SHELLING OUT BIG BUCKS
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Creator awards $10,000 Grant to Minnesota Cartoonist
Like many boys who grew up in the nineties, Lars Martinson was a devoted fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He bought the comic books and action figures, watched the television show, and went to the movies.
“I spent a small fortune on Ninja Turtle merchandise” said Lars with a smile, “Never did I imagine I’d actually see a return on that investment!”
But recently he did. Lars was awarded a $10,000 publishing grant from the Xeric Foundation, an organization founded by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Peter Laird. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles started as a self-published comic book, and in a nod to his roots, Laird established the Xeric Foundation in 1992 to help foster the publishing ambitions of other comic book creators. Lars is one of five cartoonists selected to receive the prestigious grant this fall.
The grant was awarded for Lars’ graphic novel Tonoharu: Part One. It tells the story of a group of foreigners living in southern Japan, where Lars worked as an assistant English teacher from 2003 to 2006.
“I’ve often found it difficult to describe my experience in Japan to those who have never been there, because there’s no common frame of reference.” said Lars, “I hope that the interplay of words and pictures in Tonoharu can more effectively convey the joys and frustrations of living there as a foreigner.”
Other than a connection to Japan, does Tonoharu share anything in common with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
“Well, not really” said Lars with a laugh, “But I hope that it proves to be as successful.”
The first part of Tonoharu will be available May 2008. For further details, visit Lars’ website at http://larsmartinson.com
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DRAWN FROM EXPERIENCE
A Minnesota Cartoonist’s Life in Japan
Imagine living in a rural area where you’re unable to communicate with those around you, trying to do a job that you are in no way trained to do.
From 2003 to 2006, cartoonist Lars Martinson did just that. Lars participated in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (or “JET”) Program, which seeks to foster international understanding at primary and secondary schools in Japan.
Lars worked as an assistant English teacher in a small town in southern Japan. As the only JET Program participant in his area, he taught a total of 1800 students ranging in age from six to sixteen, seeing each class just once a month. With an educational background in graphic design, Lars had no previous teaching experience before going to Japan.
“Preparing different lessons for such a wide age group was a real nightmare at first. It took about a year before I felt like I had any idea of what I was doing.” Lars said. “But despite those early struggles, it really was a wonderful experience, and one of the most meaningful periods of my life.”
Lars decided early on that the experience would serve as an interesting basis for a comic book, and began work on a four-part graphic novel entitled Tonoharu.
“I’ve often found it difficult to describe my experience in Japan to those who have never been there, because there’s no common frame of reference.” said Lars, “I hope that the interplay of words and pictures in Tonoharu can more effectively convey the joys and frustrations of living abroad.”
This fall Lars received a $10,000 grant to publish Tonoharu: Part One from the Xeric Foundation, an organization founded by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Peter Laird.
“When I was a kid I spent a small fortune on Ninja Turtle merchandise” said Lars with a laugh, “Never did I imagine I’d actually see a return on that investment.”
The first part of Tonoharu will be available May 2008. For further details, visit Lars’ website at http://larsmartinson.com
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THE FUTURE IS IN THE PAST
American Cartoonist finds Inspiration in Traditional Japanese Art
In 1833, the great Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai wrote about his artistic development. Although seventy-three years old at the time, his ambitions were far-reaching; he predicted that by the time he was 110, his artistic skills would be so great that “every line will surely have a life of its own.”
Hokusai may have been overly optimistic about his own lifespan (he died at the age of 89), but in the opinion of Minnesota cartoonist Lars Martinson, he achieved the level of mastery to which he aspired. And Lars would like nothing more than to follow in his footsteps, albeit in a medium that didn’t even exist in Hokusai’s time: comic books.
“Comics have a lot in common with Hokusai’s work.” Lars said. “The economy of line that is a staple of comics was pioneered in the ink drawings of Japan.”
But while Lars sees similarities between the two art forms, he feels that the evolution of comics has, in many ways, been a step backwards.
“Only very rarely do comics approach the elegance and vitality found in traditional Japanese line art.” Lars said, “Cartoonists could learn a lot by studying masters like Hokusai. In the words of [Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist] Art Spiegelman, ‘The Future of Comics is in the Past.’”
This April, Lars will pursue his interest in traditional Japanese art at its source. He has been granted a two-year research scholarship from the Japanese Government to study at Shikoku University. Lars’ research will focus specifically on calligraphy.
“Calligraphy is a great place to start, because it is line art at its most basic form. I have no doubt that this study will serve as a great foundation for my development as a cartoonist.” Lars said.
Lars’ first graphic novel, Tonoharu: Part One, will be available nationwide May 2008. For further details, visit Lars’ website at http://larsmartinson.com
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