NEW LINKS [10.2.07] I've decided to add three new links here at the top of the website. I've had a forum and Youtube channel for quite some time now, but the DeviantART page is new. Check it out for dozens of illustrations seen nowhere else on the web.
Welcome to my website! Looking for Akiko comics and merchandise? Click here!
Looking to send me an e-mail? Why not take it one step further and post a question or comment at my forum: http://markcrilley.proboards98.com You'll get a much quicker reply, and better yet, other readers will be able to share in the answer. I look forward to hearing from you!
Can't find MIKI FALLS: SPRING at your local bookstore? Buy it online!
AKIKO & THE MISSING MISP COVER ART [4.19.08] Sorry for having taken an extended break from updating the website, friends! I'll try to get back on top of things in the weeks and months ahead.
I'm happy to report that all the work is now done on Akiko and the Missing Misp, the tenth Akiko novel from Random House. I'll be showing sneak peeks of the interior artwork as we get nearer to the publication date (this coming Nov. 11th), but in the meantime here's the final cover art, in which we see the younger versions of Mr. Beeba, Spuckler, Poog and Gax.
MIKI FALLS ON ALA'S "GREAT GRAPHIC NOVEL FOR TEENS" LIST [2.2.08] The American Library Association has put all three eligible Miki Falls books--the ones published last year--on its 2008 "Great Graphic Novels for Teens" list. It's one of only a dozen or so manga titles to make the list. You can see the entire list right here.
GLOWING REVIEW FOR "FLIGHTS OF FANCY" [1.8.08] Matt Brady over at Newsarama.com has given my new Akiko collection a real rave review, declaring the series itself to be "indisputably one of the great all-ages adventure comic book series of all time." You can read the entire review right here, though you'll have to scroll down about a third of the way through the page to get to it. Special thanks to longtime Akiko reader Dan Stroshine for pointing this review out to me!
MIKI FALLS WINTER COMING SOON! [12.17.07] Not too much to report these days, but I did want to make sure everyone knows that the final book in the Miki Falls series, Miki Falls: Winter, hits the bookstore shelves Jan. 1st, about two weeks from now. The completed volumes of Miki Falls represent the equivalent of about 22 issues of a conventional comic book series published over a period of just eight months--close to three issues per month--so it has been for me truly the most productive period of my career so far. My deepest appreciaton to anyone who has supported the series; it's been a thrill to hear from people who have enjoyed reading Miki's story as much as I have creating it.
FLIGHTS OF FANCY: THE EXPANDED EDITION [11.22.07] Sirius Entertainment has released a much-expanded edition of the "Akiko Flights of Fancy" trade paperback, a collection of the short back-up features that were included with most of the 52 issues of the Akiko comic book series. There are a number of things I miss about the work situation I had when Akiko was being published, and foremost among them is the complete artistic freedom Sirius gave me to write and draw pretty much anything I wanted to from one issue to the next. That carefree, "hmm-let's-try-this" spirit is very much in evidence in Flights of Fancy, and I'm delighted at the prospect of this material being rediscovered by way of this new book. In keeping with Akiko's cultish status this new volume is going to be very hard to find, even in specialty comic book stores, so if you're interested I'd urge you to go straight to the source and order it from Cosmic Therapy.
In other news I'd just like to somewhat sheepishly announce that I will no longer be attempting to hold to my 'Updated Every Monday' pledge here on the website. These days I am adding new Youtube videos and Deviantart illustrations at a rate of at least one per week, sometimes more, so I think that's where my internet energies will be focused for the near future. I will keep updating the website whenever there's news to share, but I expect that will be more on the order of twice a month or so. Thanks for your patience!
Cover Art from "Akiko and the Missing Misp"
The Expanded "Flights of Fancy"
Sweet, sweet time off.... ^_^
TWO WEEKS TO THE END OF "MIKI FALLS" [9.16.07] Not much in the way of new pics or info this week; I'm just up to my ears in work, that's all there is to say! Every last scrap of work on Miki Falls: Winter (the fourth and final book in the series) must be done by the end of September, so I've got all engines roaring as I try to finish the last 25 pages this week and next. In the meantime Miki Falls: Autumn hits stores September 25th: next week Tuesday. Sirius Entertainment has told me that the expanded edition of Akiko: Flights of Fancy will hit stores on the very same day, making that day a veritable onslaught of Crilleyness upon the world! The effect is bound to be calamitous, so you all have my condolences. :')
Thanks in advance to anyone who buys either of these books. I greatly appreciate the support!
MANGABLOG: COMPLETE PUBLISHERS WEEKLY INTERVIEW [9.4.07] Brigid Alverson has kindly run the entirety of our interview over at Mangablog.net. This probably constitutes the most complete Miki Falls interview yet, so it's well worth checking out if you're curious about Miki and her origins.
FIRST GLIMPSE: AKIKO AND THE MISSING MISP [8.28.07] I have just completed the manuscript for the 10th Akiko novel from Random House--a time travel story--and am now beginning work on the illustrations. Here is the rough sketch for the front cover in which you will see what Akiko's friends look like 25 years younger!
My quote from the Publishers Weekly article last week became a topic of discussion at Warren Ellis's The Engine:
Click here to see what Warren and other comics professionals had to say about it.
Meanwhile author Neil Cohn wrote at length about my quote over on his blog.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY FEATURES MIKI FALLS [8.22.07] Just wanted to quickly post this link to Brigid Alverson's wonderfully kind feature article in the latest issue of Publishers Weekly.
Also Journalista, the news weblog of The Comics Journal, has pulled a line or two from the article (in which I rather recklessly declare manga to be "the language of this generation"!) and run it as their quote of the day.
Thanks so much, Brigid, for shining a spotlight on Miki Falls!
MORE MIKI FALLS FAN ART [8.20.07] Hi friends, sorry I missed my update last week: I'm in the final push to complete Miki Falls: Winter and time is scarce! There should always be time, though, to show off beautiful artwork by supportive readers. Here is a thumbnail featuring two different renderings of Miki. The one at left is by a young woman who goes by the name of Kitari Blade (and includes "Silence", a character of her own creation). At right is a "Miki meets Bleach" illustration by longtime internet comics reviewer Dave Van Domelen. Thanks, Kitari and Dave, for two fantastic pieces of art!
Special thanks to Comic Pants.com, where Dave Farabee has twice included one of the Miki Falls books in his "Top Five Friday" list.
Next week I'll be back with a first glimpse look at a cover art sketch for "Akiko and the Missing Misp," the tenth Akiko novel from Random House!
"Akiko and the Missing Misp" cover sketch
Art from Kitari and Dave!
GLOWING REVIEWS FOR MIKI [8.6.07] Today was National Review Miki Falls Positively Day, or so it seemed as I was made aware of three different new reviews, all of them with extremely nice things to say about Miki Falls.
First up one of America's most beloved comics writers and reviewers, Tony Isabella, who has reviewed Miki Falls: Spring for the Comics Buyer's Guide (issue #1635). Among many other kind things, Tony had this to say about Miki:
"Beautifully written and drawn, Spring nonetheless
threw me a curve as I started reading it... Crilley’s new work
seemed to be a typical “schoolgirl in love with
unattainable guy” manga-style story. Silly me.
"By the end of the first book, with the reveal of
why handsome Hiro shuns the company of Miki and
others, Miki Falls is likewise revealed to be a
modern mythology with a delicious romantic
center. The nature of this mythology demands I
tiptoe around plot elements. Don’t let my
silence dissuade you from checking out a brilliant new
series by one of comicdom’s best storytellers. Miki Falls: Spring earns the full five Tonys."
Thanks so much, Tony! I really appreciate you endorsing my new project so strongly.
Meanwhile Micheal C. Lorah has followed up Newarama.com's interview a couple months back with a very positive review. You can read the whole thing right here. I was especially pleased with what he had to say about the art:
"Crilley’s art has come a long with since Akiko. The page layouts are more dynamic, making greater use of extreme close-ups and angles to enhance the drama and bring out nuances of the characters’ reactions. Yet the characters retain the sense of originality and humanity that made the most outrageous characters in Akiko feel as real as your best friend. In Miki Falls, nuanced pencil shading gives depth to each panel, and the pages are composed to draw the reader into the characters’ world, making you feel part of what’s occurring. Crilley’s choice to frequently forgo the exclusionary walls of traditional panels gives the images room to spill over into the reader’s imagination."
Thanks, Michael! All illustrators should be so lucky to have a reviewer pay such close attention to their artwork. Finally, the Midwest Book Review had this to say in their review of Miki Falls: Summer:
"The soft black-and-white illustrations perfectly complement this gentle, at times hopeful, and at times heartbreaking story about young love. Highly recommended, as is the first graphic novel "Miki Falls: Spring".
Thanks so much for the support, everyone. It's a real thrill to have this new series so highly regarded and warmly embraced by critics.
FAN ART: SARAH DRAWS MIKI [7.30.07] Check out this amazing illustration from a young woman in Australia by the name of Sarah. I've seen a lot of Miki drawings now, but this one is really exceptional. I'd swear I'd drawn it myself! Thanks for sharing your talent, Sarah!
COMING SOON: PUBLISHERS WEEKLY INTERVIEW [7.30.07] I was interviewed last Friday by Brigid Alverson, the creator of mangablog.net, who is working on an article about Miki Falls for Publishers Weekly. This will be the first time PW has run an article on one of my book series, so I am (needless to say) pretty excited about it! I'll let you all know when it hits the stands and see if I can quote a passage or two here on the website.
SNEAK PEEK: MIKI FALLS AUTUMN [7.23.07] Here's the cover art for the third volume in the Miki Falls series, due in stores in September. As the artwork suggests, Autumn provides the big final confrontations between Reika and our embattled couple. It also drives the story out of the high school romance genre into something altogether bigger and more suspenseful, but I'll say no more about that for the moment...
RAVE REVIEWS FOR MIKI FALLS [updated 7.23.07] While Miki Falls has been positively reviewed by book reviewers such as Kirkus and the School Library Journal (Go here and scroll down for the SLJ review), the comics industry hasn't had much to say so far about my return to comic book storytelling. Happily Greg McElhatton has broken that trend with this incredibly glowing review at readaboutcomics.com. I don't know how Akiko fans will feel about this, but it's music to my ears:
"Crilley’s art has continued to refine itself over the years, and as much as I’ve liked his work on Akiko, Miki Falls is his best creation to date."
Greg also reviewed the book in a blurb form for comicsalliance.com. (Just go there and scroll down a bit to find it.)
Thanks so much, Greg. I really appreciate your enthusiastic support for Miki!
Some of the most vocal support for Miki Falls is coming from libraries. VOYA: The Voice of Youth Advocates (a magazine for Young Adult librarians) had this to say about the series:
"What initially appears to be a typical tale of a girl blindly pursuing an unavailable boy develops into an intriguing, complex story... the description and dialogue flesh out the story and create a sort of hybrid of Japanese- and American-style comics that will appeal to fans of shojo manga and romantic fiction. The series manages to be all these things and more."
Thanks, VOYA, for one of the best reviews yet!
PAGE-O-METER UPDATE: NEARING THE HOME STRETCH! [7.1.07] In celebration of completing all my work on Miki Falls: Autumn(due out October 1st), I've updated my "page-o-meter" to show how close I am to finishing the job.
Some people have got hold of Miki Falls: Summer already and response so far is very positive. Hopefully I'll have some reviews for you by this time next week. Also word has it that Publishers Weekly is going to do an article on me and my books, including both Akiko and Miki Falls. I'll keep you posted!
Art from Sarah!
The Page-O-Meter!
NEW GRAPHICS: BULLETIN BOARD AND ITALIAN BOOKMARK [6.24.07] Hello friends! Sorry my 'updated every Monday' website has been unchanged the last couple Mondays; just catching up on deadlines. To make amends I've added two new graphics this week. First up is a bulletin board for displaying the photos I've been sent by Miki Falls readers. It's such a thrill to see the book reaching readers!
Next is a promotional bookmark being produced by the publishers of an upcoming Italian edition of the Akiko comic book series. I was so thrilled with the classy design they came up I wanted to make sure my readers outside of Italy (ie, pretty much all my readers!) got a peek at it.
And finally, don't forget that...
..."MIKI FALLS: SUMMER" ARRIVES IN BOOKSTORES SUNDAY, JULY 1ST!!!
(Ahem!) Thanks in advance to anyone who buys it. I personally feel it surpasses the first book in most respects. What can I say, I hope you'll agree!
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: LIVE IN LIVONIA [6.3.07] Rebecca Jones covered one of my recent school appearances at Hoover Elementary in Livonia, Michigan for the Observer & Eccentric newspapers. You can view one of the photos at left, and see a couple more--along with the full article--right here. Special thanks to Loren Schnell, who organized my visit to the school.
SWEET 16 MAGAZINE FEATURES MIKI FALLS [5.26.07] I've just had word that the editors of Sweet 16 magazine have selected Miki Falls: Summer (due in stores July 1st) as one just seven books they're recommending as summer reads for 2007.
Meanwhile Mangalife.com has given Miki Falls: Spring a positive review, calling it "smart, funny and endearing." You can read the full review here.
Finally, Akiko reader Susan Brand has pointed out an instance of life imitating art. This Reuters article discusses Japanese sake as a fuels source, just as I did in the Akiko comic story arc "Stranded in Komura." Thanks for spotting this, Susan!
NEW SECTION: READER REVIEWS [5.21.07] Scroll down to check out some of the kind words readers have sent me about Miki Falls: Spring.
MIKI FALLS AUTUMN: PAGE ONE [5.14.07] Things are going to be pretty hectic in the coming weeks as I hustle to meet deadlines on Miki Falls: Autumn, so please forgive me if I miss a Monday update here and there!
Speaking of Autumn, here's a sneak peek at the opening page final art. I'm doing my best to make this volume really capture the season it's named after!
"I got Miki Falls: Spring like about two weeks ago I think.... well..... it's rrreeeaalllyyyy GREAT! In the end i was wondering who the real Miki is..... i am really hoping that summer will come out soon....."
~BiBi
"I got your book and it was super. It was more of a book than a manga and think that is why I love it so much and I would have never thought that a guy would be a love person I think it is super duper."
~Skye
"I GOT YOUR BOOK MARK!!! IT WAS FANTAAAASSSTIC. As my sister commented as well, "It was the shiz."
~Kris
"omg mark i got ur book thursday!!! lets just say i know ppl who know ppl at the book store!^^ and it was really really really amazing!...omg so good!!! lmao i cant stop going on about it!!"
~Lacee
"I absolutely loved everything about Miki Falls. The artwork, the story, and even just they way everything was spaced out made this a masterpiece."
~Ashley
"This book is absolutely beautiful."
~Bobbie
"I'm in the process of reading your book which is amazing, really. I left it on the kitchen counter and my younger sister confessed she couldn't stop reading it when she picked it up."
(And later...)
"I have to tell you I finished Spring and I was speechless. Can't wait to read Summer. I loved the preview of the next book and made me want to read it all the more."
~Heidy
"I loved it Mark! It was great to actually see everything that you've been demonstrating for us on the youtube vids in print. Also, Yumi totally rocked and her outfits were really cute. Sorry if I'm jumping from topic to topic. The next is the secret. I would never have guessed a secret that big was in the basement. Well, now that we know, let the fun begin. YAY!!! Any-who, can't wait for new twists and turns. I love those!!!"
~Miyuki-chan
"I just wanted to say thank you for signing my
book and that i have now officially read the Miki Falls book three times
through!!! i loved the book!! and my brother Alex said that he is almost
done and can't put it down."
~Ashley
MIKI FALLS IN STORES NOW! [5.01.07] Sorry I missed my Monday update this week, but here's a couple of quick links. Newsarama.com kindly gave me my first comics-related interview in many moons; don't miss it since it includes several never before seen pages from Miki Falls:
Meanwhile HarperTeenFanLit.com invited me to write their author blog entry for the week. If you are 18 or under I would be eternally in your debt for registering (only takes a sec) and posting a comment:
I will likely be back with another update later in the week!
YOUTUBE VIDEO #10: WHAT IS MIKI FALLS REALLY ABOUT? [4.23.07] This video tells you, at long last, everything I'm willing to say about the plot of Miki Falls. There is nothing in here that I would call a "spoiler", but if you really don't want to know anything more about the book before you read it, then you might want to skip this one.
KIRKUS GIVES MIKI FALLS A RAVE REVIEW [4.01.07] I am thrilled to say that Kirkus Reviews has given me the most glowing review I've ever received. Here's a sample:
"A young girl’s journey into love evolves with the seasons in the stellar first volume of a quartet. (...) Complex characters combine with masterful, expressive art culminating in an arresting new series for teen readers. The soft, gentle romance between Miki and Hiro is brilliantly juxtaposed with the darker elements of the story creating a salient tension between the two, and crescendos in the next volume entitled Summer."
Mystery reviewer, whoever you are, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
And while the blogosphere has not exactly been abuzz about Miki, one blogger--who goes by the name Lucy Anne--has weighed in with a very positive review indeed. You can check it out right here.
LOOKING FOR MY EARLIER YOUTUBE VIDEOS? I've moved them to The Gallery.
Fan Art by Bianca Tseng
BOOKLIST REVIEW: ADVANCE PRAISE FOR MIKI FALLS [3.9.07] Here's an excerpt from the Booklist review of Miki Falls: Spring:
"Crilley’s manga-inspired illustrations are terrific. Ranging from crisscrossing sequential panels to spot art, varied in size and artfully connected to further the plot, the pictures cleverly instill the story with abundant emotion, humor, and drama. An overlay of light shading and almost delicately rendered facial features and details give the book a softer feel than much manga."
Since reviewers of my Akiko rarely have anything to say about the illustrations, it's a real pleasure to have the art singled out like this. Here's hoping other reviewers feel similarly!
MIKI FALLS NOMINATED! [2.27.07] This just in, as they say:
"This is the second year for the Young Adult Library Services Association’s (YALSA) committee: Great Graphic Novels for Teens. This committee creates an annual list of recommended graphic novels for teens to encourage young adults, ages twelve to eighteen, to read for pleasure, and to aid librarians and teachers in selecting graphic novels for this age group. The first annual list can be seen at the committee’s webpage:
"Your books, Miki Falls: Spring by Mark Crilley and Miki Falls: Summer have been nominated for the new list which will come out in January of 2008."
Wow! The cool thing is this is almost certainly based only on the rough versions of the books; I'll bet they haven't even seen the final art yet. Libraries are a huge part of my life, so it's especially nice to get this kind of recognition.
READER SPOTLIGHT: BIANCA "KAIAMI" TSENG [2.18.07] I was absolutely floored by an incredible piece of fan art that came to me a few weeks back, and I'm sure you will be too. Reader Bianca Tseng, who also goes by the name Kaiami, sent me this lovely illustration of Akiko, completely with expert coloring and carefully applied white gouache highlights. I was so impressed with it I put it right above my work desk, just next to Priscilla Wu's illustration of Akiko and Poog. What a lucky guy I am, to have such talented (and generous!) readers. Thanks so much, Kaiami!
IN THE WORKS: A NEW EDITION OF 'FLIGHTS OF FANCY' [2.18.07] Sirius Entertainment is working on a new expanded edition of 'FLIGHTS OF FANCY', the trade paperback that collects my comic strips and back-up features from the Akiko series. Watch this space for further updates!
THE STUDENTS MADE ME DO IT: "MR. SPUCKBEEB"! [2.12.07] Last Thursday I had the pleasure of a return invitation to speak at Waterford Village Elementary. During one of my presentations a young woman asked if I could draw a combination of two characters. The result: Mr. Spuckbeeb!
For more photos from the visit, click on over to my blog.
A PUBLISHING FIRST: THE PAGE-O-METER! [1.28.07] In celebration of having passed the halfway point in the completion of Miki Falls, I've created an extremely silly bar graph to show readers (and, truth to tell, myself) how close I am to finishing the approximately 665 pages that will comprise the four books in the series. Just click the thumbnail and scroll, scroll, scroll!
In related news, the publishing schedule of Miki Falls has been modified slightly: The first book, "Spring", comes out this May. The second book, "Summer", comes out (quite fittingly) in July.
Students at Waterford Village Elementary (And the Notorious "Mr. Spuckbeeb")
The Miki Falls "Page-O-Meter"
Pg. 50 of Miki Falls: Summer
TEENS READ TOO.COM INTERVIEW [2.12.07] Now that I'm working on a project officially aimed at ages twelve and up, I'm starting to connect with a large teen readership for the first time. Jennifer Wardrip, of TeensReadToo.com, kindly interviewed me for their site and asked some pretty darned interesting questions, several of which I've never been asked before. Click here to check out the interview. Better yet, click here to explore the whole site, which is well worth a good, long visit.
BATTLE OF THE LAYOUTS! [2.4.07] One of the things that has made Miki Falls exciting for me as a comic book creator is that it has allowed me to begin using a new style of laying out pages. I thought I could make the differences clear to others (and myself) by showing one Miki Falls page in two forms: The page as it actually appears, and the page as it might have appeared if I'd used the traditional layout style I was more used to.
At left is a page from the second book in the series. It's among the more interesting layouts in the book, but by no means exceptional. It attempts to use as few panels as possible to convey the scene, allowing for--I hope--a page that is more unified, more of a single composition than a series of mini-compositions, each sequestered in its own panel. Note how there is almost a cinematic "zooming in" feeling as your eye moves from the distant scene to the close up.
An interesting thing happened when I began experimenting with this style of page layout: I found that word balloons often could be placed in a single, flowing line, guiding the reader through the page, ensuring that even a comic book novice is never confused as to what panel should be read next. (I know as a comic reader that the last thing I want, when engrossed in a compelling scene, is to be wrestling with the mechanics of what comes next and worrying that maybe I've chosen the wrong order!)
On the right is the same page, arranged in a more conventional, "panel after panel" way. Admittedly, I have been a bit extreme in throwing the text and word balloons around in a way that's almost deliberately confusing. But I've been gulity of such haphazard text placement in the past, no doubt! And yes, there is something gained by repeating the figures in the last two panels: a sense of stillness that is missing in the first layout. Rest assured I do make use of such "panel after panel" effects in Miki Falls, and, indeed, that many pages are laid out as traditionally as any I've ever done.
Still, I've found the process of creating these new "unified" page layouts exhilarating, and it has come as a pleasant surprise to me that-- after more than ten years in the business--I've been able to reinvent myself as a comic creator in this way.
The Same Page, with a More Traditional Layout
RECENT SCHOOL APPEARANCES [1.21.07] Last week I had a blast visiting schools in Utica, Michigan. Live drawing demonstrations have always been a part of my public speaking, but it was only within the last year or so that I started doing at least one full color illustration at each venue. I was pleased with how this one came out. Special thanks to Judi Mikel, who arranged my visits, and to all the teachers and students at the various schools who sat patiently while I blathered on about this, that, and the other thing!
You can check out several more photos from the visits over at my blog.
READER SPOTLIGHT: PRISCILLA WU [1.8.07] Happy New Year, everyone! I took a little time off from the website over the holidays, but now I want to get back to having something new here every Monday. I'd like to start a new 'reader spotlight' feature in which I say a special thank you to readers who have been especially kind to me over the years. I can think of no one better to start with than Priscilla Wu, who is truly one of the most dedicated readers I've ever had.
Priscilla took me up on my 'free sketch' offer, but went one step further and mailed me this lovely full-color illustration of Akiko and Poog to make it a trade. I promise you I got the better part of the bargain! Thanks so much, Priscilla, for all your support and encouragement. I've really enjoyed hearing from you all these years.
MIKI FALLS: CREATING THE ART [12.18.06] It's no exaggeration to say that I've put more work into Miki Falls than any comic I've ever made. Each book was roughed out in advance start to finish, with many of the 'rough' pages approaching a publishable level of detail and polish. At right you can see all the work that went into producing a single page, and this wasn't even one of the really time-consuming ones!
School Presentation Sketch
"Akiko and Poog", by Priscilla Wu
The Making of a Single 'Miki Falls' Page
Thanks so much for coming to visit my website. Do drop me a line at my forum:
I'd love to hear your thoughts about my books and comics.
WARNING: Due to the number of e-mails I receive, it often takes several months for me to reply! Posting at the forum (use the link above) is a much better way of reaching me.
But if it's something you'd rather not have other people read, click here to send me e-mail.
[NOTE: To cut down on spam I try not to put my e-mail address online; if the link fails to work, you can type out my e-mail address by putting mark next to @ next to markcrilley.com.]
