Remaining Focused

It's Christmas Eve and evidence of "The Blizzard of '09" still blankets suburban Maryland as I post some disappointing news. Back in September, I applied for a comic book self-publishing grant in the hopes of offsetting some of the expense of producing and distributing Captain Cartography. Unfortunately, I learned late last week that my proposal was not selected by the review committee and I won't be receiving any financial support from the Xeric Foundation.

While this is a setback, it doesn't spell the end for our spatially-gifted hero. In the time that has elapsed since I submitted my proposal, I've given more thought to the idea and continue to seek out and read comics that inspire me to keep writing. Plus, the advice and encouragement I've begun to receive from educators will help me relate my storyline to teaching standards as I move forward with the project in 2010. It may take me longer to develop than it would have with some funding, but I'm not giving up. Not yet. After all, I'm in this for the maps, not the money.

In Praise of Global Knowledge

Have you hugged a map lately? If not, consider doing something to show your appreciation for maps and atlases between the 15th and the 21st of November. Why, you ask? Because the third week of the month is Geography Awareness Week, an annual event observed by a growing number of students, teachers, parents, and professionals. GAW was created in 1987 to inspire kids to learn more about the distribution of and spatial relationships between people, places, and environments on Earth, but anyone can take part in this celebration of geography—it's not exclusionary.

If this all comes as news to you and you haven't the slightest clue about where to begin, stop wringing your hands and head on over to National Geographic's My Wonderful World Blog. They've already posted a "quasi-definitive list" of fun ideas for gamers, cooks, armchair travelers, and yes, bloggers too. Problem solved.

I'll undoubtedly be writing about maps myself, but I'm also planning to introduce Captain Cartography (pictured) to a few educators here in Brooklyn. With some luck, my comic book will be available in time for Geography Awareness Week 2010.

Art by Dezi Sienty

Adventures in Mapping

A full month after blithely declaring that I'd soon have more news about my educational comic book, I actually have something to post. Working with an imaginative artist, experienced cartographers, and now a talented letterer, I am (I think) about a week away from wrapping up the first stage of this project. Previews are coming soon. I promise.

We've settled on a logo, four of the first five pages are inked and colored, the map I commissioned looks great, and after a bit of rewriting and lots of editing, I'm finally happy with my script. Watching Captain Cartography evolve from an idea into a full-fledged story has brought me a lot of joy already, and I consider myself lucky to have found such willing and enthusiastic collaborators. Unfortunately, the next step in the process is drafting a budget.

Introducing Captain Cartography

There was a time when I made my fondness for geography known on a regular basis. And although I don't deal with atlases every day anymore, I still have a soft spot for maps and cartography. So much so, I realized recently, that I needed to channel this interest into a summer project. Naturally, I decided to try writing a comic book.

Being a novice, I started off by reading lots and lots of comics. Of the books I discovered, Action Philosophers, a mini-series by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey "that proves that philosophy is not just the province of boring tweed-enveloped college professors," just may be the best. My hope is to do something similar with geography.

So, with a tall stack of borrowed graphic novels, a copy of The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, a very rough plot outline, and a concept for a character with uncanny map-reading skills, I set out to write an adventure story that would both entertain and educate. Freelancing gigs, softball games, and a plethora of August birthdays slowed me down somewhat, but there's been some progress, and I plan to flesh out a script once I get thumbnail sketches from the artist who's been working with me. With luck I'll have more news on this front before Labor Day.
Illustration of Captain Cartography © Steve Wands 2007