On Monday, the sixth chapter of HABIBI saw completion. Each time I finish a chapter, I print and bind a set of photocopies for easy reference &
editing. And I tally the page count, which now reaches exactly 500! Already the stack of photocopies on flimsy paper is catching up with BLANKETS.
It’s an important mark in the book’s production. The end of the second act. On to the third and final act – the last three chapters -
and fortunately they’re all shorter than the bulky hundred page chapters that filled out the middle of the book.
I’ll be leaving on a trip on the fourth of July to visit family in Wisconsin and tinker with some rewrites on the book’s finale.
And as noted before, I’ll be in Chicago for the American Library Association’s annual conference giving a talk with Neil Gaiman and Terry Moore
about censorship in comics. “My These Novels Certainly Are … GRAPHIC!” Monday, July 13, 1:30 PM at McCormick Place.
Looking forward to your comments and updating you when I return!
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July 2nd, 2009 at 11:00 pm
That is nothing less than stunning. This is going to be such a beautiful book—worth being patient over
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:28 am
gorgeous. I cannot wait to see the final book.
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:49 am
Fantastic going! Is there any hints as to how you’ve gotten the story for Habibi together? Is it a story you came up with all by yourself, or is it a well known oriental fairy-tale? I’d be interested in informations about that part of the process. Good luck with the next couple of pages, I’m very anxious to see the finished thing. The previews so far do look stunning.
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:32 am
Congratulations on this milestone Craig! Have a great time in Chicago and good luck with the last three chapters!
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:39 am
the detail on some of these pages is incredible. I also agree this is going to a beautiful book.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:09 am
I’m sooooo excited! Woot woot!
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:23 am
It looks AMAZING, Craig, I cannot wait to read it.
Have a good trip and oh! I love that song from the Proclaimers too.
(just to be the man who walked 1000 miles to fall down @ your door)
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:06 pm
hope you have a good holiday. i cannot wait for this book to come out. any chance you’ll be doing a book tour with habibi to denver? haha i would love to meet you.
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Yippie! Can’t wait till it comes out
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:54 pm
holy cannoli.
i hope the next three chapters go smoothly!
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Craig,
What size page is the artwork drawn on?
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
This looks super-awesome–can’t wait. I’m also delighted to hear you’ll be at ALA–I can’t make it this year, but we librarians eat you up nom nom chomp. Have fun!
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Your work is unbelievable. This book is gonna be fantastic. Can’t wait!
July 4th, 2009 at 2:25 am
That’s good news! Have a good rest and prepare for the last part of this race!
July 4th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Wow.
Just wow.
July 4th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
+6= …
love your sense of humour craig.
those watery frames look lush. blankets continues to nourish me.
just wanted to wave at you from england. xx
July 5th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
You set the bench mark for the rest of us! Big claps from Wales
July 5th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
That’s awesome. It’s like you’ve got your own personal pre-editions of the sections of the book all printed up. I may have to use that idea! It’s just nice to have stuff properly put together in a book for easy storage and reference, isn’t it? For the rest of the book, good luck from England.
July 5th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
You know, I just discovered your blog and it’s awesome! So packed with nice information and work.
And I have to say that after finishing reading Blankets (it just got released here in Brazil backed up with a lot nice reviews about it) I started drawing with more enthusiasm once again.
Keep up the good work Craig, I’ll be following.
July 5th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Excitement!!!!
July 6th, 2009 at 3:28 am
Hi Craig hope you are well.
You’ve been producing in a good ritm I see that Beja didn’t got you sleepy eheh.
Looking forward to see that finished
Be cool, have a good work
Hugo
July 6th, 2009 at 8:54 am
I admire your commitment to complete such big projects
I hope this one is even better than Blankets.
And I’m curious to see the amount of copies you are going to sell
I’m sure this will be a big event, and I hope all the hard work you’ve done really pays off for you!
July 6th, 2009 at 11:00 am
oh my goodness, Habibi you are looking as gorgeous as ever! Craig, I feel faint. & there’s so much more awesome to come!
I wish I weren’t out of the country, otherwise I’d fly to Chicago to hear you, Neil and Terry talk. good luck, and have fun!
July 7th, 2009 at 12:11 am
Yeah, I’m very happy for you… Do ou comme back in france?
July 7th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Good work! I like how you bind the work-copies for chapters as you go, it’s a good idea. Looking forward to the new book!
July 7th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
oh my god….500 pages and still counting…awesome…waiting……
July 8th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Congrats Craig! Five fucking hundred pages! Perfect timing to take a break and return to your Midwestern roots, eh? Can’t wait for the third act to be finished so that we can finally enjoy your opus. In the meantime, let’s play when you get back to P-town.
July 8th, 2009 at 6:49 am
I cannot wait to read this book, I recently took a trip to Morocco, and spent 10 days exploring the country and this book looks stunning
July 8th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I wish I was able to attend “My These Novels Certainly Are … GRAPHIC!” Let’s show it via webcast. That’d be great!
July 8th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Everything you’ve shown us so far looks fantastic, Craig. Can’t wait to see it all (but nevertheless *will* wait.
In other news, Ivy and I saw The Proclaimers live a couple of times in Boston. They argued on stage a lot the second time. They’re hot-heads!
July 8th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Congratulations on finishing 500 pages of what will surely be beautiful artwork. I just have to say you are a big inspiration to me. I wish I could attend “My These Novels Certainly Are … GRAPHIC!” in Chicago, but I’ll be stuck at my job in Kenosha, WI. Anyway, I look forward to seeing the completed book.
July 10th, 2009 at 7:34 am
Congratulations on reaching 500 pages! I can’t wait until the finale. I’m really a big fan of your brush strokes, they’re so rich with details and expression. May I ask how you know the arabic words? Did you do an Arabic course or consult someone?
July 10th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Wow, what a tantalizing stack of chapters and congratulations on that page count! If it ends up even bigger than Blankets, so much the better!
The ALA talk sounds like it will be really interesting.
July 10th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Cher Craig,
Nous organisons au Brésil un Festival International de la Bande Dessinée. Je souhaite vous inviter. Le blog n’est pas le meilleur moyen pour l’invitation. Nous sommes en rapport avec votre éditeur au Brésil (Companhia das Letras).
July 11th, 2009 at 7:36 am
my mouth dropped open and it still hasn’t closed.
wow.
July 14th, 2009 at 5:07 am
Ha, first time posting.
The book looks amazing. I’ll definetely pre-order it. Any ideas on special editions, or any treats for pre-orderers?
BLANKETS just came today with the mail (I only borrowed it when I read it a couple of months ago), and I’ve stayed in bed for two more hours just to read the first 140 pages again… if there’s one book that I’ve ever had the feeling as if it sort of “came to me”, then this has been the one. It has been very reaffirmative, both in personal matters (‘Raina’ is quite a spitting image of my “n”) and for me as an artist to follow my own ideas and go my own way.
Whenever you happen to come to Berlin for some kind of event or something, make sure to announce it.
Also, are there plans for the panel on censorship in comics to be recorded/broadcasted over the internet?
Have a nice day, and keep up with the good work.
July 14th, 2009 at 6:46 am
Craig,
Good God, Man! You’re a genius! Can’t wait for Habibi – already planning to take a personal day – sending the kiddos to daycare and just devouring your newest multi-sensory world. Just read David Mazzuchelli’s book Asterios Polyp – have you seen it? It was mind-blowing – I think Scott McCloud would approve (even if it is in color . . .) Of course, nothing compares to you! Be well – nurse that hand!!
July 15th, 2009 at 5:13 am
Dear Craig, congratulation to finish these 500 pages, which I would be very curious to read it, if the book is planned to translate in French. I’ hope for a lot of success in this new book.
Forgive my English language
July 18th, 2009 at 1:49 am
Coming along swimmingly good sir. Will certainly be worth the wait, and your considerable hard work!
July 19th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I Love the artwork and look forward to reading it
July 24th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
wow congrats! I really adore your work and keep being amazed by every update! wish you eternal health and happiness, so you can do things you like all the time! greetings from bandung, indonesia.
July 26th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Merveilleux Blankets, bien plus qu’une bd…
July 28th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Craig-
It’s always inspiring to pop in and see a new post about your next project. Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know that your work means a lot to an awful lot of people. I was also really inspired by your very interesting and open interview in the Comics Journal, especially the parts regarding your craft and storytelling approach. Anyway, as I embark full time on my first long-form comics project this year, I will continue to draw inspiration from your example.
All the best.
July 29th, 2009 at 12:51 am
looking forward, craig, looking forward…
August 3rd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Congratulations, Craig! You’re the comics equivalent of an Olympic athelete. Keep going for the gold!
(Cue the Olympics theme music).
August 18th, 2009 at 2:47 am
Heel goed, Craig! Very impressive. Can’t wait! Good luck on finishing the book!
August 31st, 2009 at 10:11 am
Thank you for keeping us updated. I also am very excited to see the final product!