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Jessica Abel

Biography

Jessica Abel

Cartoonist and writer Jessica Abel is the author of  the graphic novel LA PERDIDA (Pantheon Books), as well as two textbooks about making comics, DRAWING WORDS & WRITING PICTURES and MASTERING COMICS (First Second Books), written in collaboration with her husband, the cartoonist Matt Madden. She’s also the co-writer of the graphic novel LIFE SUCKS.

Previously, she published "Soundtrack" and "Mirror, Window" (Fantagraphics Books), two collections of stories and drawings from her omnibus comic book ARTBABE, published between 1992 and 1999. She collaborated with Ira Glass on RADIO: An Illustrated Guide, a non-fiction comic about how the radio show "This American Life" is made. Abel won the Xeric Grant in 1995, and both the Harvey and Lulu awards for “Best New Talent” in 1997; "La Perdida" won the 2002 “Best New Series” Harvey Award.

Abel’s new new science fiction comics series, Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars (Dargaud France), debuted in January 2015. She’s also at work on a nonfiction comic about how the best radio producers in the world use story to keep us listening, OUT ON THE WIRE (Broadway Books), out August 2015.

Madden and Abel were series editors for The Best American Comics from 2007 to 2013 and teach at various institutions. They live in Brooklyn, New York, with their two children, but are currently on a residency at the Maison des Auteurs in Angoulême, France.

Books by Jessica Abel

by Jessica Abel - Graphic Novel, Nonfiction

Every week, millions of devoted fans tune in to or download "This American Life," "The Moth," "Radiolab," "Planet Money," "Snap Judgment," "Serial," "Invisibilia" and other narrative radio shows. Using personal stories to breathe life into complex ideas and issues, these beloved programs help us to understand ourselves and our world a little bit better. Each has a distinct style, but every one delivers stories that are brilliantly told and produced. OUT ON THE WIRE offers an unexpected window into this new kind of storytelling --- one that literally illustrates the making of a purely auditory medium.

by Jeff Smith, Jessica Abel, and Matt Madden - Anthology, Comic Books, Fiction, Graphic Novel

THE BEST AMERICAN COMICS showcases the work of both established and up-and-coming contributors. Editor Jeff Smith --- creater of the classic comic Bone, a comedy/adventure about three lost cousins from Boneville --- has culled the best stories from graphic novels, pamphlet comics, newspapers, magazines, mini-comics, and web comics to create this cutting-edge collection.

by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden - Graphic Novel

A course on comic creation – for college classes or for independent study – that centers on storytelling and concludes with making a finished comic.