Paige Braddock

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Paige Braddock
Paige Braddock at NY ComicCon 2018.jpg
Born
Bakersfield, California, United States
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s) Cartoonist, author
Known for Jane's World comic strip

Paige Braddock is an American cartoonist best known for her Eisner-nominated comic strip, Jane's World , the first gay-themed comic work to receive online distribution by a national media syndicate in the U.S. [1] Braddock concluded the comic strip after completing its 20-year run in 2018. [2]

Contents

Early life

Braddock was born in Bakersfield, California. She spent most of her childhood years in Mississippi. Due to her father's job as a forester, Braddock and her family moved frequently across the country. By the time she reached high school in Brevard, North Carolina, they had moved 17 times. [3]

Career

Braddock decided at the age of 7 that she wanted to be a cartoonist. [4] She published her first cartoon, "Bart Winkle," in her junior year of high school in the local newspaper, The Transylvania Times . Cartoonist Dave Graue of the comic strip "Alley Oop" lived in the area and served as her mentor. [5]

Braddock earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1985. Early in her career she worked as an illustrator for several newspapers, including The Orlando Sentinel , The Chicago Tribune , and The Atlanta Constitution . [6] [7]

Braddock began crafting her long-standing comic, Jane's World, in 1991. [8] In 2006, she received an Eisner Award nomination for best humor book for her work on the comic. [9] Braddock published the first novel inspired by the comic series, Jane's World: The Case of the Mail Order Bride, in June 2016 with LGBTQ publisher Bold Strokes Books. [10] An anthology spanning 20 years of the comic, Love Letters to Jane's World, was released by Lion Forge Comics in August 2018. [11] In 2019 it was selected as a Lambda Literary finalist for best LGBTQ graphic novel. Installments of the comic strip can continue to be found at GoComics. [12]

In 1999, Braddock became the Creative Director at Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, Schulz's studio in Northern California. In 2018, Braddock assumed the position of Chief Creative Officer and in this role is charged with overseeing the visual and editorial direction for all Peanuts licensed products worldwide. The Schulz studio works in tandem with the licensing office in New York, Peanuts Worldwide. [13] As a professional cartoonist, she has illustrated several Peanuts children's books. The Snoopy U.S. postage stamp issued in April 2001 was designed by Braddock. [14] In 2022, she delivered the dedication of the commemorative centennial Schulz stamp at the issuance ceremony. [15] She also won a Children's & Family Emmy Award for her work on the Apple documentary, "Who Are You, Charlie Brown?" which won for outstanding nonfiction program that same year. [16]

Throughout Braddock's career as a cartoonist, she has published a diverse collection of comic works. In 2008, Braddock co-created the science fiction graphic novel series The Martian Confederacy with writer Jason McNamara. [17] In 2015, she began publishing a line of graphic novels for children with Andrews McMeel Publishing. There are currently three books in the Stinky Cecil series. [18] Braddock is publishing a line of graphic novels for children with Penguin Books for Kids titled, Peanut, Butter, & Crackers. [19] The third book in the series, On the Trail [20] is out now.

In 2023, Braddock served as the commencement speaker for Montserrat College of Art and received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from the college. [21]

PB9 Comics/Girl Twirl Comics

PB9 Comics serves as the hub for all of Paige Braddock's independent comics. In 2001, Braddock launched her own publishing company, Girl Twirl Comics, to make Jane's World available in comic shops and bookstores. [8] In 2008, Girl Twirl Comics published Volume 1 of The Martian Confederacy graphic novel series. Volume 2 in the series was published in 2011.

As Missouri Vaun

In 2015, Paige Braddock began writing lesbian romance novels with publisher Bold Strokes Books under the pen name, Missouri Vaun. [22]

Vaun won two Golden Crown Literary Society awards in 2019. [23] Love at Cooper's Creek won a contemporary romance award and Proxima Five won an award in the science-fiction category.

Personal life

Braddock and her wife, Evelyn, live in Northern California. [24]

Selected works

Jane's World

Peanut, Butter, & Crackers

Stinky Cecil

The Martian Confederacy

Anthology Contributions by Paige Braddock

Author Contributions by Paige Braddock

Missouri Vaun

Anthology Contributions by Missouri Vaun

See also

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References

  1. Sen, Jai (October 18, 2013). "Paige Braddock Changes the World Without Bending or Breaking It". The Clyde Fitch Report.
  2. Gustines, George Gene (October 19, 2018). "'Jane's World' Goes Out With a Marriage". The New York Times.
  3. Braddock, Paige (2011). Jane's World, Volume 10, A New Frontier. Girl Twirl Comics. p. 85. ISBN   978-0979420795.
  4. "Q&A: Cartoonist Paige Braddock". Oxford American. June 12, 2012. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  5. Braddock, Paige (2011). Jane's World, Volume 10, A New Frontier. Girl Twirl Comics. p. 86. ISBN   978-0979420795.
  6. "Paige Braddock bio". Peanuts Studio Blog.
  7. "Paige Braddock ('85)". alumni.utk.edu. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Braddock, Paige. "Official website". Bio. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  9. "The Banal and the Profane: Paige Braddock". Lambda Literary. August 24, 2013.
  10. "Jane's World by Paige Braddock". Bold Strokes Books. June 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  11. "TDC Interview: 'Jane's World' Creator Paige Braddock". The Daily Cartoonist. August 8, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  12. "Today on Jane's World – Comics by Paige Braddock – GoComics". www.gocomics.com. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  13. Gustines, George Gene (October 19, 2018). "'Jane's World' Comic Strip Goes Out With a Marriage". The New York Times. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  14. McLeod, Susanna. "Paige Braddock, Creator of 'Jane's World'". The Cartoonists. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved February 9, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. Taylor, Dan. "New 'Peanuts' stamps released at Charles M. Schulz Museum". The Press Democrat. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  16. Owen, Malcom. "Apple TV+ Wins Children's Emmy for "Who Are You, Charlie Brown?"". Apple Insider. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  17. "io9 Talks to Jason McNamara About Martian Outlaws and Pop Culture Gods". io9. Retrieved May 9, 2008.
  18. "Stinky Cecil in Operation Pond Rescue Review". CBR. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  19. "peanutbutterandcrackers.com". Peanut, Butter and Crackers. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  20. "ON THE TRAIL | Kirkus Reviews".
  21. Law, Claire (May 19, 2023). "Creator of 'Jane's World' Speaks at Montserrat College of Art commencement". Boston Globe.
  22. "Easton and My Video Interview with Carsen Taite". MissouriVaun.com. August 6, 2014.
  23. "Winners Announced for 15th Annual Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) Awards". goldencrown.org (Press release).
  24. "About Paige Braddock". July 16, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2020.

Further reading