Scott McCloud facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scott McCloud |
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McCloud in 2007
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| Born | Scott McLeod June 10, 1960 Boston, Massachusetts, US |
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Scott McCloud (born Scott McLeod on June 10, 1960) is an American cartoonist. He is also known for his ideas about comics.
His non-fiction books about comics are special because they are written in comic book form. These books include Understanding Comics (1993), Reinventing Comics (2000), and Making Comics (2006).
Scott McCloud became well-known in the 1980s. He created superhero comics and supported artists owning their work. In the 1990s, he became famous for his non-fiction books. He has also encouraged using new technology to make and share comics.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Scott McCloud was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1960. He was the youngest child in his family. He grew up mostly in Lexington, Massachusetts.
In 1975, during high school, he decided he wanted to be a comics artist. He later studied illustration at Syracuse University. He earned his degree in 1982.
Comics Career
Creating Comic Stories
In high school, Scott McCloud worked on comics with his friend Kurt Busiek. Kurt later became a successful comics writer. As teenagers, they even helped create a special Marvel/DC crossover comic. This comic was called Pow! Biff! Pops! and was sold with a 1978 Boston Pops music show.
While working at DC Comics, McCloud created Zot! in 1984. This science fiction/superhero comic was light-hearted. It was a change from the darker superhero comics popular at the time.
His other comics include Destroy!! (1986), a funny superhero fight parody. He also made The New Adventures of Abraham Lincoln (1998). In the late 1990s, he worked on 12 issues of DC Comics' Superman Adventures. He also created Superman: Strength (2005) and the graphic novel The Sculptor (2015).
A new book, The Cartoonists Club, was announced in June 2024. It is co-authored with Raina Telgemeier. This book is set to be published in April 2025 by Scholastic's Graphix.
Supporting Comic Creators
Scott McCloud helped write the Creator's Bill of Rights in 1988. This document aimed to protect the rights of comic book creators. It helped prevent companies from taking advantage of artists and writers.
Artists like Kevin Eastman and Dave Sim supported this Bill. It included twelve important rights for creators. One right was "The right to full ownership of what we fully create." Another was "The right to prompt payment of a fair and equitable share of profits."
The 24-Hour Comic Challenge
In 1990, McCloud came up with the idea of a 24-hour comic. This is a challenge where a cartoonist creates a complete 24-page comic. They must do it all in 24 hours straight. He created this challenge with cartoonist Steve Bissette. It was meant to help artists create quickly without overthinking.
Many cartoonists have tried this challenge since then. Famous artists like Neil Gaiman and Kevin Eastman have participated.
Books About Comics
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In the early 1990s, McCloud started a series of three books about comics. These books explain how comics work and how the business operates. They are all presented in comic book form.
His first book was Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art, published in 1993. This book made him a very popular expert on comics. People called him the "Aristotle of comics." The book explored what comics are, their history, and how they are made. It is often used in academic discussions about comics.
In 2000, McCloud published Reinventing Comics: How Imagination and Technology Are Revolutionizing an Art Form. In this book, he talked about twelve "revolutions" he believed would help comics grow. He returned to teaching about comics in 2006 with Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels. This book is a guide on how to create comics. He even went on a tour with his family to promote it.
As of November 2022, McCloud was working on a new book. This book will be about visual communication. He has described it as a big project covering how we see and how visual elements work.
Comics and Technology
Starting in the late 1990s, McCloud was an early supporter of micropayments. These are very small online payments. He advised a company called BitPass that offered such a system. He helped launch it with his online graphic novella, The Right Number. Each chapter of this novella cost a quarter.
He also explored the "infinite canvas" idea. This allows comic panels to be arranged in new ways online. These layouts are not possible in a traditional printed book. In 2008, Google asked him to create a comic. This comic was used to introduce their web browser, Chrome.
Personal Life
Scott McCloud lives in Newbury Park, California. He married Ivy Ratafia in 1988. They had two daughters together.
Awards and Recognition
Scott McCloud has won many awards for his work:
- 1985 Jack Kirby Award for Best New Series for Zot!
- 1985 Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award for Zot!
- 1994 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Book for Understanding Comics
- 1994 Harvey Award for Best Writer for Understanding Comics
- 1994 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album/Original Material for Understanding Comics
- 1994 Harvey Award for Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation for Understanding Comics
- 2001 Harvey Award for Best Biographical/Historical Presentation for Reinventing Comics
- 2007 Eagle Award for Favourite Comics-Related Book for Making Comics
- 2007 Quill Award for Best Graphic Novel for Making Comics
He has also been nominated for many other awards, including:
- 1988 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist for Zot!
- 1988 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue for Zot! #14
- 1988 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series for Zot!
- 1988 Eisner Award for Best Black-and-White Series for Zot!
- 1988 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist for Zot!
- 1991 Harvey Award for Best Writer for Zot!
- 1991 Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story for Zot! #33
- 1991 Eisner Award for Best Story or Single Issue for Zot! #33
- 1991 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series for Zot!
- 1991 Eisner Award for Best Black-and-White Series for Zot!
- 1991 Eisner Award for Best Writer for Zot!
- 1992 Harvey Award for Best Single Issue or Story for Zot! #35
- 1993 Harvey Award for Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation for Understanding Comics: The Slideshow!
- 1994 Hugo Award for Best Related Non-Fiction Book for Understanding Comics
- 1998 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue for Superman Adventures #3 ("Distant Thunder"; with Rick Burchett and Terry Austin)
- 1998 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story for Superman Adventures #11–12 ("The War Within"; with Rick Burchett and Terry Austin)
- 1998 Eisner Award for Best Writer for Superman Adventures
- 2007 Harvey Award for Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation for Making Comics
Images for kids
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McCloud in 2007
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McCloud signing his book Making Comics in 2006
See also
In Spanish: Scott McCloud para niños
