what I can do.

Anything done for the first time...

2008-02-07T13:37:00.000-05:00

Hi! This is my first ever blog posting, so please bear with me.

I’m really excited about the new Amelia Rules! website (Should be launching in early March). As we move forward, we will be including all sorts of features like video podcasts, teacher resources, animations and games. So check back often to see what’s cookin’.

To start things off, I thought I’d write a little about my background, and what kind of strange childhood I must have had in order to create Amelia Rules!

So here goes...

I’ve only ever wanted to be a cartoonist. Outside of Jedi Knight, that was the only possible career path that had any appeal to me. This is how I got there...

Girardville Pennsylvania is a small town. How small? Picture the smallest town you’ve ever been to, and divide it in half. There are no streetlights. Not because there’s no traffic, but it’s just that the town is waiting to see if they catch on before they shell out any money.

But I loved it there. Growing up in a place like that allowed me to act very much like Amelia’s friend Reggie, and yet still manage to eventually go on dates. And so, with very little competition between kids, I tried my hand at just about everything from sports, to music, to theater, and pretty much enjoyed it all.

Still, being an only child in a town that size means your going to have some free time. I spent mine with records, books, and most of all...comics.

I was a huge reader, and compulsively read anything that crossed my path.

The very first thing I learned to read were “Peanuts” comic strips, when my mom read the old Fawcet/Crest collections to me.

There was only one store in town that sold comic books, so I was pretty much limited to whatever they had on the rack, but very early on I enjoyed “Marvel Tales,” which reprinted the old Stan Lee/Steve Ditko “Spider-mans” (although I had no idea they were reprints at the time). Later, I loved “The New Teen Titans” by Wolfman/Perez and Alan Moore/Steve Bissette/John Toteleben’s “Swamp Thing.” I also discovered Wendy Pini’s “Elfquest” which became a major favorite. And I subscribed to Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight Returns” through an ad in a “Blue Beetle” comic.

As far as other reading, the books I remembered liking the most were “Harriet the Spy” by Louise Fitzhugh, “The Great Gilly Hopkins” by Katherine Patterson, “Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain, and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

I didn’t get to see a comic shop until I was 14 and my dad drove me an hour north to the larger town of Wilkes-Barre, to a great shop named Gema Books, where I was introduced to “Love and Rockets,” “Watchmen,” “Zot,” “The Rocketeer,” “The Spirit,” and most especially, “Cerebus.” Cerebus was three things that blew me away: 1.Black and White 2. Hilarious 3. Self Published. I couldn’t believe that something like it existed, and thrived. I was so inspired by Dave Sim’s work, that I decided then and there that I was not only going to be a cartoonist, but that I would produce comic BOOKS, and I would publish them myself.

And so I did.

Despite having no money, no talent, and no clue, I published my first comic when I was 15 years old. It was called Shades of Gray Comics and Stories #0, and I sold it out of my high school locker and around town.

I was on my way! (He said ironically.)

Hey, this is fun. Let's pick up here next time.

What's New

2008-01-28T15:48:00.000-05:00

AmeliaRules.com has a new look!
And don't forget to order your Amelia Rules! books at Amazon.com!
Check back often for events and find out what's going on!

Plus, check back tomorrow for the first Jimmy Gownley blog posting ever!