Bob Thibeault, author-illustrator and fellow KCS Anthology contributor, has kindly agreed to answer some questions about his short-comic entry that will appear in the Let’s Go!: A Kids Comics Studio Anthology, which we are getting ready to crowdfund this April!

Perfect timing to introduce our crowdfunding news, in fact, as Bob co-contributed to an article on our KCS Anthology blog about creating a Kickstarter campaign.

Thank you, Bob, for answering these questions:

What motivated you to sign up for the anthology?

I have been part of Kid’s Comics Studio since it began and have become a community member who has always wanted an opportunity to be a part of a group effort like this. 

How did you get the idea for your comic? 

I took “The Comic Book Intensive” through SAW and Jess Ruliffson did a workshop on re-envisioning the classic Little Red Riding Hood fable. The rough eight-frame comic I created became the four page story I submitted.

What have you gained or learned from this experience? 

I learned my process, technical aspects, like brush choices, refining a palette, character style etc.

What are you most looking forward to about this anthology project? 

Seeing ALL the work! I know it sounds simple, but I know how much time and effort everyone is putting in. It’s like watching THE BIG GAME! You know everyone is giving their best, and we all want to root for each other. For me, I have never had any of my comics printed in a book like this before so I am very excited to see my piece among everyone else’s work.

What are you most proud of with your comic for the anthology? 

I like the twist at the end. The ending actually helped me craft the build up of tension for the BIG REVEAL at the end. 

What do you wish you’d done differently? 

Nothing, except for maybe extending the story to 6-8 pages instead of 4, but I think the compression and fast pace turned out fine. I gave myself a small window to complete the whole comic. I submitted my final comic months ago.

What advice do you have for creators considering an anthology?  

It depends on their level of experience. If you are just starting out doing sequential art, then I suggest listening, and learning all that you can. Be a sponge and start with a simple story, no more than four pages. If I were addressing anyone in general, I would say, “Have FUN!” Be yourself and do what YOU want to do, and not what you think others want to see. Learn to work collaboratively, and be open to feedback.  

Thank you, Bob, for all this great info!

Bob has worked as a creative visual designer for over twenty-five-years. He has worked primarily for Scholastic and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, where he worked to develop educational middle-grade instructional materials. As a freelancer, his new projects include projects from museum kiosks, animation, videos, book layouts, and cover designs. As an aspiring author/illustrator at bobthibeault.com, he enjoys doing one to four-panel comics. Currently, he is working on his first GN. He is a member of the New England Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (NESCBWI), Kids Comics Studio, Sequential Artists Workshop (SAW), and The Writers’ Loft located in Hudson MA.

For more information about our anthology creation process, sign up for the KCS Anthology newsletter: https://kidscomicsunite.com/anthology/newsletter/