A tribute to author, Patricia MacLachlan for the NYTimes Book Review.

Paul and Judy Karasik have collaborated since childhood. They co-created the groundbreaking comics/prose work, “The Ride Together: A Memoir of Autism in the Family”.

My gag cartoons have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, Martha's Vineyard Magazine, and elsewhere.

Personally inscribed prints are available of all cartoons. Contact Paul for info.

"How To Read Nancy" , written in collaboration with Mark Newgarden, is the deconstruction of a single Nancy comic strip to reveal the hidden language of comics. 

Eisner Award, 2018: Best Comics-Related Book of the Year

www.howtoreadnancy.com

New York Times review:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/books/review/latest-graphic-novels.html

New York Review of Books review:

http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2018/03/17/grown-men-reading-nancy/ 

The Comics Journal review:

http://www.tcj.com/reading-how-to-read-nancy/

• • •

"Turn Loose Our Death Rays and Kill Them All!" is a collection that I edited of the complete works of golden age cartoonist, Fletcher Hanks, who R.Crumb called, "A twisted dude." 

Eisner Award, 2008: Best Archival Comics Project of the Year (I Shall Destroy All The Civilized Planets)

Here is a video link about Fletcher Hanks at the Small Press Expo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9ygu6RINc0

• • •

"City of Glass" is an comics adaptation of the novel by Paul Auster created in collaboration with David Mazzuccchelli. It has been cited by The Comics Journal as one of the "Best 100 Comics of the 20th Century."

Here is a video link to the 20th Anniversary panel of: "City of Glass"  at Comic Arts Brooklyn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM9S9cU_xkY

Here is a video link to a tour of an exhibit of original art from "City of Glass" in Pordenone, Italy:

https://vimeo.com/3954509

 • • •

"The Ride Together: A Brother and Sister's Memoir of Autism in the Family," is a comics/prose story of growing up with a sibling with autism co-created with my sister, Judy Karasik.

Here is a link to me and my sister, Judy, talking about "The Ride Together" on NPR's "Talk of the Nation": 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=928744

***

I have produced comics stories for various publications.

Personally inscribed prints are available of all comics and drawings. Contact me for info.

Signed prints of any of these cartoons are available for $300 plus shipping.

I wrote some essays for The New Yorker Encyclopedia of Cartoons including: The Advertising Gag, The Evolution Gag, The Trojan Horse Gag, and The Zombie Gag.

Here is a link to an article in The New Yorker about discovering a long-forgotten mural by Charles Addams:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/07/09/the-addams-family-secret

Here is a link to an essay for The New Yorker about a great Peter Arno cartoon:

http://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/bob-mankoff/the-perfect-cartoon-part-two

Here is a link to an essay about Fletcher Hanks:

"10 Reasons Why Fletcher Hanks Kicks Ass" over at Boing Boing:

http://boingboing.net/2017/01/17/10-reasons-why-fletcher-hanks.html

Here is a link to a book review in comics form of Bill Schelly's autobiography of Harvey Kurtzman:

http://www.tcj.com/big-if/

Here is a link to a review of Chris Ware's "Building Stories":

http://www.tcj.com/reviews/building-stories/

A completely shameless gallery of me with some terrific people in case you need more ammo to convince your Department Head to bring me to your school to teach.

"The Effect of Human Faces in Web Design"

http://blog.usabilla.com/effect-human-faces-web-design/

New England Newspaper and Publishers Association's New England Better Newspapers Competition, 2019

            First Place in “Illustration” category for “Alley’s General Store: A Graphic Report”

Eisner Award, 2018

            Best Comics-Related Book of the Year (How To Read Nancy)

Honorary Degree, 2017

            Master in Comics, Center for Cartoon Studies, White River Junction, Vermont

Eisner Award, 2008

            Best Archival Comics Project of the Year (I Shall Destroy All The Civilized Planets)

Autism Society of America, 2003

Best Literary Work of the Year (The Ride Together)

The Comics Journal

Best Books of 2003 (The Ride Together)

Erlangen Comics Festival, 1998

Max und Moritz Award (City of Glass)

Salo Internacional del Barcelona, 1999

Best Foreign Work of the Year (City of Glass)

The Comics Journal    

The Best Comics of the 20th Century (City of Glass)

I have had over 30 years of classroom experience: School of Visual Arts in New York, The Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont, and for over fifteen years I have been on the faculty at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. I also have regular annual residencies at the Scuola di Comics Internazionale in Italy, The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark, and the EESI school in Angouleme, France. 

My lecture appearances have included Princeton, Wheaton College, Penn State University, Bennington College, Rice University, and the University of Texas, Austin.

I am available for lectures, workshops, curriculum development, bar mitzvahs, and clambakes. 

Dates 2021:

Lecture Dates include:

Penn State, Jonathan Abel’s class

University of Edinburgh, Michelle Keown’s class

University of Texas, Austin.

TheSign Academy, Florence, Italy, Workshop, January

Boston University, “Drawn to Comics” class, spring semester

New York Law Library Book Club, April

EESI school, Angouleme, France, May

RISD Summer Program, Providence RI, June

Center for Cartoon Studies, Graphic Novel Workshop, August

Providence: Rhode Island School of Design, “Comics as Adaptation” class, fall semester.

Dates 2020:

Texas A&M, Texas: Visiting Professor, spring semester

On line, Center for Cartoon Studies, Graphic Novel Workshop, August 3-19

Providence: Rhode Island School of Design, “Comics as Adaptation” class, fall semester.

Lecture Dates include: Loyola University, Rice University, San Francisco State University, Boston University,

Dates 2019:

Jesi, Italy: The Sign, workshop, Feb. 11 & 12

Florence, Italy: The Sign workshop, Feb. 14 & 15

Providence: Rhode Island School of Design, Making Comics class, spring semester, 2019

Edinburgh, Scotland: University of Edinburgh workshop, March 20-27

Meadowlands, N.J.: East Coast Comic Con (with Mark Newgarden, Kaz, Carol Tyler, and Denis Kitchen), May 18 @ 12:30

Angouleme, France: EESI, Graphic Novel Boot Camp, July 4-10

Durham, North Caroline: Durham Comics Fest (with Mark Newgarden), July 13

White River Junction, VT: Center for Cartoon Studies, Graphic Novel Workshop, July 29 - Aug. 9

Providence: Rhode Island School of Design, “Comics as Adaptation” class, fall semester, 2019

Boston: Boston University, “Drawing Into Animation” class, spring semester, 2019

Boston, MA: MICE Comics Festival: Talking about “Nancy” with Mark Newgarden and interviewing Jaime Hernandez: http://www.micexpo.org/

Lecture “Under the Influence of Comics” at WBUR CitySpace Nov. 8 https://www.wbur.org/events/491797/under-the-influence-of-comics-a-look-back-with-paul-karasik

Angouleme, France: EESI, Masters in Comics Workshop: November 25 - Dec. 4

Interview with Alex Dueben at the L.A. Review of Books:

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/it-takes-a-deep-reading-and-an-obsession-an-interview-with-paul-karasik/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoUMTc2NDYzMTg4MjY1NzkyNzQ3MzQyGjE3OTI5M2NmNTJiZTQ0NGE6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AFQjCNEYxRY0Y677YFsc2FnXiDjKamrFcg

"How To Read Nancy" Mark Newgarden and Paul Karasik

WFMU radio with Michael Schelley:

https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/michael-shelley-wfmu-58286/episodes/guests-how-to-read-nancy-autho-23526584

New York Times Book Review: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/books/review/latest-graphic-novels.html?_r=1

Q & A with Tom Heintjes: http://cartoonician.com/the-importance-of-being-ernie-an-interview-with-the-authors-of-how-to-read-nancy/

Q & A with Steve Heller: http://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/can-not-love-nancy-sluggo-ernie-bushmiller/

Here are links to a couple of interviews with me:

"The Daily Crosshatch" I talk about Fletcher Hanks:

http://thedailycrosshatch.com/2007/09/17/interview-paul-karasik-pt-1/

"The Theory of Everything" WFMU (interview starts about 1:05)

https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/31660

Nice things that others have said about me if you need to convince your Department Head, who knows nothing about comics, to have me come to your school:

“Paul has a kind of intelligence combined with earnestness that comes from someplace deep not a recipe book. He is very, very, very intelligent.” 
- Art Spiegelman
Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist, “MAUS: A Survivor’s Tale”

“As a practicing cartoonist, Paul has vast insight into how we read and interpret visual images, and what’s more he is a whiz at explaining how he and other artists use that knowledge to create tell stories. For all his erudition, he's witty, accessible and fun.”

-Professor Louis A. Waldman, The University of Texas at Austin

“He focuses on helping you find your individual voice as a comics creator rather than driving a bunch of jargon into your brain, and he's a real nice guy on top of that.” 
– Tom Toye, Cartoonist

"Brilliant, funny, and authoritative, Paul Karasik gave energetic, discussion-friendly presentations that engaged both students and faculty." 
- Michael Wenthe, American University

“From Garry Trudeau to Art Spiegelman, I have had the honor of sharing a classroom with the greatest cartoonists of our time. I can honestly say that Paul Karasik is second to none in cartooning knowledge, passion, insight, and connecting with an audience. He lectures are spellbinding. And he's a pretty fantastic cartoonist too!” 
- James Sturm, Cartoonist and co-founder the Center for Cartoon Studies

The obligatory resume.

Comics Consulting

Maybe you have a graphic novel idea simmering and need a comics jump-start. Maybe you’re a former student or published cartoonist in need of a comics tune-up. I’ve had over 40 years of experience helping good cartoonist become better and I am now open for consultations.

I am offering comics consultation packages of 4 hour-long sessions at intervals that work for both of us where you share your work and I share my advice and expertise. I can help you focus on the strengths of your work, offer specific suggestions and exercises on how you might make it better, and develop a realistic action plan to move your project forward.

Cost: 4 hour-long sessions for $2000

Interested? Email me at:

paulkarasikcomics@gmail.com

I’ve taught and lectured at the Rhode Island School of Design, School of Visual Arts, Boston University, Princeton University, The Center for Cartoon Studies, the Scuola di Comics Internazionale in Italy, The Animation Workshop in Denmark, and the EESI school in Angouleme, France.

Here is a (very) partial list of hundreds of cartoonists whom I have taught:

Richard McGuire “Here”

K. Woodman Maynard “The Great Gatsby”

R. Sikoryak “Constitution Illustrated”

Adam Griffiths “Washington White”

Paige Braddock “Jane’s World”

Heather Benjamin “Cavegirl Monologue”

Steve Bissette “Swamp Thing”

Jonah Newman “Out of Left Field”

Sarula Bao “The New Yorker”

“If you ever had any interest in taking a comics class, I recommend Paul. He is probably one of the most insightful and all around influential and amazing teachers I’ve ever had...I give his class ten thumbs up, if I only had thumbs for each finger.” 
– Heather Benjamin, Cartoonist