WORK TITLE:
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PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.paultobin.net/
CITY: Portland
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COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME:
Don't Follow the Leader,
penciled by Horacio Domingues,
Spotlight (Edina, MN), 2011
Ms. Isaacson's Third Grade Field Trip,
illustrated by Jacopo Camagni,
Spotlight (Edina, MN), 2011
Which Wish?,
illustrated by Jacopo Camagni,
Spotlight (Edina, MN), 2011
Prepare to Die! (novel),
Night Shade Books (San Francisco, CA), 2012
I Was the Cat,
illustrated and colored by Benjamin Dewey, lettered by Jared Jones, edited by Jill Beaton and Robin Herrera, designed by Jason Storey,
Oni Press, Inc. (Portland, OR), 2014
Prometheus: Fire and Stone,
illustrated by Juan Ferreyra, color assistance by Eduardo Ferreyra, lettered Nate Piekos, cover and chapter break art by David Palumbo,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2015
Mystery Girl,
art and cover by Alberto J. Alburquerque, colored by Marissa Louise, lettered by Marshall Dillon,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2016
Banana Sunday,
illustrated and lettered by Colleen Coover, colored by Rian Sygh,
Oni Press (Portland, OR), 2018
Made Men: Getting the Gang Back Together,
illustrated by Arjuna Susini, colored by Gonzalo Duarte, lettered by Saida Temofonte,
Oni Press (Portland, OR), 2018
(With others)
Marvel Vault of Heroes: Thor,
lettered by Dave Sharpe,
IDW (San Diego, CA), 2020
Earth Boy (graphic novel),
art, colors, and letters by Ron Chan,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2021
The House of the Green Mask,
illustrated by Colleen Coover, foreword by Kurt Busiek,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2021
Dream a Little Scheme,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2021
(With Colleen Coover)
Wrassle Castle Book 2: Riders on the Storm,
illustrated and colored by Galaad, colored by Rebecca Horner, lettered by Jeff Powell,
Wonderbound 2022
Impfestation,
illustrated by Cat Farris, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2023
Faulty Fables,
colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover art by Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2023
Voyage de Gourmet,
illustrated by Jem Milton,
Maverick (Bend, OR), 2023
My Vampire vs. Your Werewolf,
Bloomsbury Children's Books (New York, NY), 2024
"THE WITCHER" SERIES
The Witcher, Volume 1: House of Glass,
illustrated by by Joe Querio, colored by Carlos Badilla, lettered by Nate Piekos, cover art by Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart, chapter break art by Dave Johnson, Dan Panosian, and Joe Querio,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2014
The Witcher, Volume 2: Fox Children,
illustrated by Joe Querio, colored by Carlos Badilla, lettered by Nate Piekos of Blambot, cover art by Julian Totino Tedesco,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2015
(With others)
The Witcher, Volume 3: Curse of Crows,
illustrated by Piotr Kowalski, colored by Brad Simpson, lettered by Nate Piekos of Blambot, cover art and chapter breaks by Grzesiek Przybyś,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2017
The Witcher,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2018
"COLDER" SERIES
Colder: The Bad Seed,
illustrated by Juan Ferreyra, color assistance by Eduardo Ferreyra, lettered by Nate Piekos,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2015
Colder, Volume 3: Toss the Bones,
illustrated and colored by Juan Ferreyra, inks assistance by Nicolas Brondo, color assistance by Eduardo Ferreyra and Nicolas Brondo, lettered by Nate Piekos,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2016
Colder Omnibus,
illustrated by Juan Ferreyra, lettered by Nate Piekos,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2017
"BANDETTE" SERIES; ILLUSTRATED BY COLLEEN COOVER
Bandette in Presto!,
foreword by Paul Cornell,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2013
Bandette, Volume 2: Stealers Keepers!,
foreword by Andy Ihnatko,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2015
Bandette, Volume 3: In the House of the Green Mask,
foreword by Kurt Busiek,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2016
Bandette in the Six Finger Secret,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2021
"THE GENIUS FACTOR" SERIES; MIDDLE-GRADE NOVELS
How to Capture an Invisible Cat,
illustrated by Thierry Lafontaine,
Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2016
How to Outsmart a Billion Robot Bees,
illustrated by Thierry Lafontaine,
Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2017
How to Tame a Human Tornado,
illustrated by Thierry Lafontaine,
Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2018
"PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES" SERIES
Timepocalypse,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matthew J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Ron Chan,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2015
Bully for You,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matthew J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover art by Ron Chan,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2015
Grown Sweet Home,
illustrated by Andie Tong, colored by Matthew J. Rainwater, lettered by Stephen Dutro, cover by Andie Tong,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2016
Garden Warfare, Volume 1,
art and cover by Jacob Chabot, colored by Matthew J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2016
Petal to the Metal,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matt J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Ron Chan,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2016
Boom Boom Mushroom,
illustrated by Jacob Chabot, colored by Matt J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Jacob Chabot,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2017
Lawnmageddon #1,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matthew J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro,
ABDO/Spotlight (Minneapolis, MN), 2017
Lawnmageddon #2,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matthew J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro,
ABDO/Spotlight (Minneapolis, MN), 2017
Lawnmageddon #3,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matthew J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro,
ABDO/Spotlight (Minneapolis, MN), 2017
Lawn of Doom,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matt J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Ron Chan,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2017
Battle Extravagonzo,
illustrated by Tim Lattie, colored by Matt J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Ron Chan,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2017
War and Peas,
penciled by Brian Churilla, inked by Brian Churilla and Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Ron Chan, bonus story art by Alexandra Land,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2018
Rumble at Lake Gumbo,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matt J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2018
The Greatest Show Unearthed,
illustrated by Jacob Chabot, colored by Matt J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Jacob Chabot, bonus story art by Jamie Coe,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2018
Garden Warfare, Volume 2,
illustrated by Tim Lattie, colored by Matt J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2018
Garden Warfare, Volume 3,
illustrated by Jacob Chabot, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Jacob Chabot,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2019
A Little Problem,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2019
Dino-Might,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Ron Chan, bonus story art by Philip Murphy,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2019
Snow Thanks,
illustrated by Cat Farris, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2019
Better Homes and Guardens,
illustrated by Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2020
The Garden Path,
illustrated by Kieron Dwyer, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2020
Multi-Ball-Istic,
illustrated by Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2020
The Greatest Show Unearthed,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matt J. Rainwater, lettered by Steve Dutro, cover by Ron Chan,
Spotlight (Minneapolis, MN), 2021
Dream a Little Scheme,
illustrated by Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2021
Zomnibus,
illustrated by Ron Chan, colored by Matthew J. Rainwater; lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2021
Constructionary Tales,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2021
Zapped,
illustrated by Christianne Gillenardo-Goudreau, colored by Heather Breckel, lettered by Steve Dutro,
Dark Horse Books (Milwaukie, OR), 2024
Author of the “Falling Skies” series, 2011; has also written for the “Angry Birds” comics series.
SIDELIGHTS
Paul Tobin is the author of numerous comic series and works of fiction. He first began writing for Marvel Comics in 2000 and Dark Horse Comics in 2013. Tobin has collaborated with his illustrator wife, Colleen Coover, on the “Bandette” series, which won several Eisner Awards. In an interview in Comicbookinvest.com, Tobin admitted that “‘Bandette’ is the most fun I have working in comics. A large part of that, of course, is that I get to work with my wife, artist Colleen Coover. The acclaim feels nice … but it doesn’t translate into a huge amount of further sales. It opens the doors in other areas, though.”
Marvel Adventures Thor Featuring Dr. Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America offers a collection of comics featuring Doctor Strange and Spiderman exploring alternate realities, Thor avoiding Loki while finding adventure and love, Ant-Man with a new origin story, and Captain America getting used to the cynicism found in modern America. Booklist contributor Jesse Karp suggested that the digest-size format “is an ideal foundation for a young readers’ superhero collection.” Karp added that this collection “is not to be missed.”
Falling Skies is a prequel to the TNT television series of the same name. History professor Tom Mason believes it best to hide from the aliens until one of his sons is taken. In a review in Xpress Reviews, Terry Bosky acknowledged that “Falling Skies is a hit on television … so there’s a built-in audience for this book.”
With Presto!, Bandette is a thief, acrobat, and quick-change artist. She helps common people through her skills. A contributor to Publishers Weekly called it “a wonderful gateway comic for readers of all ages.” The same reviewer said that it is among “the brightest, and most fun, comics of the year.”
Stealers, Keepers! is the second collection featuring Bandette. She enlists help from Monsieur to thwart Absinthe and Tredici’s efforts to prevent them from returning stolen art. Writing in School Library Journal, Erik Knapp lauded that “the engaging narrative is perfectly in sync with the art, populated with fun and enjoyable characters and an especially strong and unique female lead.”
In How to Capture an Invisible Cat, sixth-grader Delphine helps her genius friend, Nate, fix the goofy things he always manages to do on Friday the thirteenth. In this case, they try to avoid the Red Death Tea Society and safeguard family cat Proton, who has been made gigantic and invisible. A Kirkus Reviews contributor mentioned that “this winning, consistently funny, smartly silly adventure could be one of Nate’s kooky gadgets, a middle-grade reading attractor.”
With How to Outsmart a Billion Robot Bees, the Red Death Tea Society is trying to get their hands on Nate’s Infinite Engine. This time, the Society uses surgically altered bumblebees to achieve their goals. A Kirkus Reviews contributor opined that “fans of How to Capture an Invisible Cat (2015) will find an agreeable extension of its high jinks.”
In Made Men: Getting the Gang Back Together, Jutte Shelley and her entire Detroit Special Ops squad are killed in the line of duty. Jutte’s biological heritage, however, allows for her to come back to life. She digs into her past to understand her abilities while also going after those responsible for her initial death. A contributor to Publishers Weekly commented that “the snappy script, refreshingly strong and brazen female characters, and ample escapist enjoyment all add up to a good time.”
With Banana Sunday, Kirby Steinberg starts the Forest Edge school with her three talking monkeys. School reporter Nickels is doubtful of her claims that the monkeys were experiments by her scientist father and starts to dig around for more information. A Kirkus Reviews contributor stated: “With its adorably mischievous monkeys, this stand-alone offering should appeal to those who can appreciate reality with a healthy dash of simian silliness.”
In Voyage de Gourmet, Layne Green and Jang-Mi Pipper have enjoyed cooking together since they were children. They became social media starts as teenagers but a stunt Layne pulled ruined their friendship. The two are paired up on a team for an intense reality television culinary show, where they must work together and trust each other to succeed. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called it “an endearing tale of food and camaraderie, served in an animated fashion.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 1, 2009, Jesse Karp, review of Marvel Adventures Thor featuring Dr. Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America.
Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2015, review of How to Capture an Invisible Cat; December 1, 2016, review of How to Outsmart a Billion Robot Bees; August 1, 2018, review of Banana Sunday; October 18, 2023, review of Voyage de Gourmet.
Publishers Weekly, December 2, 2013, review of Bandette, Volume 1: Presto!, p. 69; March 19, 2018, review of Made Men: Getting the Gang Back Together, p. 60.
School Library Journal, October 1, 2015, Erik Knapp, review of Bandette: Stealers, Keepers!, p. 120.
Xpress Reviews, March 2, 2012, Terry Bosky, review of Falling Skies.
Voyage de Gourmet (Paul Tobin (Author), Jem Milton (Illustrator)) - 2023 Maverick, Bend, OR
Wrassle Castle Book 2: Riders on the Storm (Paul Tobin (Author), Colleen Coover (Author), Galaad (Illustrator, Colorist), Rebecca Horner (Colorist), Jeff Powell (Letterer)) - 2022 Wonderbound ,
Falling Skies (Paul Tobin (Author), Juan Ferreyra (Artist), Andrew Dalhouse (Artist)) - 2011 Dark Horse Books , Milwaukie, OR
Paul Tobin website - http://www.paultobin.net/
THE SON OF ZEUS!
Okay, the son of Charles, but… start out STRONG, right? I feel a little weird, to be honest, about writing a bio here, because… this website is already all about me! You can see EVERYTHING I’ve ever written! (except the stuff I forgot) So I have to talk about other stuff, now. Fair enough! I love writing, obviously, and comics just as obviously. I love videogames (currently playing some Yakuza) and hanging out with my friends. I love history. Burlesque. Pretty much all types of art. I like riding around on my bicycle, but a few recent injuries have messed that up, and I’m working to get back at it. I loved bouldering, but…yeah, those injuries. I have collections of original comic art and old comics that you can see on this site, and…believe me…there’s NO WAY I could afford them anymore. I collected mostly from my teen years through my thirties, and prices have SKYROCKETED since then. I miss the days of being able to go to conventions and pick a few things up. Rare, now. But I’ve been commissioning artists to draw characters I love, and I find that enjoyable, too. I’ve had fun taking photographs lately, as well! Also, I enjoy blathering on Bluesky (I’m HERE) but I hate interacting on Twitter anymore, because from an ethical standpoint it Got All Yuck. Now, please enjoy too many pictures of me, below.
Amazon -
Paul Tobin is a New York Times-bestselling author. His writing includes "Bandette"; "Colder"; "The Genius Factor" series; as well as many other comic books and works of fiction.
"Bandette", drawn by Colleen Coover, was awarded the Eisner Award for Best Digital Series in 2013, 2016, and 2017; it was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Graphic Literature in 2016. Paul’s graphic novel "I Was the Cat", created with artist Benjamin Dewey, was nominated for an Eisner in 2015. "Colder", the horror comic he created with artist Juan Ferreyra, was also nominated that same year. Paul's comic book adaptations of other media include "Plants Vs. Zombies", "Angry Birds", and "The Witcher". In 2021, he and frequent "Plants Vs. Zombies" artist Ron Chan will present their new graphic novel "Earth Boy".
"The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat", first in Paul’s series of novels for middle-grade readers, debuted in 2016 from Bloomsbury Kids. The series continued with "How to Outsmart a Billion Robot Bees" and "How To Tame a Human Tornado".
Wikipedia -
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Paul Tobin
Paul Tobin at Stumptown Comics Fest 2007
Paul Tobin at Stumptown Comics Fest 2007
Born Charles City, Iowa, USA
Occupation Writer
Nationality American
Period 1990–present (published)
Genre Fantasy
Notable works Marvel Adventures Spider-Man (Sophia "Chat" Sanduval)
Plants vs. Zombies
Notable awards Eisner award (2013)
Spouse Colleen Coover
Website
paultobin.net
Paul Tobin is an American comic writer who has written regularly for Marvel Comics since 2000, and Dark Horse Comics since 2013.
Writing
Tobin's first major work was the comic Fringe for Caliber Comics in 1990. Since then he has written for Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four, Marvel Adventures Super Heroes, Marvel Adventures Spider-Man, and many other titles. His work often involves writing comics based on video games, including Plants vs. Zombies, The Witcher, and the Angry Birds comics. He also has written comics for Adventure Time and Prometheus.
In 2013, he published his debut novel Prepare To Die!, detailing a retired superhero known as Reaver returning to his hometown to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend and her sister following the death of his crime-fighting partner Paragon and a death-threat his nemesis Octagon intends to follow up on in two weeks. His 2016 novel The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat is the first in a five-book series of middle-grade books.
Awards
Bandette, which is written by Tobin and drawn by his wife Colleen Coover, won the Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic in 2013, 2016, and 2017. The series was nominated in three Eisner Award categories in 2016: Best Continuing Series; Best Digital / Webcomic; and Best Painter / Multimedia Artist: Colleen Coover.
The graphic novel I Was the Cat, created with artist Benjamin Dewey, was also nominated for an Eisner in 2015. Bandette Volume 2: Stealers Keepers, from Dark Horse Comics, was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Graphic Literature in 2016.[1]
A CONVERSATION WITH PAUL TOBIN
July 7, 2015 Iñigo 5 comments
Paul Tobin is one of my favourite writers out there, so when I got the chance to interview him, I couldn’t pass it up. With a career as diverse and interesting as he has, it’s easy to miss important parts of it, but I think we hit all the fundamentals, hope so at least. Again, Paul, thanks a lot for your time!
Attitude Lad #1
Attitude Lad #1
CBSI: Hi Paul and thanks for agreeing to this interview. Let me start by saying I was really surprised to find you in the credits of Attitude Lad! I got it when it came out (1994, when the only sane comics seemed to be published by Fantagraphics and Drawn & Quarterly) and I would have never associated it with Phil Hester, Colleen Coover or you if I hadn’t done a bit of research for this. Man, do I feel old! Have you looked at it recently? How does it make you feel?
PAUL TOBIN: It makes me feel old, too! I still enjoy the energy of that book, but it’s very much a youthful book. I think Phil and I were basically a couple of years out of college when we started the comic, so we had that wonderful combination of “I’m going to take on the world!” and “I don’t really understand very much!” Oddly, I think a lot of good art and writing can come from that naiveté. Not necessarily saying WE ourselves made great art / writing there, but… I at least don’t want to burn it all.
Ezoic
CBSI: I couldn’t find much information about any major projects until 2005 and Coleen’s and your excellent Banana Sunday. Did you try a real job (kidding!) and then decide to give comics another shot?
Banana Sunday #1
Banana Sunday #1
TOBIN: It was… sort of a real job? I ran a comic store for a long time. Daydreams in Iowa City. I think I worked there in one capacity or another starting in maybe ’86 or so, and worked there right up until I left Iowa to move to Portland, Oregon. I kept my hand in comics during that time, but my heart wasn’t in it as much as it could have been. Small projects, only. And only with friends. I think I’d gotten a little fed up with how artists were interpreting my work, so I wanted to focus on prose during that time.
I wrote a bunch of novels that are junk… just total junk. But it was during that time that I really learned how to write. Dave Sim (of Cerebus fame) once said that the only way to learn to draw is to buy a stack of paper that’s taller than your head, and then fill all the pages, both sides, with drawings. That’s sort of how I feel about writing. You have to write yourself through an incredible amount of junk. Learning comes in small increments. I came out of that time period a much better writer, and… incidentally… a lot less temperamental about working with artists. I learned about the collaboration process of comics during that time period as well.
These days, I’m thrilled when an artist takes the reins and expands the story, giving it as much of their vision as mine. Juan Ferreyra on Colder is an especial treat. I wrote a 22 page script for the first issue of Colder, and when Juan was done it was a 27 page comic. Five extra pages! And they all worked! It was fun. Still is fun, actually, since Juan and I are finishing up the 3rd and final arc of Colder these days.
CBSI: Let me just say that I really enjoyed Banana Sunday (as many other people did, I am sure). Was it considered successful by Oni? Did it open (m)any doors for you?
Kirby and her monkeys
Kirby and her monkeys
TOBIN: A minor success, I think. It was one of the books that brought back my own love of creating comics. I met Colleen Coover in the early 90’s, and we started dating soon after. She contributed to a few issues of Attitude Lad, and her love of comics never wavered. Eventually, she wanted to do a comic of her own, a book called Small Favors, which was for the Eros line of Fantagraphics. Advising her made me enjoy comics again, and then we did Banana Sunday together, and I was hooked again. Comics are for me. Wish I’d been smarter in the beginning! Shortly after Colleen and I moved to Portland, she joined Periscope Studio, and through the studio we became friends with Jeff Parker. It was him who opened a lot of doors for us, and I think it was Banana Sunday that first really gained his attention, so… yeah… the book opened doors.
CBSI: Two years after that, you started working for Marvel, starting with short stories and the Marvel Adventures line, then moving on to the regular line. Did you get into Marvel because of Banana Sunday?
Hulk & Power Pack #1 Mini-Marvels Backup
Hulk & Power Pack #1 Mini-Marvels Backup
TOBIN: Parker, again! I was working in Powell’s Books, a huge bookstore here in Portland, and Jeff came in and we were chatting, and he asked if I would like to seriously get into comics. I said, sure. He connected me with editor Nate Cosby, who was responsible for almost all my work at Marvel. The three of us still work together, actually, for the Angry Birds comics. I think one of the main reasons all three of us work on Angry Birds, to be honest, is because we just love keeping the team together. Back in the day, Nate was the editor for the Marvel Adventures line, which is why so much of my work came out from there. I had an enormous amount of fun, and it was yet another fortunate step in my evolution as a writer, because all of the Adventures line needed to be done-in-one issues. Because of that, I learned to be succinct, and I learned how to put a lot of material in a small amount of pages. I liken it to how so many of my favorite artists come from animation: because they’ve learned to tell maximum information with minimum line. Everything just flows so much better.
Page from Spider-Man Family #3
Page from Spider-Man Family #3
CBSI: As I told you the other day, I have a lot of love for the Jeff Parker, Fred Van Lente and Paul Tobin brand of combined madness at Marvel in things like World War Hulks or Age of the Sentry. You guys seemed to be having a lot of fun and I think that translated really well to the page, how was that experience for you?
TOBIN: It was great fun. I think we were all trying to one-up each other in terms of producing comics that were both fun, but also good solid stories with actual characterization. And our heroes were people who had lives, not just secret identities. I still get a lot of mail from people missing those comics. There’s maybe more a place for them in today’s world.
CBSI: Towards the end of your stay at Marvel, you took on Spider-Girl, which unfortunately readers didn’t show a lot of love to sales-wise. I think it’s fair to say that you write actual women, instead of male projections of women. Do you think it might have done a lot better in these days of Batgirls, Silks and Spider-Gwens?
Spider-Girl #1
Spider-Girl #1
TOBIN: It would certainly be an interesting go. But… popularity is always, at some level, a roll of the dice. I loved writing her adventures and really did want to create a greater overall whole, but… like you say… the sales weren’t there at the time.
CBSI: Any character you didn’t get to but would love to write in Marvel? What about DC?
TOBIN: At Marvel, I managed to write most of the characters I wanted to write. One notable exception was Woodgod, a very low-level character that I have some fondness for. I always tried to get him into a story, but it never worked out. Parker and I actually had an informal Woodgod race, actually. Jeff won. Dang it! Beyond that, I certainly would have loved to have done more work with Hulk, and Dr. Strange, and Captain America… but only if I could have written them long term, and the mainstream titles. Daredevil was a guy I barely touched, and I’d have loved to have done some work there, too.
As for DC, I haven’t played in that field nearly as much. I’d love a chance at a long term Wonder Woman gig, and anything to do with the Marvel family, especially Mary Marvel. Dr. Fate or the Spectre would be keen. Superman, Batman, Ragman, Batgirl, Supergirl, Lois Lane and Krypto. The list goes on. Oh… the Demon, too, as long as I didn’t have to have him rhyming all the time, which is just a big anchor on the storytelling.
CBSI: Mr. Didio, please give this guy a Mary Marvel Team-up book, stat … Post-Marvel you have kept yourself busy. On one hand, you have the licensed books like Falling Skies, The Bionic Woman, Conan, Adventure Time, Angry Birds, Plants vs Zombies or The Witcher. Is this type of project any more difficult to handle? Do you need some kind of attachment to the characters or is it more interesting, as a writer, to approach something that’s totally unknown?
TOBIN: It’s really no different than writing for Marvel or DC. I still don’t own the characters and still have to keep within certain boundaries. That said, on many of these titles, I’ve been allowed to really cut loose, and that’s what makes them fun. I’m in a position now where I don’t really need to take jobs just to take jobs, so I always calculate the “will I have fun” angles of working on a job. Took another one today, actually. Because it will be fun, and with an editor I enjoy working with.
As far as “attachment,”… that’s something I never worry about. I’m the writer, I can build my own attachment. I’m always amazed when I hear other writers say that they don’t want to work on a certain character because they don’t like the character. In fact, that makes me downgrade them as a writer, because if you can’t find something you like about a character, you can create it! And if you can’t create it… you’re not a very good writer.
Ezoic
Bandette Volume 1
Bandette Volume 1
CBSI: On the other hand, you have your more personal projects like Bandette and I Was The Cat, both of which started as digital episodes then collected in a physical book. Bandette, in particular, seems to have had a great critical reception having won the Best Digital Comic Eisner award in 2013 and with 3 nominations this year (Best Continuing Series, Best Digital/Webcomic, and Best Painter/Multimedia Artist). Congratulations are in order, you must be enjoying working on this type of project the most, right? Does all the critical acclaim translate as sales for you?
TOBIN: It’s true that Bandette is the most fun I have working in comics. A large part of that, of course, is that I get to work with my wife, artist Colleen Coover. The acclaim feels nice (I think we’ve been nominated for 7 Eisners on the title since we began) but it doesn’t translate into a huge amount of further sales. It opens the doors in other areas, though. One door it helped open was my book deal with Bloomsbury, which pays me enough that I don’t have to scrounge for money anymore. A lot of working as a professional writer is knowing when you’re working for a paycheck, and when you’re working for further opportunities. They both pay off in the long run, and you can have fun writing either type of project. Which isn’t to say that some projects aren’t both, of course!
I Was The Cat
I Was The Cat
CBSI: Looking at the global industry, the publishing model you are using seems to be the logical future for comics in this day and age: digital singles and then straight to books. I think that makes sense the most for everyone who’s not Marvel and DC (and the bigger Image titles). However, do you think that the direct to book approach is taking away some of your potential readership? I’m just curious about the thought process behind the choice, really.
TOBIN: I go back and forth on this. Or, in fact, I go all over the place on this. I really don’t know. Sometimes a book seems to be a better fit for a digital model, and I do think that digital is the model of the future, but… looking back on technology of the last 20 years, I would have made a lot of wrong calls. Anyone would have. So, honestly, I just keep stepping along working in today’s world, and hoping that translates into the future. If not, I’ll try something else when the future rolls around!
Colder #1
Colder #1
CBSI: Another comicbook of yours that you brought up a bit above and that was an eye-opener to a lot of people was Colder. Where did the idea for that come from? Had you been itching to write a horror comic?
TOBIN: In some ways, yes… I had been itching to do a horror series. Or at least something far removed from the “all ages” label that I was getting pigeon-holed with. I absolutely love doing all ages material, but it’s not the sum of me as a writer or a person, so I was looking to expand. Dark Horse editor Scott Allie asked me to do some creator-owned pitches, and that they were looking for more horror, and Colder grew out of that. The genesis of the idea was how everybody looks at the world, and at reality, differently. I wanted to reflect that, and from there it grew into the horror of the whole concept of reality.
CBSI: As if that wasn’t enough, you are getting ready a series of novels, Genius Factor. How does it feel having all the weight of the whole world on your back creatively?
Ezoic
Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat
Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat
TOBIN: I do sometimes work on too many projects, but it’s a choice of insanities for me, really. If I’m not working on a lot of projects, I tend to grow bored and stagnate. When I’m working 10 or 11 projects at the same time, I can always move to another project when I’m flagging, and that often gives me a second wind, or a third or fourth wind. And now that I’m working on novels as well, I can even pop back and forth between writing mediums. That helps as well!
CBSI: What’s the target audience for those?
TOBIN: For the Genius Factor books? Same target I always have in mind. Everybody. I suppose they’re being labeled as Middle Readers books, but I write them in a way that I enjoy them, and it’s been a while since I’ve been in grade school.
CBSI: The first book, How to Capture an Invisible Cat is coming out March 2016, which brings me to my next topic. Cats: Discuss.
TOBIN: Cats are an adorable evil. It really was a natural to write I Was The Cat, where a cat is trying to take over the world, and it was just as natural to have a cat be one of the many problems that Nate and Delphine, the protagonists in my Genius Factor books, face in the first volume. I had a lot of farm cats when I grew up. I cherished them and still do. But I’m a dog person at heart.
CBSI: Finally, Famous Monsters of Filmland‘s editor decided to create a comic line and put you in their first book, the 4-issue limited series Gunsuits. How were you approached for this project?
Ezoic
Gunsuits #1 Reg Cover
Gunsuits #1 Reg Cover
TOBIN: Holly Interlandi, the editor of Famous Monsters, is a fan of Colder. We struck up a twitter friendship, and she interviewed artist Juan Ferreyra and I at San Diego. Then, a few months later, she wrote me to ask if I’d like to be a part of a new comics line, and work with her and Phil Kim to establish the new titles. I was already sold just because I knew it would be fun to work under the Famous Monsters banner, but also… as I’ve mentioned… it’s important to me who I’m working with, and Holly is keen. Then, when I heard my friend Steve Niles was the other writer aboard, I gave it the final go-ahead.
CBSI: I am sure that getting a call from a magazine with that much beloved history was exciting?
TOBIN: It was fun, yep. When I was a kid, I’d go into town (Charles City, Iowa) every Friday when my mom was buying groceries and doing laundry. And I’d always get some new comics (actually, old comics, because it was largely just 3-packs of comics from the last few years that were available) and then look for the magazines I couldn’t live without. That was Mad Magazine. National Lampoon. Savage Sword of Conan. Creepy. Eerie. And Famous Monsters.
CBSI: You developed an original story by FM editor, Phil Kim. How much of the story was outlined by Phil and how much freedom did you have to populate that universe?
TOBIN: My memory is that Phil had the basic premise, a paragraph pitch. From there, I expanded on his ideas and populated the universe with characters I created, a storyline based on Phil’s premise, etc.
CBSI: I read the first issue last week and I believe it has everything you could ask for in a first issue: a strong character that’s easy to get attached to, mechs vs monsters, alternate dimensions, a twist ending and great art by P. J. Holden. It doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down in upcoming issues. What would you tell people who have not read it?
Ezoic
TOBIN: I’d say if you’re a fan of action and adventure, Gunsuits is a place to be. Two of my biggest tools are characters (which I think far too many writers blow off) and then adventure, which is something akin to action, but… a greater whole, I think. Plenty of action, too, of course. Can’t avoid that when there’s mechs and monsters. Didn’t try to avoid it. At all. Jumped in headfirst, really.
Bornhome #1 Reg Cover
Bornhome #1 Reg Cover
Ezoic
CBSI: You also have another series coming …
TOBIN: Oh yeah… Bornhome is on the way! Phil sold me on that one with his opening line of, “How would you like to write a series about space pirates on a broken down amusement park world?” I grunted a yes, and we started working!
CBSI: The pitch sounds great and it has Jeff Johnson on art, which is really good news for all comic readers from the early 90s. I will definitely be checking that. Can’t let you go before I ask you: what does your comic pull list look like these days?
TOBIN: I grab a lot of work that my friends are doing, like anything Jeff Parker writes, and also Chris Sebela. I’m a Matt Fraction fan, so his books end up in my reading pile. Daredevil is a book I enjoy. And then there’s a bunch of eclectic stuff, like Lumberjanes and some of the Boom! titles. Any reprints that have the names Hugo Pratt or Alex Toth or Jordi Bernet, and I’m on that stuff. Ms. Marvel is a quality book. And Harrow County. I’m forgetting tons of things, no doubt, because I don’t really have a pull list. I just go into a store and scan the shelves, delighted when I find new things, or old favorites.
INTERVIEW: Colleen Coover and Paul Tobin chat about Book 2 of WRASSLE CASTLE
The graphic novel series is part of Vault’s young reader imprint Wonderbound
By Deanna Destito -02/21/2022 12:30 pm0
The second installment of Wonderbound’s (Vault’s young readers’ imprint) Wrassle Castle is set to debut this week, continuing the story of Lydia’s journey to becoming a professional wrassler and saving her older brother.
Wrassle Castle Book 2: Riders On The Storm, the second part of the three-volume series, is written by Colleen Coover and Paul Tobin and features art by Galaad. Colorist Rebecca Horner and letterer Jeff Powell round out the creative team.
Coover and Tobin chatted with the Beat about the upcoming graphic novel releasing on February 23 (February 22 via Simon Schuster for the book market).
Deanna Destito: Book 1 set us up with a big journey for Lydia. How will readers see her growth in this second volume to not only becoming a better wrassler, but also a hero?
Paul Tobin: In this volume, Lydia learns that being a hero is not a single act, it’s not an isolated moment or solitary incident: it’s a grind. It’s a series of acts. It’s a direction you face, and it’s the hardest direction and one where you will have to take continual steps. Luckily, she’s also learning that the journey gets easier when it’s not alone, when there’s friends at your side. Also, she talks to a cat a lot.
Colleen Coover: Lydia is beginning her formal career as a wrassler by competing in the Great Wrasslin’ Tournament, and she is able to bond with her wrasslin’ peers who share her dreams of greatness for the first time. She’s really excited and thrilled about that, both for the sake of achieving her own wrasslin’ ambitions and also as a means to help her brother John get out of prison. But one of her friends is endangered, which forces Lydia to decide whether her goals of winning and freeing John are more important than helping her friend. She has to decide what sort of person she wants to be!
Destito: The book is great at touching on everyday issues that young readers are probably facing themselves. Why is it important to include things like family issues, friendships, relationships, etc. in a book like this?
Tobin: I’ve always felt that characters in any work, whether it’s movies or television or novels or in my own field of comics, should be multifaceted. They should have more than one goal. More than one concern. And they should have a life. They should be a world unto themselves, just like we all are in real life. And, just like real life, there’s more things going on around us than the “big issue.” By giving characters (and the worlds they live in) more depth, I care about them more, and that means I care more about their stories. I always want to know if and how the good guys are going to win, but I also want to know which characters can eat spaghetti without making a mess, and if they’re going to be the first one to grab the karaoke microphone.
Coover: It’s important to give life to Lydia as a character, and to make her and her world a place the reader can recognize and live in for a time. She has conflicts with her parents about what she wants to do with her life. She has a friend who likes her and she kind of likes him back but figuring that out is scary. Some of the people she meets are mean just for the sake of being jerks. Some of the people she meets are nice, but she’s in direct competition with them. These are all things every reader can recognize and relate to, so the over-the-top adventure is more thrilling by contrast.
Destito: What was your favorite scene in this installment? (If you can reveal without sharing spoilers, of course)
Tobin: Ooo, such a hard choice! I mean, this volume has the first appearance of Mystery Chicken! Shouldn’t THAT be my favorite scene? Or maybe it’s Lydia’s bout with the Scoundrel Prince? Lydia’s growing friendship with wrasslers like Catapaula and Macie? Maybe it’s when the Wrassling tournament becomes “open city,” so that contestants are ambushing each other in the streets? All in all, I think my final choice is when one of Lydia’s friends is kidnapped, and Lydia has to literally fight a storm (with the help of a new character, Waveripper Jones) to save her.
Coover: There’s a lot of rain and an old boat in my favorite scene.
Destito: What can readers of all ages get from reading these books?
Tobin: A sense of adventure and whimsy, but grounded in friendship and family. I hope readers of any age will see Lydia and many of the other characters as friends. Well, okay, decidedly odd friends, but those are the most interesting friends to have!
Coover: We never don’t want the reader to have fun! There’s a lot of sock ‘em up action, but the world we created gives the story a lot more to enjoy than just a series of wrasslin’ bouts. We’ve got political intrigue and danger, as well as some humor and just a pinch of romance!
Destito: If you were to continue writing in this universe, which character would you choose to focus on for a new adventure?
Tobin: I’d probably stick with Lydia as the main character! I’d love to see her further develop and reach adulthood, and what that would mean with her character, and to her group of friends. Failing that, I’d say…Chelsea? In some ways, she has the most growing to do. She’s a great friend to others, but not as great a friend to herself, and that would be interesting to explore!
Coover: Lydia is definitely our main focus in this world, and her circle of friends are always going to be a part of her story. But I could see exploring one of the many, many side characters, like one of the other wrasslers in the tournament, or even Lydia’s nieces, the daughters of John and Greg Gator-Chomp!
Wrassle Castle Book 2: Riders On The Storm debuts this week. Ahead of the release, check out preview pages below!
Wrassle Castle
Marvel Adventures Thor Featuring Dr. Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America.
By Paul Tobin and others. Illus. by Jacopo Campagni and others.
2009. 96p. Marvel, paper, $9.99 (9780785133216). 741.5. Gr. 3-6.
Though Thor is the featured character, this second collection of the Marvel Adventures Super Heroes comics gives you more superhero bang for your buck than anything else out there. Doctor Strange takes a tour of alternate realities with Spider-Man in tow; Thor gets tangled up in romance and adventure while his half-brother Loki plots his doom; fresh out of suspended animation from World War II, Captain America adjusts to the cynicism of modern America; even Ant-Man shows up in a hilariously reimagined origin by Action Philosophers! scribe Fred Van Lente. In a contemporary superhero landscape filled with darkness, angst, and complicated crossover events, this young readers' title offers straightforward, stand-alone fun and charmingly humanized superheroes in the mold that Stan Lee created almost 50 years ago. While the digest-size format doesn't do the lively, popping art any favors, the whole Marvel Adventures line, along with Marvel Masterworks and the Franklin Richards volumes, is an ideal foundation for a young readers' superhero collection, and this one in particular is not to be missed.--Jesse Karp
Karp, Jesse
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Karp, Jesse. "Marvel Adventures Thor Featuring Dr. Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America." Booklist, vol. 106, no. 1, 1 Sept. 2009, pp. 90+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A207943633/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0f94f1aa. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Tobin, Paul (text) & Juan Ferreyra (illus.). Falling Skies. Dark Horse. 2011. 104p. ISBN 9781595827371. pap. $9.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS This prequel to TNT's alien invasion TV series follows history professor Tom Mason and his three sons through postapocalyptic Boston. After the death of his wife, Mason believes hiding is key to survival--a strategy that fails when one of his sons is taken by the aliens. Picking up an AK-47, Mason joins a militia and meets pediatrician-turned-field medic Anne Glass. Tobin (Spider-Girl) exceeds media tie-in expectations, giving readers a thrilling look at the months after the initial attack. Mason's narration never overwhelms the action and shows how he struggles with being a father, an educator, and a soldier. Ferreyra (Rex Mundi) drafts dynamic action scenes and captures the likenesses of actors Noah Wyle (Mason) and Moon Bloodgood (Glass) without falling into lifeless realism. Sketches in the back matter demonstrate his process.
Verdict Falling Skies is a hit on television (having Steven Spielberg's name attached helps), so there's a built-in audience for this book. Also, while the majority of the book collects a web comic available freely online, it also contains a story previously available only at the most recent New York Comic Con.--Terry Bosky, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL
Bosky, Terry
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
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Bosky, Terry. "Tobin, Paul (text) & Juan Ferreyra (illus.). Falling Skies." Xpress Reviews, 2 Mar. 2012. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A283834393/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=dedec5ca. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Bandette, Volume 1: Presto!
Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover. Dark Horse, $14.99 (144p) ISBN 978-1-61655-279-4
Acrobat, quick-change artist, and thief: is there anything Bandette can't do? She certainly has the skill to capture your attention in this gleeful, cheery adventure by married creators Tobin and Coover (Banana Sunday, Gingerbread Girl). Like Raffles or the Saint, Bandette is a thief with a heart of gold, rescuing common folk in distress and liberating stolen works of art (saving a few for her personal museum, of course). Tobin's characters deftly tread the tightrope between saccharine and caricature, and Coover's colorful, fluid art gives homage to the European fine-line illustration of Herge, without slavishly copying it. Coover's gorgeously rendered Paris architecture, lively and energetic figures, and especially the whirling dervish Bandette, are rendered in a soft-toned, impressionistic painting style that immediately differentiates the many characters and highlights the script's comic timing. A rich treasure trove of backup pieces include short "Urchin Stories," focusing on Bandette's supporting cast of accomplices and antagonists, and Coover's step-by-step guide through her art and computer-coloring techniques. This is a wonderful gateway comic for readers of all ages--one of the brightest, and most fun, comics of the year. (Dec.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 PWxyz, LLC
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"Bandette, Volume 1: Presto!" Publishers Weekly, vol. 260, no. 49, 2 Dec. 2013, p. 69. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A353692322/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=489b7254. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
TOBIN, Paul. Bandette: Stealers, Keepers! illus. by Colleen Coover. 134p. (Bandette: Vol. 2). ebook available. Dark Horse. 2015. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9781616556686.
Gr 7 Up--This volume picks up hot on the heels of the first "Bandette" collected volume, Presto! (Dark Horse, 2013), with master thieves Bandette and Monsieur in the middle of their contest to take back stolen treasures and expose the criminal organization FINIS, and its ruthless leader, Absinthe. Unknown to Bandette, Absinthe has unleashed his most feared assassin, II Tredici (Italian for 13), to remove her from the picture permanently. It is a race to see if Bandette, Monsieur, and their team of stalwart allies can bring an end to FINIS before Bandette meets her demise at the hands of her unlucky 13. Bandette, the self-proclaimed greatest thief in the world, does not miss a beat. The protagonist remains as irreverent and joyful as ever. Writer Tobin and his wife, artist Coover, have created genuinely fun and well-developed characters, from the gruff Inspector Belgique to Bandette's band of allies led by the lovelorn Daniel. Each gets to shine in a series of short vignettes about the supporting char acters at the book's conclusion. The art meshes with the feel of the story perfectly and adeptly contrasts the vibrancy of Bandette and her crew with the malevolence of Absinthe and II Tredici. Interesting background material on some of the actual items that Bandette and Monsieur steal is also included in the back matter. The engaging narrative is perfectly in sync with the art, populated with fun and enjoyable characters and an especially strong and unique female lead. VERDICT This volume will find an audience in every collection.--Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX
Knapp, Erik
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Knapp, Erik. "Tobin, Paul. Bandette: Stealers, Keepers!" School Library Journal, vol. 61, no. 10, Oct. 2015, p. 120. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A431724962/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d48a810e. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Tobin, Paul HOW TO CAPTURE AN INVISIBLE CAT Bloomsbury (Children's Fiction) $16.99 3, 1 ISBN: 978-1-61963-840-2
Sixth-graders Delphine and Nate, aided by Nate's talking dog, Bosper, evade the Red Death Tea Society, an evil organization that excels at both death and brewing, while trying to capture Proton, the family cat, which Nate made both gigantic and invisible. Delphine Cooper, the likable Everygirl who narrates Tobin's absurdly funny, gadget-filled adventure, is pretty, with ordinary brains and a million friends. Nate Bannister, her comic foil, is an eccentric loner who also happens to be an off-the-charts genius. And Bosper--well, except for his tendency to fart, he's the best dog ever. The premise of the series is that every Friday the 13th, Nate does three dumb things that Delphine helps him to rectify. Although this series opener goes on too long, the comic circumstances Tobin creates are imaginative and funny: the supersized catnip incense burner Nate sets up to attract Proton also attracts every other cat in the neighborhood, creating further complications for Delphine, who is dressed as a very large mouse at the time. Both of the heroes in this series, which is aimed equally at boys and girls, are neatly characterized, and it's clear why they become friends. Both are white in Lafontaine's illustrations. This winning, consistently funny, smartly silly adventure could be one of Nate's kooky gadgets, a middle-grade reading attractor. (Adventure. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Tobin, Paul: HOW TO CAPTURE AN INVISIBLE CAT." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A437247633/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=04957689. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Tobin, Paul HOW TO OUTSMART A BILLION ROBOT BEES Bloomsbury (Children's Fiction) $16.99 3, 7 ISBN: 978-1-61963-897-6
Having "stabilized Nothingness" with gravity waves, supergenius Nate Bannister has created an Infinite Engine, and the nefarious Red Death Tea Society is naturally out to get it. As megalomaniac supervillain and tea fanatic Jakob Maculte commands not only a veritable army of trained assassins, but teeming clouds of surgically altered bumblebees, it looks like no one can stop him from seizing the Engine and achieving his evil goal of "world domination through science." No one, that is, except Nate and his resourceful, if only normally bright friend Delphine--with assistance from the hosts of nanobots and other gadgets that pour willy-nilly from the young inventor's brain. Though Delphine spends so much time punching her insufficiently communicative partner that their relationship has an uncomfortably abusive edge, her comment that she likes her ostracized classmate because he's smart, not despite it, is well-taken. Also, she proves a sturdy sidekick and problem-solver whether the challenge is saving the world or defusing a romantic rivalry with Betsy, Nate's mercurial talking car. After narrow squeaks aplenty, the bees and thugs are eventually driven off and Maculte hauled away to (temporary, as it turns out) confinement. Lafontaine adds occasional vignettes featuring an all-white cast of heroic sixth-graders and sinister villains with melodramatic facial hair. Fans of How to Capture an Invisible Cat (2015) will find an agreeable extension of its high jinks. (Science fantasy. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Tobin, Paul: HOW TO OUTSMART A BILLION ROBOT BEES." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A471901982/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3ac7272d. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Made Men: Getting the Gang Back Together
Paul Tobin and Arjuna Susini. Oni, $19.99
trade paper (128p) ISBN 978-1-62010-512-2
When Jutte Shelley and her Detroit Special Ops squad are gunned down on a call, Jutte's unique biology brings her back from the beyond and forces her to accept her monstrous heritage in this clever mix of horror, humor, and crime thriller. She unearths the secrets of her grandmother--the sister of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, and the true genius in the family--and reassembles and resurrects the rest of her crew like a good mad scientist, although some are more altered than the others (Leo gets the head of a lion, while Hadry has the brain of an early Italian lesbian suffragist). In between bouts of sex, drinking, drugs, and ad hoc detective cases, these "Made Men" attempt to find the mastermind behind their murders by any gruesome means necessary. The art by Susini hits all the right notes: the characters are distinctive and settings are atmospheric, with violence that's both very messy and very red. But the plot by three-time Eisner Award winner Tobin is shamelessly light on any real consequences for his characters: Jutte gets a scolding for accidentally killing a corrupt police captain, and the reborn squad are blase about their newly configured bodies (and brains). Still, the snappy script, refreshingly strong and brazen female characters, and ample escapist enjoyment all add up to a good time. (July)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
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"Made Men: Getting the Gang Back Together." Publishers Weekly, vol. 265, no. 12, 19 Mar. 2018, p. 60. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A531977363/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9536bcb8. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Tobin, Paul BANANA SUNDAY Oni Press (Children's Fiction) $12.99 10, 23 ISBN: 978-1-62010-541-2
Kirby is about to start a new school with three talking primates in tow.
Unlike other students, Kirby Steinberg begins her time at Forest Edge school with a speech to the entire student body introducing her unusual entourage that's composed of three talking simians: eggheaded orangutan Chuck; Go-Go the gorilla, who is hungry and tired in equal measure; and spider monkey Knobby, who has a fondness for romance. Although Kirby claims the simians were secret experiments of her scientist father, school reporter Nickels smells something deeper to this story and decides to investigate. Meanwhile, Kirby's new school is filled with human drama, including mean girl Skye's relentless bullying and gentle romantic tension with lovably goofy Martin. Will Kirby be able to navigate all these pitfalls and look after her rascally primate posse? Originally published in 2006, this reissue both brings the story back to print and adds lively color from Sygh to its tidy and bright panels. While the new hues add a layer of diversity, the characters (including most of those in the periphery) are all uniformly thin with aspirationally long legs complementing their svelte physiques. However, with its adorably mischievous monkeys, this stand-alone offering should appeal to those who can appreciate reality with a healthy dash of simian silliness. Kirby, love interest Martin, and mean girl Skye are all white; best friend Nickels is a Japanese immigrant.
A lot of monkey business. (Graphic fantasy. 7-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Tobin, Paul: BANANA SUNDAY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A548137835/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0aec4ec4. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Tobin, Paul VOYAGE DE GOURMET Maverick (Fiction) $14.99 12, 12 ISBN: 978-1545800669
Estranged friends paired up in a cooking competition get the chance to repair their relationship in Tobin's YA graphic novel.
Layne Green and Jang-Mi Pipper discovered their love of cooking together as children. Now teenagers, they've each become social media stars with loads of followers. They're also no longer friends; Layne pulled a thoughtless stunt that severed their relationship. As luck would have it, the two wind up as a team on Voyage de Gourmet, a culinary show in which competitors vie for fame and a cash prize. Layne and Jang-Mi will face off against six other teams in challenges taking place around the world. The tasks are grueling, including scouring a Sumatran jungle for ingredients and cooking while blindfolded; if the former friends want a shot at winning, they'll have to rely on one another. Maybe Jang-Mi can learn to trust Layne again, if he can only find the right way to say he's sorry to the girl he betrayed. Tobin's exuberant story takes readers on a global trek. The contestants, who compete in such beautiful settings as Brussels and Huangshan City, hail from a variety of locales, from Japan to Australia. It's fun to follow the characters as they bond with others on opposing teams, although the easy-to-hate team that gets along with no one is equally entertaining ("Flip's dad is the CEO of the Red Range Cigarette Company; Flop's family made their fortune in plastic packaging"). The highlight of the story is the drama between Layne and Jang-Mi, who, with effort from both, may get back what they've lost. Humor is abundant, especially in the form of Frog, Jang-Mi's adorable, ever-barking dog (who often lends a helping paw), and in the portrayal of the loud, gleefully overdramatic Voyage host, Bombo Arjuna. Milton's anime-style illustrations match the narrative's energy with colorful, exaggerated facial cues and bouts of action.
An endearing tale of food and camaraderie, served in an animated fashion.
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"Tobin, Paul: VOYAGE DE GOURMET." Kirkus Reviews, 18 Oct. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A770739021/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2a3b0896. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Karp, Jesse. "Marvel Adventures Thor Featuring Dr. Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America." Booklist, vol. 106, no. 1, 1 Sept. 2009, pp. 90+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A207943633/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0f94f1aa. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Bosky, Terry. "Tobin, Paul (text) & Juan Ferreyra (illus.). Falling Skies." Xpress Reviews, 2 Mar. 2012. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A283834393/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=dedec5ca. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
"Bandette, Volume 1: Presto!" Publishers Weekly, vol. 260, no. 49, 2 Dec. 2013, p. 69. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A353692322/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=489b7254. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Knapp, Erik. "Tobin, Paul. Bandette: Stealers, Keepers!" School Library Journal, vol. 61, no. 10, Oct. 2015, p. 120. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A431724962/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d48a810e. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
"Tobin, Paul: HOW TO CAPTURE AN INVISIBLE CAT." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A437247633/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=04957689. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
"Tobin, Paul: HOW TO OUTSMART A BILLION ROBOT BEES." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A471901982/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3ac7272d. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
"Made Men: Getting the Gang Back Together." Publishers Weekly, vol. 265, no. 12, 19 Mar. 2018, p. 60. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A531977363/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9536bcb8. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
"Tobin, Paul: BANANA SUNDAY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A548137835/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0aec4ec4. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
"Tobin, Paul: VOYAGE DE GOURMET." Kirkus Reviews, 18 Oct. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A770739021/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2a3b0896. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.