Jeff Smith (cartoonist)
Jeff Smith | |
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Eisner Awards |
Jeff Smith (born February 27, 1960)[1] is an American cartoonist. He is best known as the creator of the self-published comic book series Bone.
Early life
Jeff Smith was born in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania[1] to William Earl Smith and Barbara Goodsell.[3] He grew up in Columbus, Ohio.[4]
Smith learned about cartooning from comic strips,
Smith has cited
Smith says the earliest forerunner drawings of what later became Bone and his cousins occurred when he was about five, and sitting in his living room drawing, and he drew what looked like an old C-shaped telephone
Smith graduated in 1978 from
Career
After graduating from college, Smith and his two friends, Jim Kammerud and Marty Fuller, started an animation studio called Character Builders Inc. Their first paid job was producing a 60-second animated opening for the TV series
In 1991, Smith launched his company, Cartoon Books, in order to publish the series.
In 1994 Smith created an original cover for Dan DeBono's Indy: The Independent Comic Guide (issue 13), and was interviewed to help to promote his and other alternative comics. Two additional volumes, Stupid, Stupid Rat Tails and Rose, collect a number of Bone prequel comics created by Smith and his collaborators.
In 1995 French publisher Delcourt acquired the rights to translate Bone into French. The translator of the first four French volumes was Alain Ayroles who would be inspired by Smith's storytelling and go on to write the very successful Garulfo series, among others.[15]
In 2003, Smith began work for
In 2007,
Smith released the first issue of RASL, "a stark, sci-fi series about a dimension-jumping art thief with personal problems", in February, 2008. A six-page preview was shown on the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con. Originally intending RASL to be released in an oversized format, Smith consulted with retailers who unanimously cautioned him against the unconventional size.[17][18] Smith later self-published RASL as a standard-sized, ad-free, black and white comic book. The first trade paperback, titled The Drift, is in stores in the originally intended oversized format.
Smith's art was featured in a pair of museum shows in Columbus in mid-2008: "Jeff Smith: Bone and Beyond" at the
In 2009, Smith was featured in
In September that same year, Toon Books, the children's book line launched by cartoonist Art Spiegelman and New Yorker art editor Françoise Mouly, released Little Mouse Gets Ready, a 32-page children's graphic novel written by Smith and aimed at very young "emerging readers". In a February 2009 Newsarama interview, Smith noted that the book featured another character Smith created in his childhood, "a little gray mouse with a little red vest".[21][22]
In March 2013, Smith said his next project would be a webcomic series called Tüki: Save the Humans, which tells the story of the first human to leave Africa.[23][24] The web publication began in November 2013[25] and the print version was first released in July 2014.[26] The fourth issue was delayed due to a hand injury, sustained by Smith,[27] but after its release in February 2016 the series was put on hiatus in June 2016 due to the need to rework the strip.[28]
Smith served on the board of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization founded in 1986 chartered to protect the First Amendment rights of the comics community, from 2013[29] to 2018.[30]
Smith helped found the annual Cartoon Crossroads Columbus festival, which debuted in 2015. He serves as artistic director of the convention.[31]
Personal life
Smith lives in Columbus, Ohio,[10][32] with his wife and business manager, Vijaya Iyer.[6][33]
On August 13, 2023, Smith suffered a cardiac arrest. As a result, the remainder of his book tour was cancelled.[34][35]
Awards and accolades
For his work on Bone, Smith has received numerous awards, among them ten Eisner Awards and eleven Harvey Awards. In 1995 and 1996 he won the National Cartoonists Society's award for Comic Books.[36]
In 2022 Tuki: Fight for Fire was included in the American Library Association's list of the Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List.[37]
Eisner Awards
- 1993 Eisner Award for Best Humor Publication[38]
- 1994 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story (for "The Great Cow Race"; Bone #7-11)[39]
- 1994 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series[39]
- 1994 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist[39]
- 1994 Eisner Award for Best Humor Publication[39]
- 1995 Eisner Award for Best Humor Publication[40]
- 1995 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist: Humor[40]
- 1995 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series[40]
- 1998 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist: Humor[41]
- 2005 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint (for Bone One Volume Edition)[42]
- 2014 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint (for RASL)[43]
Harvey Awards
- 1994 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)[44]
- 1994 Harvey Award Special Award for Humor[44]
- 1994 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work (for The Complete Bone Adventures. Reissued in color as Bone: Out from Boneville; [Scholastic Corporation])[44]
- 1995 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)[45]
- 1996 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)[46]
- 1997 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)[47]
- 1999 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist), for his body of work in 1998, including Bone[48]
- 2000 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)[49]
- 2003 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)[50]
- 2005 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)[51]
- 2005 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work: Bone: One Volume Edition[51]
Nominations
- 1993 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist[38]
- 1995 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue (for Bone #16: "Eyes of the Storm")
- 1995 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Item (for Bone figurine, shared with Randy Bowen)[40]
- 1996 Eisner Award for Best Title for Younger Readers[52]
- 1998 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series[41]
- 1998 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Product (for Bone Red Dragon cold-cast statue, shared with Randy Bowen)[41]
- 1998 Eisner Award for Best Comics Publication for a Younger Audience[41]
- 1999 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Product/Item (for Phoney Bone inflatable)[48]
- 2003 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album Reprint (for Bone vol. 8: Treasure Hunters)[50]
- 2004 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist[53]
- 2005 Eisner Award for Best Comics Publication for a Younger Audience[42]
References
- ^ a b c Biography: Jeff Smith Archived 2009-03-16 at the Wayback Machine. Scholastic. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ Tom (February 27, 2009). "Happy Birthday Jeff!!!" Archived 2010-04-05 at the Wayback Machine. Boneville.
- Bone: Eyes of the Storm. Graphix/Scholastic Books.
- ^ Szadkowski, Joseph; Smith, Jeff (June 16, 2007). "Mix of tradition, fantasy comics pays off for artist". The Washington Times.
- ^ a b "About Jeff Smith" Archived 2013-07-12 at the Wayback Machine. Boneville. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE and the Changing Face of Comics(Documentary). Mills James Productions.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-881390-46-6, pp. 7, 17.
- The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. July 21, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2009.
- ISBN 978-1-59307-441-8, p.19.
- ^ a b Candy Brooks, "Two cartoonists from Class of '78 are named distinguished alumni" Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine, ThisWeek Worthington, August 27, 2008 (retrieved January 27, 2009).
- ^ "Distinguished Alumni Award of Worthington Schools" Archived 2014-04-25 at the Wayback Machine. Worthington City Schools. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ French, Kristin M. (October 2, 2001). "Comic man returns to roots" Archived 2009-03-15 at the Wayback Machine. The Lantern. Retrieved January 27, 2009.
- Columbus Dispatch.
- ^ Arnold, Andrew (September 17, 2004). "No Bones About It". Time magazine.
- ^ "Alain Ayroles - Biographie". FNAC. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Jennifer M. Contino. "Jeff Smith: Bone comics, games & Shazam". Archived from the original on 2009-03-15. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
- ^ Burns, Ian (April 29, 2010). "RASL #1-7 review by Ian Burns" The Comics Journal.
- ^ "It Came Out on Wednesday, presented by comixology" episode 19 interview with Jeff Smith Archived 2008-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Exhibitions: Jeff Smith: Bone and Beyond Archived 2008-08-01 at the Wayback Machine at Wexner Center website.
- ^ The Cartoonist Archived 2012-08-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ "Jeff Smith Does New Children’s Graphic Novel". Toon Books press release. January 23, 2009.
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (February 3, 2009). "Jeff Smith - From Bone to Little Mouse". Newsarama.
- Johnston, Rich (March 31, 2013). "Jeff Smith’s New Comic – Tüki Save the Humans, A Free Webcomic". Bleeding Cool.
- ^ "CBR TV @ WC13: Jeff Smith on "Bone," "RASL" & "Tüki Save the Humans". Comic Book Resources. April 4, 2013.
- ^ "ICv2: First Collection of Jeff Smith's 'Tuki'". ICv2. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ComicsBeat.com. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ "Jeff Smith Delays Tuki Save the Humans #4 Due To Hand Injury". Newsarama. April 27, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ "Tuki Hiatus". Boneville.com. 30 June 2016. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ MacDonald, Heidi (October 2, 2013). "Jeff Smith Joins the CBLDF Board of Directors". The Beat. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ Bunge, Nicole (August 30, 2018). "New President, Officers at CBLDF". ICv2. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ Cavna, Michael. "‘Bone’ cartoonist aims to help create the South by Southwest of comics," Washington Post (Oct. 14, 2016).
- ISBN 0-439-82769-8, p.6.
- ^ Rogers, Aventa (May 8, 2013). "Superheroes Aside: JUDD WINICK Makes Dream Career Switch with HILO". Newsarama.
- Johnston, Rich (August 19, 2023). "Jeff Smith Cancels Book Tour After Cardiac Arrest". Bleeding Cool. Archivedfrom the original on August 19, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ Glosan, Kathleen (August 19, 2023). "Special Announcement". Facebook. Archived from the original on August 19, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ List of Comic Book Award winners at National Cartoonists Society website.
- ^ "2022 Best Graphic Novels for Adults". American Library Association. 25 April 2021. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ a b Eisner Awards for 1993. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Eisner Awards for 1994. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Eisner Awards for 1995. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Eisner Awards for 1998. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ a b Eisner Awards for 2005. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ Eisner Awards for 2014. Comic Con 2014 Eisner Awards Winners. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
- ^ a b c Harvey Award winners for 1994 Archived 2008-07-19 at the Wayback Machine. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ Harvey Award winners for 1995 Archived 2010-07-16 at the Wayback Machine. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ Harvey Award winners for 1996 Archived 2010-11-09 at the Wayback Machine. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ Harvey Award winners for 1997 Archived 2010-11-09 at the Wayback Machine. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ a b Harvey Award winners for 1999 Archived 2010-11-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Harvey Award winners for 2000 Archived 2010-11-09 at the Wayback Machine. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ a b Harvey Award winners for 2003 Archived 2010-11-10 at the Wayback Machine. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ a b Harvey Award winners for 2005 Archived 2010-11-09 at the Wayback Machine. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ Eisner Awards for 1996. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
- ^ Eisner Awards for 2004. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
External links
- Official website
- Jeff Smith at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Jeff Smith at IMDb
- WelcomeToBoneville.com—unofficial Jeff Smith/Bone community forum
- Robinson, Tasha (May 31, 2000). "Interview: Jeff Smith". The A.V. Club.
- Burns, Ian (April 29, 2010). "RASL #1–7 review by Ian Burns". The Comics Journal.