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Post by Mark Crilley on Sept 30, 2006 18:01:22 GMT -5
Hi there, anyone and everyone interested in my books, comics, and all other projects past, present and future. I've decided to start a forum here at Proboards.com to create a kind of public guestbook and Q. & A. spot on the internet in conjunction with my website.
As anyone who has ever sent me an e-mail knows, I often take an outrageously long time to reply. I hope with this forum I will be able to break that bad habit and reply much more swiftly to reader's questions and comments.
Well, we'll never know unless you put me to the test, so go right ahead and post any messages you like relating to my work as an author and illustrator.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Best wishes,
Mark
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 1, 2006 5:37:21 GMT -5
Hi everyone!
To get things started here I thought I try answering a few questions from a recent e-mail. Here's one I got from a young reader named Blaise:
Dear Mr. Crilley, I loved your book [Billy Clikk: Creatch Battler], I was so proud of myself when I finished all 248 pages! It is the longest book I've ever read ! It was easy to read because it was so exciting. We are doing a book report, and I'm so glad I chose your book. Q. How did you come up with that hair style Billy wears?
A. For some reason I feel all my characters have to have some kind of distinctive hair style. I thought Billy needed something pretty bold and energetic, that cut an interesting 'silhouette' in the air as he went about his business. Also, my hair sticks up in the air like crazy!
Q. How did you come up with the flying motorcycle that Twain rode?
A. The truth is I needed a very spectacular location for Billy and Twain's final confrontation. I wanted to somehow get them high up in the air, in a situation of great peril. Having established the idea of 'transgravitational propulsion' vehicles in the book, I thought, "A flying motorcycle! Perfect!"
Q. How did you find the name Orzamo? I would like to name my next dog after him!
A. Wow, what an honor! I think you'd have the only Orzamo on the planet! I can't really explain how I came up with this name, or most of the names in any of my books. I just play around with different syllables until I get something that sounds like it fits. (Billy Clikk, incidentally, was originally Billy Bugby, and Billy Brainer before that, but that's a different story!)
I visited your website and saw you have a new book coming out! I would be so thrilled to hear from you, thank you for reading my e-mail. Yours truely, Blaise J. Reno, Nevada
Thanks for e-mailing me, Blaise! Hope you don't mind me answering your questions here at the forum. They were really good ones, and I felt sure other readers would like to know the answers.
Best,
MC
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 1, 2006 5:54:56 GMT -5
Here's a recent e-mail from a reader named Nashara:
Dear Mark, How is your new book going? I can't wait for your new book to come out! I want to be the first one to get it, but I doubt It will be me. Oh and I would like an autographed copy of PIECES OF GAX! and your new comic book if thats ok, because I really like your books. and i'm going to start reading Billy Clikk books.
Hey why did you name your book PIECES OF GAX it sounds like a cool book. PS you don't have to write if you don't want to. but I would like you to. From Nashara H.
Thanks for the e-mail, Nashara! Pieces of Gax hits stores November 14th. Unfortunately time constraints prevented us from getting the comic book feature in this one, but it'll be in the next Akiko book for sure!
Great hearing from you, Nashara!
MC
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 1, 2006 6:10:11 GMT -5
Here's another e-mail I should have replied to a very long time ago!
Dear Mr. Crilley, When are you going to make another book? My name is Rory, and I love your books so much that I read all of the Akiko series in 2 weeks. My favorite book was probably the Training Master because it had all these dangerous tasks. I would like to see Akiko go to Smoo and see what she does when she uses her abilities to fight. Are you writing another book right now? Your friend, Rory
Thanks, Rory. I am, in fact working on a very big comic book project right now, hundreds and hundreds of pages long. My publisher has asked me not to begin revealing anything about it on the internet yet, but as soon as I'm able to I'm going to be featuring this new project very prominently on my web site. Until then, I'll say nothing more than this: I hope people will like it, because I've never worked so hard on anything in my life!
Rory adds: p.s. You are my favorite author! My second favorite author is Roald Dahl. I've read all of his books too this summer.
Wow, that's an honor far beyond anything I deserve! You may have to keep two lists of favorites: "Favorite Authors Who Are Truly Great" and "Favorite Authors Who Stick Lots of Monsters and Action Sequences in Their Books." I'd be happy to take the top spot on the second list. :')
Thanks for getting in touch, Rory!
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Post by artist on Oct 1, 2006 8:09:56 GMT -5
Hey Mark, I feel cool becaouse im you'r first real message from a fan! woot! anyway....i lov your books and can't wait for the next one! Danny (long time fan)
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Post by Iamnoc on Oct 1, 2006 8:55:04 GMT -5
Hey Mark. I am so glad to see that you have started this board... I am kinda disappointed that I am not the first "fan" to post a message ... But at least I am second... I can not wait for the new book to come out and return to the silliness of some of the early comics... Take Care! Erika
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 1, 2006 11:52:29 GMT -5
Hi Danny and Erika; thanks so much for the posts. No forum of mine would be complete without the two of you!
Erika (if you don't mind me introducing you a bit) has been a supporter of my work from the very first years of my Akiko comic book series. She also made me a gorgeous cross stitch pillow a few years back that is one of my family's prize possessions. I'm pretty sure Erika holds the record for 'Reader Who Has Met Me in Person the Most' over the years: I lost count long ago!
Danny has also been a strong supporter of my books, and has e-mailed me very regularly over a period of years with valuable feedback. It's really great to have both of you here. I look forward to reading more of your posts in the future!
MC
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danstro
Sustainer
"Draw your own confusions"
Posts: 75
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Post by danstro on Oct 1, 2006 14:20:59 GMT -5
Hey, Mark! I found your new forum and thought that I'd drop by and say HI! ;D I'm looking forward to the Pieces of Gax book that'll be coming out in November. It's too bad that the comic book pages won't be included, but at least they'll appear in the next book. It's great to see you posting again! You can bet that I will be visiting this forum again in the not too distant future. Till next time, -Dan S.
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 1, 2006 18:30:30 GMT -5
Hey Dan! Thanks for joining in! For those who don't know, Dan S. has been a supporter of my work for nearly as long as Erika, and was a true mainstay of my letters column in the Akiko comic series. Pick up almost any individual issue of an Akiko comic book, turn to the letters page, and chances are you'll find the wit and wisdom from Dan prominently featured.
Actually, this forum here takes me back to my old letters page days. Hopefully I can, to some extent, reproduce and continue the back-and-forth 'conversation' of those days right here.
Yeah, Dan, it's a shame about the Akiko comic feature getting postponed. If you like my approach to comics, though, you've got my biggest comic project in years to look forward to in '07. It's quite different from Akiko in most respects, but I expect everyone will see a lot of the same storytelling techniques I bring to anything I do. Even one or two of those big hyper-detailed double-page spreads like I used to do. :')
Great hearing from you, Dan. Do post again whenever you get the chance!
MC
ps- If any of you can find a copy of Akiko #50 from the comic book series, you will find photos of Erika and Dan inside, as they were among the longtime readers I singled out for gratitude in that issue...
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Post by iamnoc on Oct 1, 2006 19:22:42 GMT -5
Yea... I have been a long time reader... I was talking to someone at work the other day and came to the conclusion that I have been reading Akiko for nearly 10 years... and I had to force Mark to sell me the comics for the first time... That was in the good old days that Mark would actually attend local Comic book conventions. One of the reasons I have met Mark in person so many times... I am glad that you and your family like the pillow so much! I think the Akiko overalls and the bib for Mathew was a bigger stretch of my creative talents. Erika
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Post by dvandom on Oct 1, 2006 19:54:53 GMT -5
Allo!
---Dave
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Post by davidrands on Oct 1, 2006 22:27:56 GMT -5
I am actually writing on behalf of my 5 year old daughter. We have spent the last few months reading a chapter of the Akiko books each night and it has been a wonderful experience. That my wife's name is Akiko makes it fun because we always say that mommy must have had an interesting childhood. Thank you for the excellent series of books and we will certainly keep on reading. Unfortunately, I'm not a big comic book fan, but the books are excellent and we are both thrilled by reading them.
Yours,
David and Ashley
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 2, 2006 6:08:07 GMT -5
Thanks for stopping by, David and Ashley! I'm so pleased that you and your daughter have enjoyed my Akiko chapter books. The idea of parents reading the books to their kids as a bedtime story is just delightful. Yes, perhaps your wife Akiko had some sort of secret intergalactic life when she was younger? Just make sure she hasn't been fooling you with that replacement robot!
On a personal note, it's nice to encounter (by the sounds of it) a family similar to my own. My wife Miki is from Japan and as a result we get to go there fairly often for extended trips. Are you raising Ashley to be bilingual? Our son Matthew just turned seven and is beginning to study Japanese kanji. I need to brush up on them myself, so the two of us go at it together!
Thanks again for the kind words, David. Please give my best to Ashley and Akiko!
Erika, yes, the overalls and bib are incredible! How you got all the details of my characters with just needle and thread is quite beyond me!
Welcome, uber-comic-critic Dave 'Dvandom'! I think I'll go check out the other thread you started right now....
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Post by Carol on Oct 4, 2006 10:05:56 GMT -5
Hi, Mark, It's Carol, your 'Kiko Korrespondent. Found this through Erika's post on the yahoo group. Great to hear that Pieces of Gax will be out soon, but sorry to hear the comic won't be in it. Good news about that new comics project, though!!!! Triple Yay and Huzzah and all that. Carol
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 4, 2006 10:21:59 GMT -5
Welcome, Carol! Wow, I feel like I'm reading one of the letters pages in the back of an issue of Akiko. Just like old times! So great to have you here. I know for sure you've been supporting my work since 1996 or there abouts; I really appreciate you maintaining enthusiasm in the face of the prolongued 'Crilley comic drought'.
While we're waiting for more readers of the novels to join us, here's a quote from an e-mail I got way back in May from a kind gentleman by the name of Giuseppe:
Hi, I've got to tell you, my daughter, Anna, is a huge fan of yours. She just about to turn 5 and has just (been read) the entire series of Akiko on the planet Smoo books. She's likes to spontaneously say "C'mon buddy, take them bropka steaks off the grill." She also likes to peruse through your comic books and look at the pictures. Her favorite picture is, of course, a drawing of Akiko and Price Froptoppit sitting under branches forming a heart.
I'm also a fan of yours, I'm an illustrator designer so I get into your drawings, and really like your work. I also like the story, its great for her, a tough heroic little girl, that's great. Thanks for the stories!
You're very welcome, Giuseppe. The idea of a four year old girl going around saying "C'mon buddy, take them bropka steaks off the grill" just delights me beyond words (even if it baffles any nearby grown ups overhearing it!). Thanks for the e-mail, Guiseppe, and I hope you don't mind me reproducing it here so that others can enjoy it.
MC
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Post by monkeyking3 on Oct 4, 2006 18:05:11 GMT -5
Hey Mark!, When is you're new book coming out and what is it's name?
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Post by monkeyking3 on Oct 4, 2006 18:06:33 GMT -5
I just read two books and i'm reading one right now, i'm going to read all sorts of Akiko and Billy Clikk books so I can get good grades with my reading log, you're books are good.
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 4, 2006 19:32:24 GMT -5
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Post by monkeyking3 on Oct 5, 2006 17:09:42 GMT -5
I like monkeys and at school I like climbing stuff! My friend Tyler climbs with me, too. We're the best in the school I think, I can climb on top of a swing set maybe like a 10ft. one or something I don't know.
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Post by monkeyking3 on Oct 5, 2006 17:11:07 GMT -5
I activated my account, what does that do to me?
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Post by monkeyking3 on Oct 5, 2006 17:12:19 GMT -5
Hey Mark!, I got another question. Do you have any series besides Akiko and Billy Clikk that are chapter books or comics?
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Post by Mark Crilley on Oct 6, 2006 5:20:17 GMT -5
Hi Monkey King: Sounds like you have truly earned the right to that name!
Besides the Akiko and Billy Clikk series, there are just a couple of hard-to-find single-issue comic books that contain my work: "The Beast that Ate Morioka" and "32 Pages". I have also done a number of comic strip stories for Nickelodeon Magazine, but you'd almost have to be a subscriber to have seen all of those. Who knows, maybe I can reproduce some of those on my website someday.
Starting next May, though (as you will soon get tired of hearing me say) I've got a brand new graphic novel series coming out.
MC
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Post by apogee on Nov 7, 2006 0:16:40 GMT -5
Hi all, this is Apogee of the yahoo group! Just wanted to say hey, I'm here, though I'm not going to give up on the yahoo group just yet. Can't wait to see what is new, though I haven't been buying comics since my store was closed last year. I buy em at the San Diego con, though, so whenever I see something new I will definitely be picking it up. Have a nice one folks!
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Post by Mark Crilley on Nov 7, 2006 5:36:20 GMT -5
Welcome, Apogee! It's great to have you here. I'm sorry to hear about your comic store closing; I've certainly seen a great many of them shut down in my neck of the woods. It's really pretty depressing. I hope you're doing as well as possible under the circumstances. And as always, I greatly appreciate your many years of support.
Dan, thanks for posting that picture of Matthew Armstrong as Mario. What a coincidence! Next time you're in touch with Matthew please send him my compliments. (And why didn't I think of the plunger?)
Mark
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Post by imogene on Nov 8, 2006 15:22:43 GMT -5
Love the page and especially the weekly update. This is a great way for all of us to keep up with what you're doing. You do so many things -- Nickelodeon, school visits, illustrations. I'm going to pass this along to all my friends. Keep up the good work -- and keep posting those drawings by Matthew. His Mario costume was awesome!
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Post by Mark Crilley on Nov 10, 2006 5:49:33 GMT -5
Welcome, Imogene! Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I really used to let the website go months and motnhs without updates. Hopefully the new 'every Monday' thing will help bring more people to the site on a regular basis.
Thanks for joining us!
Mark
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Post by melinda440 on Nov 11, 2006 17:50:52 GMT -5
Hey Mr. Crilley,
I remember the first I met you it was when I was in 8th grade, at Lincoln Hig School when Mrs. Webber was my teacher. That was along time ago now. It was when you wrote your first book, she would always read it to us, intil we got our own. I wanna tell you that it's a GREAT book, and love to read it even if I'm 18 years old. If you would like to get in contact you can email me at female_1988_2007@yahoo.com..
Your fan, Melinda
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Post by Mark Crilley on Nov 12, 2006 8:38:59 GMT -5
Hi Melinda,
Thanks for joining the forum! Wow, that's great to know that you're still interested in my books after all these years. The time you saw me was just about the first time I'd ever visited a school.
It's so much fun speaking at schools and libraries; I'm so glad I discovered that authors do this. It's really become one of my favorite parts of the job.
Thanks again for getting in touch,
Mark
------------------------- Hey Mr. Crilley,
I remember the first I met you it was when I was in 8th grade, at Lincoln Hig School when Mrs. Webber was my teacher. That was along time ago now. It was when you wrote your first book, she would always read it to us, intil we got our own. I wanna tell you that it's a GREAT book, and love to read it even if I'm 18 years old. If you would like to get in contact you can email me at female_1988_2007@yahoo.com..
Your fan, Melinda
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Post by melinda440 on Nov 12, 2006 10:51:33 GMT -5
Your very welcome! I always look forward reading your books.
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Post by melinda440 on Nov 12, 2006 10:54:49 GMT -5
I still remember the first time you signed our books at Lincoln High School. You signed Akiko on the planet Smoo, and I still have the cards you signed. I hope to see you again.
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