Cartoonist and animator Derek M. Ballard has a strong animation pedigree, having worked as a writer and storyboard artist on both Adventure Time and The Midnight Gospel. Now Ballard is debuting his first graphic novel at Oni Press, an autobiographical slice-of-life collection called Cartoonshow.
IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of Cartoonshow. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:
Cartoonshow draws from Ballard’s personal life as a working artist and single father. The stories within are presented as visual essays musing on Ballard’s personal struggles and the absurdities of modern American life, from the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic to the realities of living in poverty.
“This book of cartoons is a whole slew of dumb, funny, embarrassing, and true things that happened to my kids and me. Stuff that befalls average families every single day,” said Ballard in Oni’s press release. “Oni Press made it possible to support my family while I brought my uncompromised scribbly vision to the page. That’s a big deal. Unbelievable really. Extra special thanks to my editor Zack Soto.”
“I think Derek’s comics are truly Great—like capital GC Great Cartooning, and the issues he’s talking about are important, under-discussed stuff. It’s like Hi & Lois but with a social/political consciousness,” added Soto. “Working with Derek and designer Carey Soucey to bring Cartoonshow to life in its current form was one of the more rewarding collaborative experiences in my editorial career to date, and I can’t wait for everyone to pick up a copy!”
Cartoonshow is priced at $21.99 and will be released on August 2, 2023. You can preorder the book below:
In other comic book news, Wonder Woman #800 is introducing Diana’s daughter Trinity, and we’ve got the full breakdown of what happened in Marvel’s FCBD 2023 books.
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