bsc_graphix

Holiday Auction

2009-12-03T20:44:39Z

Hi, BSC Blog readers!

I posted about this elsewhere, but I wanted to let you guys know that I'm holding a giant ART AUCTION on a bunch of BSC Original Art! Stuff like book covers, unpublished pieces, personal drawings of the characters, and pages I've never made available till now. Prices start at $30. The auction goes until Saturday evening, and I can ship everything in time for the holidays.

(I'm still selling $30 MYSTERY PAGES too--details are on my website!)

A nice Claudia review!

2009-07-01T22:16:03Z

I'm not sure why I didn't read this before (Google Alerts, you have failed me!) but here is a very amazing review of CaMJ, courtesy of comics reviewer Greg McElhatton, who is also a friend of mine. Don't think that he's biased, though! Greg tells it like he sees it!

I just wrapped up production of my next book, SMILE, and I threw in a couple of BSC Easter Eggs just for you guys. :)

Hello, oft-neglected BSC Graphix blog!

2009-01-05T17:32:56Z

I just did an interview about the BSC graphic novels for Newsarama, if you'd like to read! Even though I'm now done with the series, there are still plenty of people who are discovering the books for the first time, and I don't plan to stop cheerleading them anytime soon!

As a bonus, the interview has 6 preview pages of Claudia and Mean Janine! Happy New Year!

Signing & Book release party, this weekend!

2008-11-03T19:35:58Z

On Sunday, November 9, from 4-6 PM, I'll be having a book release party and signing at my favorite Brooklyn comic book store, Rocketship!

I'm celebrating the release of my new BSC graphic novel, Claudia and Mean Janine. Signing with me will be my husband Dave, signing his graphic novel, The Adventures of Tymm: Alien Circus, and our good friend Matt, signing his newest Salt Water Taffy graphic novel, A Climb Up Mt. Barnabas.

This is an all-ages event, so bring your kids and yourself, have some free cookies and ice cream, and get your books signed! It's a great opportunity to pick up some early, personalized holiday gifts for the special young people in your life.

Also, there is a nifty interview I did up on Rocketship's site. I talk about adapting BSC, some of the challenges and anecdotes from the past four years of working on this project--and I also talk about my next projects! Check it out! :D

First review!

2008-10-18T19:39:06Z

Johanna Draper Carlson has written a very nice review of Claudia and Mean Janine on her review site, Comics Worth Reading. Mild spoilers if you've never read the original story. Thanks, Johanna!

BSC4--in stores!

2008-10-10T13:23:58Z

Raina's new book, at Barnes and Noble
Originally uploaded by daveandraina

I stopped by the B&N on East 86th Street in Manhattan--and check out what I found!

Some of NYC's B&Ns have been creating 'comics and manga' sections within the childrens book section. Some also shelve these in 'Favorite Series' or similar.

So, this is to say that the book is OUT and you can probably find it! It's also shipping through Amazon. So exciting!

I have also heard it is in Chapters and Indigo stores in the Toronto area, too. Let me know if you've spotted it somewhere else!

(x-posted from goraina)

Hi Lili Hi Lo!

2008-09-12T16:18:16Z

Recently, I was asked by my friend Michelle and her daughter Lili if I would design a very special t-shirt for them.

Lili has Type 1 diabetes, and discovered the BSC graphic novels last year. When she found that Stacey is also a Type 1 diabetic, she immediately identified with the character and began telling her friends to read the books, as well! Stacey became her personal hero and role model.

Lili has been chosen to be a Walk Ambassador in the Walk to Cure Diabetes on September 28th in Portland Oregon, to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The t-shirt pictured above is going to be worn by Lili's whole team of walkers! She'll also be speaking at events and to the media about living with diabetes. I'm very excited for her!

I'm amazed that even 20 years after Stacey's story was written by Ann M. Martin, it still resonates clearly with young people living with the disease today. And of course, I'm very honored to play a small role in helping put the story into more kids' hands.

Good luck, Lili! I'll be cheering for you.

Comps are here!!

2008-08-27T18:59:14Z

I'm so excited: A comp copy of the 4th BSC Graphic Novel, Claudia and Mean Janine, showed up in the mail today!!

And, I'm delighted to report that it looks PERFECT--I tried a lot of different things in this volume, and everything printed just as it was supposed to. Double-page spreads, full-page bleeds, some of Claudia's "art," and a whole section in the back about how I create the books, from start to finish!

I'm really proud of this book, and of the series in general. I think I've grown a lot as an artist and as a cartoonist over the four years I've been working on this project, and I've got around 700 pages of material to show for it. I've had a ton of encouragement and support along the way, and a huge thanks is due to my family, friends, and fans for cheering me on!

The in-store date is November 1, but I expect copies to appear in stores a little sooner. Maybe mid-September to early October? I will definitely have some copies for sale at SPX, October 4 and 5, if you'll be at that show! And I'm planning a book release party on Sunday, November 9 from 4-6 PM at Rocketship in Brooklyn--I'll have more info about these events as the dates draw closer.

This will be the last book in the BSC Graphix series, sadly. But I'm working on all sorts of other fun things! Me and my husband Dave are writing a shoujo manga X-men series that will debut in March, and I'll have more news about my next book project very soon. You can always watch my regular journal at goraina or my website for non-BSC updates!

Thanks again, everyone!

bsc_graphix @ 2008-04-10T11:14:00

2008-04-10T15:01:02Z

This Saturday: JHU Kids' Day!

Jim Hanley's Universe
4 West 33rd St. (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
NYC
10 AM - 6 PM

Join me and a host of other kids' comics creators for signings, activities, games, and snacks! For the full day's schedule, click the link above. I will sign books from 2-4 PM, but the event goes on all day long.

BSC4!

2008-02-27T22:24:09Z

I'm done inking the fourth and final BSC Graphic Novel, Claudia and Mean Janine! There are a few more weeks of production work to do, but for the most part...it's over!

Click the picture above to go to my Flickr page--the photo has notes to describe what's what, what each tool is used for, and so on.

BSC Interview

2008-02-15T19:13:30Z

Several months ago I was interviewed about working on the BSC graphic novels, and the interview has finally reached the web!

Bri Meets Books interviews Raina!

BSC4...slowly getting closer to the finish line...

2008-01-18T00:37:45Z

Here's a page of finished artwork from BSCGraphix4: Claudia and Mean Janine!

It's not lettered yet, but that's okay, right? :)

The book will be in stores this November!

Holiday sale time!

2007-12-18T00:05:39Z

I'm selling BSC graphic novel original pages for the holidays. Info is on my personal LJ. I still have plenty of pages from Kristy's Great Idea and The Truth About Stacey, and haven't yet sold any of the Mary Anne Saves the Day pages. They're all up for grabs!

I'm not selling signed books this year, sadly. I didn't have enough time to order them ahead of the Christmas rush. But, the books are readily available in stores and from online retailers...and they do make good gifts for kids, or adults with a soft spot for BSC nostalgia!

I'm about 60 pages into inking (final stage of) the fourth book. I'm kinda going for broke with this one, and hopefully the end result will be worth it!

Round-Up

2007-12-03T17:20:34Z

1) An amazingly nice review of The Truth About Stacey and Mary Anne Saves the Day has been posted over at Comics Worth Reading. Thanks, Johanna!

2)

Mary Anne Saves the Day gets a write-up in the December issue of Discovery Girls magazine...

...right alongside High School Musical 2 the soundtrack, and the Hannah Montana and Shrek the Third DVDs! That is some...popular company.

3) This weekend, December 7, 8, and 9, I join The Comics Bakery at the New York Anime Festival!

The convention takes place at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan, and we'll be set up in the Artists Alley. Look for the Comics Bakery sign! I'll have it all: comics, BSC graphic novels, minis, t-shirts, original artwork...please come by and say hello!

bsc_graphix @ 2007-11-07T18:10:00

2007-11-07T23:05:36Z

Wow, it's been quite a while since I last posted here! I've been very, very busy working on the 4th BSC graphic novel. I finished all of the pencils, and am about to begin inking it. That process will take about 4 months. It's a good winter project, because I get to stay warm and cozy at my desk all day while I work.

One question quite a few people have been asking, is whether there will be hardcover editions of the 3rd and 4th book.

The answer, sadly, is no. It seemed that the HCs weren't selling as well as they could have--they were meant to appeal to libraries, schools and other lending organizations, but everyone seemed to favor the paperbacks! I know that a lot of readers out there were hoping to have a nice, consistent bookshelf of hardcover BSC comics...but, at least there were two!

This isn't entirely related, but I've updated my personal website recently...for the first time in over five years! Feel free to visit!

http://www.goRaina.com

SPX!

2007-10-09T19:10:08Z

Just a quick note that I'll be exhibiting at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD this coming Friday and Saturday, October 12-13!

I'll have copies of all 3 BSC graphic novels and original pages in tow, and other stuff like mini-comics and little paintings.

My table number is G-15. Look for the Comics Bakery sign:

Hope to see you there.

Guess what showed up in my mailbox today!

2007-10-04T01:51:09Z

The SPANISH EDITION of The Truth About Stacey!

Here's a link to the Spanish Kristy's Great Idea...although I haven't seen this one in person yet.

L'idée géniale de Kristy

2007-09-03T13:41:26Z

The French edition of Kristy's Great Idea is out! I haven't seen it yet, but it seems to be available from Gallimard-Jeunesses' website. And I got this note from my friend rufftoon, who lives in Montreal:

Saw the French edition of the Baby-sitters Club today in the Renauld Bray library in Montreal - and very nicely displayed it was, too! Wish I'd had my camera with me...

So, French and Québécois folks should keep their eyes open for it!

Helloooo, Toronto

2007-08-26T18:13:48Z

Toronto is one of my very favorite cities to visit. Not only do I have a lot of great friends who live there, but everyone loves the BSC!

Last weekend I attended the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, which only happens every two years but is such a great time that I wish it were annual.

This year I had a table with my friends in the main building, and I also did some events outside in the Owlkids Tent.

Talking with a friendly family.

Signing a book for Hannah.

Chatting with a great group of kids and their parents, about my working process.

They asked so many good questions, and their enthusiasm was contagious.

A drawing jam with another group.

I sold out of all the copies of BSC3 that I brought with me, and most of the 1s and 2s, too. I introduced a lot of my friends to the series, and I've got a lot of regular readers now who would never have known to pick up the books if I hadn't told them to. It's really rewarding!

I'm done with travel and exhibiting for a little while. I'll be part of a private lecture for some librarians in two weeks in Long Island (where my husband's family lives, so I don't really consider it 'travel'), and in October I head down to Bethesda, MD for the Small Press Expo. In the meantime, I'll be drawing all day, every day--working on the pencils for BSC4!

Hey, look what I got!

2007-08-03T16:52:43Z

I got a surprise at Comic Con this year: Scholastic had a box of my new books! I had no idea they were even printed yet, but it was nice to see the final product and flip through it. It's starting to look like a real series, when they're all stacked up together:

This doesn't mean the book is out yet, but it might start showing up in stores sooner than I'd originally thought. (The official release date is September 1.) Look for it, ask for it, tell your friends about it! It's still not available on Amazon.com, but as I mentioned a while ago, it's available for pre-order at Barnes and Noble's website.

My book event at Dog-Eared Books in San Francisco was a lot of fun! Thanks to those who showed up, even though it was the same evening as the Harry Potter book 7 release. Here's me with some of the cool folks there:

(Notice Cubbie, on the right, who is the store manager, wearing that BSC/Ramones parody t-shirt, made by Dorothy Gambrell.)

California, here I come.

2007-07-18T01:15:55Z

Here's my finalized schedule for Comic-con International, happening July 25-29 in San Diego, California!

Wednesday through Sunday, I should be mostly stationed at my own table, P2 in the Small Press Pavillion, with my friends from The Comics Bakery. I'll have BSCs for sale, of course, as well as mini-comics, t-shirts, original art, and some other goodies.

Below are the times I'll be signing or hanging out elsewhere:

Thursday

1-2 PM
Signing at the Flight Comics booth (1128) alongside some of the most amazing artists I've ever met. I've got a story in the fourth volume, which is one the most solid, gorgeous books I've ever seen.

Friday

12-1 PM
Signing at Flight (1128)

3-4 PM
Signing at the Scholastic booth (2806)
I'll be signing copies of the BSC graphic novels alongside my Graphix chum Chynna Clugson, creator of Queen Bee!

Saturday

2-3 PM
Signing at Flight (1128)

Sunday

11-12 PM
Signing at Flight (1128)

I'm happy to do drawings for anybody who wants one!

Note to those planning to attend the convention: 4-day passes are already sold out! If you don't have your tickets yet, you can still purchase them for individual days. Saturday is usually the craziest, and Thursday and Sunday are the most low-key.

Hopefully I will see some of you there, and don't forget my book signing in San Francisco this coming Friday!

Dog-Eared Books!

2007-07-10T03:14:06Z

I'm getting ready for my big summer California trip next week! Usually I just visit southern California (Long Beach and San Diego, and sometimes Los Angeles) in July because of the San Diego Comic-con, but this year I am adding on a jaunt to San Francisco to visit my family. Ane while I'm there, I'm doing a book event!

Please join us at Dog-Eared Books on Valencia Street in San Francisco, Friday July 20 at 6:30 PM! This cool store hosts a monthly BSC book discussion, and this month they're expanding the discussion to include the graphic novels! I'll be showing off my working methods, talking about how I got into the nifty position of illustrating these books, and just hanging out and having fun. Mark your calendars!

(I'll post my full agenda for Comic-con too, in its own entry. So stay tuned, con-goers!)

bsc_graphix @ 2007-06-27T12:48:00

2007-06-27T16:48:26Z

The MoCCA Art Fest was this past weekend, here in New York City. What a great show! I met a lot of super-nice fans, and sold books to a lot of new readers. I also sold a couple of original pages, including the one below:

This is my friend David Hopkins' daughter, Kennedy, proudly showing off her original Page 16 from BSCGN#1! It's almost as big as she is! David writes:

Kennedy LOVES the Baby-sitters Club page. We have it framed and
hanging in her room. Today, she wanted to take it off the wall and hold
it while we were driving in the car.

Ha ha! Thanks, David and Kennedy!

More of my own photos from the weekend are here.

Mary Anne and MoCCA!

2007-06-12T16:08:54Z

Hello, everyone!

Summer convention season is in full swing, and my next appearance is two weekends from now: June 23 and 24, I'll be at the MoCCA Art Festival, right here in New York City!

This is one of my very favorite conventions, and not just because it's in my own backyard. It's always packed and always fun, and it's all about small, hand-crafted, creator-driven comics and art! I've been going since the very first show in 2002, in fact it was the first convention I ever attended. It made me realize once and for all that the comics community was the place for me!

This year I'll be handing out my brand-new postcards for Mary Anne Saves the Day, which comes out later this summer. They look like this:

That's the cover image of the book!

As far as work goes, I'm done writing the script for #4, Claudia and Mean Janine, and have handed it in. I'm awaiting editorial feedback as we speak, and will start drawing very soon! This new book takes place in summer, so it's fitting that I'll be drawing it while the weather is warm. (Tricky, because my hand sticks to the paper sometimes!)

Anyway, I hope to see some of you at MoCCA.
San Diego Comic-con comes next: it starts on July 25!

bsc_graphix @ 2007-05-23T18:36:00

2007-05-23T22:34:51Z

In about two weeks, I'll be at my next public appearance:
The Paradise Toronto Comicon!
June 8-10, 2007
Hall C
Direct Energy Centre @ Exhibition Place
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I'm on one panel, on Saturday, June 9 at 12PM:
THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF COMICS
Take part in an examination of the cutting edge language of comic book storytelling through the eyes of some of today's most innovative storytellers: Svetlana Chmakova, Janet Hetherington, Raina Telgemeier, Tara McPherson, and Christine Norrie. Moderated by Diana Tamblyn.
(ROOM C1)

This is the second year that PTC has played host to a Women in Comics Symposium, and invited me to be a guest. I can't wait!

If you're going to be at the con, note that I'll only be there on Friday and part of Saturday. I've got to fly back to New York on Saturday evening, and will only be at the con until 3 PM or so. But, I hope to see some of you there!