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; June 10, 1960) is an American cartoonist and comics expert. He writes books about comics, but he makes them as comics! His famous books include Understanding Comics (1993), Reinventing Comics (2000), and Making Comics (2006).
In the 1980s, McCloud became known for creating superhero comics. He also spoke up for artists' rights. In the 1990s, his non-fiction books about comics made him very popular. He has always supported using new technology to create and share comics.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Scott McCloud was born in Boston in 1960. He was the youngest child of Willard Wise and Patricia Beatrice McLeod. He grew up mostly in Lexington, Massachusetts. In 1975, during high school, he decided he wanted to be a comics artist.
He studied illustration at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. He earned his degree in 1982.
Scott McCloud's Career in Comics
Scott McCloud has had a long and interesting career. He has created many comics and written important books about them.
Creating Fiction Comics
While in high school, McCloud worked on comics with his friend Kurt Busiek. Busiek later became a successful comics writer. As teenagers, they even helped create a special Marvel/DC crossover comic. It was called Pow! Biff! Pops! and was sold with a 1978 Boston Pops music show.
In 1984, McCloud created the comic book series Zot!. This science fiction/superhero comic was light-hearted. It was a change from the darker superhero comics of the 1980s.
His other comics include Destroy!! (1986), a funny superhero parody. He also made The New Adventures of Abraham Lincoln (1998). This graphic novel mixed computer-made and hand-drawn art. McCloud also worked on 12 issues of DC Comics' Superman Adventures. In 2005, he made the three-issue series Superman: Strength. His graphic novel The Sculptor came out in 2015.
In 2024, Raina Telgemeier announced a new book with McCloud. It's called The Cartoonists Club and will be published in 2025.
Fighting for Creator's Rights
In 1988, McCloud helped write the Creator's Bill of Rights. This document aimed to protect comic book creators. It helped artists and writers avoid being unfairly treated by big companies. Artists like Kevin Eastman and Dave Sim supported it.
The Bill included twelve important rights. Two of these were:
- "The right to full ownership of what we fully create."
- "The right to prompt payment of a fair and equitable share of profits derived from all of our creative work."
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 full 24-page comic in 24 hours. He challenged cartoonist Steve Bissette to do it with him. The goal was to create something quickly without overthinking it.
Thousands of cartoonists have tried this challenge since then. Famous artists like Neil Gaiman and Kevin Eastman have done it.
Non-Fiction Books About Comics
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In the early 1990s, McCloud started making a series of books about comics. These books were unique because they were also comics themselves!
His first book was Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art (1993). This book made him a famous expert on comics. People called him the "Aristotle of comics." The book explored what comics are, their history, and how they work. It is often used in school 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" that he believed would help comics grow.
He returned to teaching about comics with Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels (2006). This book is a guide on how to make comics. He even went on a tour with his family to promote it.
McCloud is currently working on a new book about visual communication. He describes it as a big project covering how we see and how visual elements work.
Exploring New Technology in Comics
Starting in the late 1990s, McCloud was an early supporter of micropayments. These are very small payments for online content. He advised a company called BitPass that offered this system. He launched it by publishing The Right Number, an online graphic novel. Each chapter cost a quarter.
He also explored the "infinite canvas" idea for web comics. This allows comic panels to be arranged in new ways online. These ways are not possible in a physical book. In 2008, Google asked him to create a comic. This comic was a press release to introduce their web browser, Chrome.
Personal Life
Scott McCloud lives in Newbury Park, California. In 1988, he married Ivy Ratafia. They had two daughters together. Sadly, Ivy passed away in a car accident in April 2022.
Awards and Recognitions
Scott McCloud has won many awards for his work in comics.
Awards Won
- 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
Award Nominations
McCloud 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!
- 1991 Harvey Award for Best Writer for Zot!
- 1991 Eisner Award for Best Story or Single Issue for Zot! #33
- 1998 Eisner Award for Best Writer for Superman Adventures
- 2007 Harvey Award for Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation for Making Comics
Typography and Fonts
The unique fonts used in Scott McCloud's comics have been made into digital fonts. These are available from a company called Comicraft:
- Scott McCloud/McComicBookFont: This font was used in Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels.
- The Sculptor: This font is based on the one used in The Sculptor.
- Digital Delivery: This font is based on the one used in Reinventing Comics: How Imagination and Technology Are Revolutionizing an Art Form.
See also
In Spanish: Scott McCloud para niños
