A (Platonic) Love Letter to Faith Erin Hicks

Dear Faith (and other inspiring creators like you),

I'm writing this open letter because I've tried to say this in a tweet and there's just not enough room. So I figured a blog post gave me enough space to say what I need to say.

I'm an aspiring author. I've wanted to write books since I was old enough to read. That's still my dream.  In particular, I want to write Young Adult books. (Side note: Congratulations on writing one of your own. I'm sure it is amazing.) Like I said, books and writing have always been my passion. But I'm also a procrastinator. And, as I'm sure you are well aware, just because we love to do something doesn't mean that it comes easily to us. It's hard work reaching your dreams and I'm reminded of that on a daily basis.

So why am I writing this? To thank you.

Thank you for all of the amazing artwork you create. Thank you for helping shape stories that resonate with their readers and cultivate imaginations. Thank you for working your ass off bringing beauty into the world. (And thank you for writing a comic that made me want to ship Suki and Sokka, though I will go down with my Toph/Sokka ship.) But I want to thank you specifically for working hard every day on your comics and for tweeting about that.

Reminded today how little justice there is in the real world. My small comfort is to make comics where bad guys get what's coming to them.
— Faith Erin Hicks (@faitherinhicks) November 14, 2014

It feels like a small thing, especially in the face of all the other awesome things you've been busy accomplishing. I mean, you got an Eisner for Superhero Girl this year, and here I am thanking you for tweeting about your work.

Two hours later, I finally have supper cooking. Annoying things that distract me from making comics: 1) Sleep 2) Eating
— Faith Erin Hicks (@faitherinhicks) November 14, 2014

But I do want to thank you for those tweets. You tweet quite a bit about your daily struggle with comics, about how you love it but never have as much time as you want to work on it. You tweet about how you wish sleeping and eating didn't get in the way of your creating and about how you hate having to turn things down because there just isn't time for you to draw everything. You tweet about how you wrote a novel during your airport visits because you're drawing comics the rest of the time, but you can't bring your Cintiq to the airport.

And that inspires me. It reminds me that writing is what I love. Writing is my drawing. (Drawing pisses me off too much to be my actual drawing. It's not fun for me, it's just frustrating.) Seeing how dedicated you are to what you love, how dedicated you are to your dream job, reminds me just how much I want my own dream job . . . and I can't get there if I don't have that kind of dedication that makes me write until my hands cramp up and my brain gives out. I can't get there if I don't make myself sit down and write every day. I can't share my stories with the world if I don't ever get to typing.

If you want to make comics your life's work, make 'em your life's work. You have many years. You're not an athlete. Draw into your 90s.
— Faith Erin Hicks (@faitherinhicks) November 11, 2014

So thank you, Faith, for reminding me with your tweets and your dedication that we have to work for our dreams and that it's a pleasure to run after them. It's hard and exhausting sometimes, but it's totally worth it if you're willing to go the extra mile.

I'll stop writing this now and get back to revising my actual work in progress and you can go back to drawing more comics instead of reading this rambling love letter from a twenty-something girl in Seattle who's still sitting at her work table in her pajamas.

Thanks again,
Kirsten Erin

My Top 3 Graphic Novels

I really only got into comic books over the past year. I bought my first grapic novels in France (one which I still haven't read because it was actually in French), though my "superhero obsession" started long before that.
Anyway, I actually went through my collection the other day so I could write down which issues I have an hopefully be able to keep a better eye out for some of the storylines I'd like to finish reading.
((i.e. I only have parts 3,4, and 7 of the Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul series and would love to finish the JLA Quen of Fables story arch, but I'm missin part 3 of 3))
It turns out, I have 55 comic books and 8 graphic novels (with one headed this way in the mail!). I'm ridiculously excited and, while it's a far cry from Leonard's 2,600 comic books, I feel quite accomplished.
In celebration of this fact, I've decided to show you my top 3 favorite graphic novels.

1. The Killing Joke

One of the most reputable story archs of the the Batman saga, The Killing Joke is a story that will shock you from beginning to end. It's all about how one bad day can change a person forever. It encompasses the beginning of the Joker, the end of Batgirl, and so much more. The art is superb and the storyline compelling.
I've never read a better graphic novel and doubt I ever will.






2.The Brave and the Bold: The Lords of  Luck

Speaking of artwork, the pages of Lords of Luck are stunning to no end. They really went over the top with this one and it paid off. The imagery is both beautiful and mind-blowing. Major props are due to George Pérez for this one.
This storyline follows The Book of Destiny, a stolen book that forecasts the future to whomever bears it. Clearly, all hands are vying for it and our heroes have to get it back to it's rightful owner before some serious damage is done. Craziness, of course, ensues and we have everything from Supergirl and Lobo teaming up to Batman facing off with the Legion of Superheroes (in which, he pwns, of course. Only Brainy would be stupid enough to underestimate the Dark Knight.).
You'll be on the edge of your seat the entire time.
Sure, I may be a bit partial because this is the first graphic novel I've ever owned and I pored over it religiously for weeks, but it still wows me and I'm sure it'll do the same for you.

3.Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn

After the death of Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson takes on the mantle of Batman with Damian Wayne (the son of Bruce and Talia Al Ghul) as his Robin. What ensues is bloody havoc wreaked by both the bad guys and Damian, who's known for executing his opponents, to the dismay of both is departed father and his new mentor/older brother, Dick.
Under Dick's guidance, Damian must learns what it means to be Robin- to fight evil without becoming evil himself. It's a hard lesson and even to the end, he hasn't learne it, but he's on his way there.
Again, the artwork in this book is something to be commended. Paired with the gore that runs rampant within it's pages, it's enough to make you queasy, but still very well done.
I can't wait for it's sequel: Batman vs Robin, which is due in the mail any day now!




So these are my top 3 from what I own. Enjoy and let me know what your top 3 graphic novels are!