The Literary Studies Shelf

The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Graphic Literature
Kelcey Ervick, editor
Tom Hart, editor
Rose Metal Pres
PO Box 1956, Brookline, MA 02446
https://rosemetalpress.com
9781941628294,$24.95, 296pp

https://www.amazon.com/Metal-Press-Field-Graphic-Literature/dp/194162829X

Synopsis: The fourth volume in the immensely popular Field Guide series and=
collabortively compiled and co-edited by Tom Hart and Kelcey Ervick, "The = Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Graphic Literature: Artists and Writers on = Creating Graphic Narratives, Poetry Comics, and Literary Collage" gives rea= ders unprecedented insight into the techniques of 28 of today's most innova= tive creators of poetry comics, graphic narratives, and image-text hybrids.

With original craft essays, corresponding exercises, and full-color example=
s of their work, each contributor offers reflection and instruction informe=
d by their own methods and processes. From mark-making and page composition=
to deeper renderings of place, character, and voice, this much-needed guid=
e to the field illuminates and demystifies the process of creating image+te=
xt work.

Co-editors Kelcey Ervick and Tom Hart also provide a historical introductio=
n that links today's graphic literature to visual storytelling of the past = and helpful pedagogical resources to round out the volume. "The Rose Metal = Press Field Guide to Graphic Literature" is a book for writers who want to = make graphic narratives and literary collage, illustrators and comics artis=
ts exploring new approaches to storytelling, teachers encouraging their stu= dents to work with image and text, and anyone curious about what one contri= butor calls "comics magic."

"The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Graphic Literature" features contribut= ions by: Justine Mara Andersen, Oliver Baez Bendorf, Leonie Brialey, Thi Bu=
i, Sharon Lee De La Cruz, David Dodd, Lee, Arwen Donahue, Trinidad Escobar,=
Naoko Fujimoto, Marnie Galloway, Lauren Haldeman, Tom Hart, Mira Jacob, Ke= ith Knight, Aidan Koch, Matt Madden, Mita Mahato, Deborah A. Miranda, Josh = Neufeld, Dustin Parsons, Zeke Pena, Nick Francis Potter, Kristen Radtke, Sc= ott Roberts, Alexander Rothman, Eleni Sikelianos, Bianca Stone, and Lawrenc=
e Sutin.

Critique: Exceptionally well organized and presented, "The Rose Metal Press=
Field Guide to Graphic Literature: Artists and Writers on Creating Graphic=
Narratives, Poetry Comics, and Literary Collage" will be of particular int= erest to readers studying the art of the essay, literary criticism, and gra= phic art storytelling. "The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Graphic Literat= ure" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional,=
community, college, and university library Graphic Literary Studies collec= tions and supplemental Visual Arts curriculum lists.

Editorial Note #1: Kelcey Ervick (https://kelceyervick.com) is the author o=
f the graphic memoir, The Keeper (Avery, 2022). Her previous award- winning=
books are The Bitter Life of Bozena Nemcova, a text and image biographical=
collage, and two works of fiction, Liliane's Balcony (Rose Metal Press, 20= 13) and For Sale by Owner (Kore Press, 2011). Her comics have been publishe=
d widely, including in The Washington Post, The Believer, and Lit Hub, and = two featured comics series of hers have appeared in The Rumpus. She has a P= h.D. from the University of Cincinnati and is a professor of English at Ind= iana University South Bend, where she teaches creative writing, comics, and=
literary collage.

Editorial Note: Tom Hart (https://www.tomhart.net) is the author/artist of = The New York Times #1 bestselling graphic memoir Rosalie Lightning (St. Mar= tin's Press, 2016) and of The Art of the Graphic Memoir (St. Martin's Griff= in, 2018). He is the executive director of The Sequential Artists Workshop,=
an organization and school for comics and graphic novels in Gainesville, F= lorida, which also offers extensive online courses. Before founding SAW, To=
m was a core instructor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City for 1=
0 years.

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Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
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Midwest Book Review

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