We’ve just added a new permanent page on this website, where we’ll collect all the praise & press we can find for Once Upon a Time Machine in one place.
If you’d like to indulge us in our vanity, go check it out!
And remember, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the book, too! Let us know what you took away from it on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or Amazon!
Filed under Interviews, News, Reviews
Behind the Illustrated Book Trailer: Once Upon a Time Machine
Editor Andrew Carl chatted with the fine folks at About.com about how the wonderful animated trailer for Once Upon a Time Machine came together, as part of their series of advice on how to market one’s book online.
The OUaTM trailer was also featured and discussed briefly in this more general About.com article, Tips to Producing An Effective Online Book Trailer.
Let’s enjoy that trailer again, shall we?
Animation, of course, by the fantastic Lance Erlick.
Filed under Behind the Scenes, Interviews, News
We discussed the origins of the book, the creative vision that drove it, and our theories as to what makes fairy tales so enduringly popular and beloved.
Even better, Diamond Bookshelf took the opportunity to share a few never-before-seen finished pages from the book.
Look out for pages from:
Pinocchio, or “The Stars Are Not Wanted Now” by Jason Rodriguez, Scott White, and Jason Arthur
“The Boy Who Drew Cats” by Chris Stevens, Khoi Pham, Jose Villarrubia, and Todd Klein
“The Shepherd and the Weaver Girl” by Saajan Patel, James Giar, Mandy Moore, and Rafer Roberts
Hansel and Gretel, or “Bombus and Vespula” by Josh O’Neill, Senk Chhour, Michelle Madsen and John Workman
And of course, Farel Dalrymple’s cover (it never gets old).
Head over to Diamond Bookshelf’s site to check the interview and pages out…
http://www.diamondbookshelf.com/Home/1/1/20/823?articleID=124177
And let us know what you think, right here or on Facebook!
Filed under Interviews, News, Previews
Artist Marcus Muller has been one of Once Upon a Time Machine‘s most dedicated contributors – working alongside writer David Tanh and letterer Jason Arthur, Marcus drew and colored the single longest story in the book. Their take on “The Tortoise & the Hare,” is an anime-inspired, nonstop rush of kart race craziness, The Tea Garden Park Soapbox Grand Prix. Now let’s get started…
Q: Tell us a little about your life as an artist, and how you got to where you are today.
Since I was a kid I had always been pretty obsessed with cartoons and then eventually comic books. Around first or second grade, working in one of those fields became my dream job – replacing becoming a Ghostbuster (still time for that, though, right?). I’m still struggling to make a living from it; I had a few “almost there” moments where I did get some work for DC Comics Creative Services department, but the editor I was working with got canned like 3 months after I started there, so all my worked dried up because I didn’t know anyone else at DC. 😦 Ever since then I’ve been taking on odds and ends until something a bit more stable comes along, all while trying to finish some creator-owned projects.
I didn’t go to college for art, so I’ve picked everything up on my own and by picking other people’s brains (not literally, that would be gross…or tasty), like how I learned Photoshop from my more computer-savvy younger brother. If I had gone to college, I’d be really screwed with having to pay off student loans right about now. So I’m thankful for that, heh.
Q: I see three sorts of comic work under your belt: work-for-hire, collaborative, and personal. How do you compare the three?
Work-for-hire is definitely the least fulfilling of the three. But being stuck in a room working on my own comics 12 to 15 hours a day, I’ve really come to appreciate the collaborative process and having someone I can call up or e-mail and bother about a project. I think it’s possible to produce better work that way by, having things suggested that you may not have thought up on your own otherwise; and if you come up with something that is complete crap, it’s good to have someone tell you this before it sees print or before you put anymore work into it. It’s always good to have someone to bounce ideas off of as well. However, with strictly personal work, I’m left to my own devices with no one to save my ass, and forced to take some risks I might not have taken if I was working with a collaborator. They both have their positives and negatives to them I guess, and I enjoy them both equally. Continue reading
Filed under Behind the Scenes, Beyond the Tale
From the mind of writer Tara Alexander sprang 1001, a just-north-of-modern-day take on “Arabian Nights.” Unparalleled artist Nelson Evergreen and letterer extraordinaire Jason Arthur joined her to create this new tale of tales. Let’s hear from the charming Mrs. Alexander…
Q: How did you arrive at this new incarnation of Scheherazade and her adventures in storytelling?
I think what keeps fairy tales and fables so relevant is the reader’s ability to relate to and admire their heroes. Scheherazade is such a great character. When I was debating what story to choose to adapt, hers kept drawing me back. For me, bringing “One Thousand and One Nights” into a future setting was about focusing on her and the many positive qualities she possesses–selflessness, bravery, intelligence, and creativity. I wanted to keep the future world of 1001 just beyond the present and make Sherri very classic in appearance so that those admirable characteristics wouldn’t be trumped by over-the-top settings and scenarios.
Q: 1001 is your first work in comics. What inspired you to pursue this medium?
I never read comics when I was growing up, so I was way late to the party. My husband was actually the first one to get me interested in them by showing me how cool they could be. I’m so grateful for that! And, really, what’s better than combining words and images? I believe the potential in this medium is so great. When used at their fullest, I don’t think anyone can argue against the power that comics employ. Continue reading
Filed under Behind the Scenes, Beyond the Tale
Once Upon a Time Machine 