The Cupertino Courier

Community

Youngsters draw inspiration from comic book publisher

By Erin Hussey

Using No. 2 yellow pencils, a group of teenagers sit in silence drawing and writing about cyborgs, unicorns and mythic superheroes.

"It's about a guardian of the universe that goes around and 'überly' pawns the bad guys," says Jareth Struckle of Sunnyvale, about his literary creation.

Jason, along with 24 other teens from Sunnyvale, Cupertino and other cities, attended a comic book workshop led by San Francisco artist, writer and publisher Oliver Chin. The event, held Jan.18, is one of the many programs the Sunnyvale Library provides for teens.

"The goal today is for you to be your own comic book mastermind," says Chin. Chin, who has written a variety of graphic novels including his most recent children's book, The Year of the Pig: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac, travels to libraries throughout the Bay Area encouraging teens to tap into their creative wavelengths.

"There is a lot lamented about in public school education with an obsession with testing," Chin says. "Arts education has gone by the wayside and there is little room for creative thinking because it is not tested. I'm not a teacher and I'm not on the board of education, but I've heard it from enough different sources."

As a child, Chin bought comics, reading them and re-reading them until they fell apart. He would also use them to imitate and help develop his own work. Even when he became a student at Harvard University and the editorial comic writer for the school's newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, he continued using comics for motivation.

"I would still go back to the local stores and pick up some for really the same reasons I did as a kid," he says. "I liked the art work and I liked the fantasy tales."

After graduating magna cum laude in social studies from Harvard, Chin worked for a variety of publishing companies including Simon and Schuster, PC World Magazine and Biz Publisher. He wrote two graphic novels: 9 of 1: A Window to the World and The Tao of Yao: Insights from Basketball's Brightest Big Man. Then, after his first son was born in 2002, he realized he wanted to write and publish children's books.

"My goals are to come out with really wonderful illustrated books which will appeal to kids and even people like us," he says. In 2004 he founded the publishing company Immedium, "a place where an idea can still change the world."

Besides running Immedium and writing the children's Chinese Zodiac animal series, Chin is interested in educating the next generation of comic book writers and illustrators.

"There is generally no education or awareness building for kids on comics," says Chin. "They watch TV, the see the animated versions of these characters and that's pretty much it."

Sunnyvale librarian Jo Ann Rees agrees, which is why she asked Chin to come.

"There is just something about comics that appeals to most young people," she says. Rees adds that a number of teens come into the library to read comics. "They are fun, they are exciting, they are better than television because they are reading."

By the end of the workshop, most of Chin's young apprentices hadn't finished their comics. But, according the Chin, coming up with an idea and learning how to get it down on paper is all the students needed.

As for Jason Struckle, he knows how he wants the Rise of Infinity to end.

"In the end, when he is crazy, he saves the world," Jason says. "Then I think they are going to have a party. You know, kind of like a surprise ending. But don't tell anyone."

For more information on Oliver Chin and his upcoming comic workshops, visit www.immedium.com.