Barabara Slate on How to Do a Graphic Novel

Barabara Slate is "an artist, cartoonist, graphic novelist, comic book creator, and writer. She is one of the few female artists who has created, written, and drawn comics for both DC and Marvel Comics." In 1986 Barbara created 'Angel Love' for DC Comics, an adult-themed series for teenagers. In an exhibition review, The New York Times described her art as "emphatically of our time with its narrative of passion, gun violence, and female assertiveness."

Her textbook, You Can Do a Graphic Novel, was first published in 2010 by Penguin. Barbara recently updated it, so I took the opportunity to interview her at her home in the Hudson Valley (one that she shares with her famed husband, book binder Richard Minsky). Among other things we talk about Barbara's latest work, The Mueller Report Graphic Novel, about stick figures, personal creativity, artistic style, creating compelling characters; about page layout, writer's block, and breaking into the biz, plus loads of other useful advice on how to write/draw/create a successful graphic novel. And then there's a visit from Sparky the dog.