My new graphic novel, Young Alfred: Pain in the Butler, comes out August 1 from DC Comics Kids! I am so proud of THIS GORGEOUS BOOK! Feast your eyes on this amazing (somewhat cheeky) cover:
And meet our young hero, fresh from Across the Pond and ready for a grand adventure (and an imminent collision—look out behind you, Alfred)!
The (frankly astounding) art is by Sam Lotfi, with colors by the colorfully named Kendall Goode. And here’s the official description:
Bruce Wayne wouldn’t be Batman without his righthand man, Alfred Pennyworth. But was Alfred born to be the greatest butler in the world? Not exactly…
When Alfred attends the prestigious Gotham Servants School, he is a clumsy and nervous boy going to fulfill his father’s last wish—he will become… a butler! Pushed out of his comfort zone, Alfred must adjust to new surroundings and responsibilities while trying to ace his courses and get along with his classmates. But when he suspects that his school may be involved in a criminal plot, Alfred must look within himself to see if he has what it takes to be not only a butler, but a hero.
Want to know how the iconic Gotham butler got his start? From New York Times bestselling writer Michael Northrop (TombQuest) with striking visuals from artist Sam Lotfi comes the story of a scrappy boy who becomes a legend.
That ought to cover it! But I’ll just add that I’ve always been fascinated by Alfred and the world he creates at “Stately Wayne Manor”. The impeccable manners (at the impeccable manor), the exaggerated sense of order. If supervillains like The Joker represent chaos and disorder, selfishness and lawlessness, Alfred represents the opposite. (Batman—dark and violent, willing to work outside the law—is more like their cousin who’s on our side!)
And that fascination has carried over from childhood to the present. I love novels like The Remains of the Day that focus on a butler’s life—and of course I’ve seen every episode of Downton Abbey at least three times! #TeamCarson
I should probably end this before the pictures get even more embarrassing, but put that all in a pot with a lifelong love of the best of heroes and the worst of puns, page after page of amazing art, and a co-star named Penelope “Penny” Spiffer, and you’ve got a book of which I am a truly proud. I can’t wait to share it with the world. Young Alfred has no superpowers, but his character and resourcefulness, his heart and perseverance, make him more than just a hero. They make him a legend. I can’t wait for readers to go on that journey with him! (And, if you’re thinking of grabbing a copy, please consider pre-ordering it online or from your local bookstore or comic shop. You’ll get it as soon as it’s out, and it’s a great way to build momentum and support for the book!)
So, uh, *laughs nervously* *avoids eye contact* long time no blog, huh? True story: If you go to the bookmarks on my computer, my website is the second one. I used to update it all the time and blog 2-3 times a week(!). Clearly, those days are over. Life got kiiiiinda complicated over the last few years—you may have heard?—and now I am on the Twitters and the Instas and, long story short, it’s been a while. But! I am back from the dead (as it were!) to tell you that… I’m not the only one (AAAAAAAHHHH!).
My new graphic novel, TEEN TITANS GO! UNDEAD?!, is out now from DC Comics! If you’ve seen the Cartoon Network show, or if you’ve met me, you know that this is a ridiculous book—and if you’ve done both, you know that this is a *deeply* ridiculous book. Have I made a grave error? Not at all! I began writing this one right at the start of the pandemic, and having something goofy and fun to work on as the ambulances wailed by outside the windows here in NYC was an absolute lifeline. I got to spend a few joyous hours in Jump City every morning, indulging every puns and sight gag that came to mind, and I am really happy with the result: a loving, utterly meta tribute to both these iconic characters and zombie movies past, present, and no doubt future.
The delightful art is by Erich Owen and six world-class guest artists, including the amazing Gustavo Duarte, my partner in art on Dear Justice League and Dear DC Super-Villains.
Here’s the official description:
Jump City is full of strange, shambling creatures muttering about sales and dead-set on brains. The Teen Titans saw a comet fall from the sky and can think of nowhere better to hang out and see what happens than the mall. If their theory is correct and people start turning into zombies, they want to be prepared—and we all know zombies love the mall!
But as the situation grows ever more dire, Robin and his team take to the streets, trying to save the city from the bargain-hungry undead. But those zombies really bite: the cemetery isn’t safe, the H.I.V.E. Five are not alive, and his teammates are about to succumb to shopping fever!
Can Robin keep it together long enough to cancel this apocalypse?
So there you go. Personally, I like his chances, but to find out for sure, you can pick up a copy wherever books or comics are sold! (Personally, I’m a big fan of local bookstores and comic shops, but here’s the official DC page for the book, with all the links plus a nifty *Comic Shop Locator* that would make Cyborg proud—and Beast Boy confused!) Get your copy now. I promise, it won’t bite! (Much!)
Comic books were a big deal to me growing up. I am dyslexic and struggled with reading. I was held back a year and spent time in special ed. There was a lot of shame—some self-imposed and some not—and as a result, a lot of secrecy. Reading was not only frustrating for me, it was isolating. Comics were the first thing I read on my own for fun, and the first thing I read socially. They were the first thing I could read (almost) as fast as my classmates and friends, and the first thing I felt confident talking (even arguing!) about with them. And the first comics I read were Archie comics.
So it is a really incredible, almost surreal moment to have my first Archie story coming out in December and to see my name on the cover of Archie’s Holiday Magic Special—Archie is practically stepping on it! Saying I’ve come full circle is like saying Jughead likes burgers: a major understatement!
There are three linked stories in this one-shot holiday special. It’s a sort of ghost of Christmas past, present, and future for our redheaded hero. My humble contribution, “Return to Riverdale,” might also seem strangely familiar. Let’s just say it’s a hallmark of holiday storytelling 😉 Archie left town to give life in the big city a try. It didn’t work out, and now he has retreated to Riverdale to start over. On a head-clearing walk downtown, he bumps into—could it be?—it’s Betty! She stayed in town. There was a guy. Didn’t work out. The two tentatively reconnect at Betty’s bakery…
Will sparks fly once again between Archie and America’s most iconic girl next door? Or will ol’ Archiekins fall back into old habits? Let’s just say the guy’s got a lot on his mind…
Archie’s Holiday Magic Special hits shelves December 8, 2021, and you can preorder it straight from Archie Comics here. I will definitely head down to my local comic shop to just, like, gaze at it in wonder on the shelves until the employees turn off the lights and start sweeping up around me. Is that too long to stare? I don’t know, it’s a sight I’ve been waiting my whole life to see.
The early reviews are in for Dear DC Super-Villains, and it looks like the Legion of Doom has stolen… the hearts of reviewers! Here’s a look at what people are saying about my new graphic novel:
“Clever and funny.”—School Library Journal
“DC delivers another charmer.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Fiendishly funny and wildly entertaining. Being bad has never been so good.” —Jerry Craft, Newbery Medal-winning author of New Kid
“Great fun from beginning to end.”—Batman News
“Another big win.”—GeekDad
“Often hilarious and at times actually quite heart-warming.”—The Geekiary
“Great entertainment… A natural yet hilarious continuation to Dear Justice League.”—The Aspiring Kryptonian
“Brilliant!” —The Mo’Kelly Show, IHeartRadio
Dear DC Super-Villains is out today! Curious kids write to notorious scoundrels, asking them about life on the dark side! It’s my fourteenth book and my second graphic novel with DC Comics Kids and amazing artist Gustavo Duarte. The origin story for this one is pretty simple. Simple… and evil! Dear Justice League got a lot of ✨accolades✨ and the Legion of Doom got jealous. Villains, am I right? They reached out 👊💥 and told me: “Our turn, buddy!” So I hope you/they enjoy it. Lex Luthor has created a special device to track sales—and I really don’t want to upset Gorilla Grodd 🦍
Dear DC Super-Villains is now available wherever books are nabbed!
This books is STACKED! 😂
Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and the two followup collections have scared the wits out of whole generations of kids and campers (and, OK fine, adults too). They are some of the most enduring and beloved American children’s books ever written. So it was both a thrill and a chill to be asked to contribute a spooky story of my own to Don’t Turn Out the Lights: A Tribute to Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Like the title says, it is the first official tribute to the classic stories, published by HarperCollins and the Horror Writers Association.
There are 35 stories, all good, scary fun. Mine is titled “In Stitches,” and like many of Schwartz’s originals, it was inspired by an old American folktale. This one was told to me by my Yankee granddad, about what happens to little kids who talk too much on lazy summer days. (Come to think of it, I was a little kid who talked too much. Hmmm…) I had a ton of fun writing it, so if you’re looking for a spooky story for a stormy night, you can pick the book up at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local independent bookstore or wherever books are sold. (True story: I was going to title this post Scary Stories to Sell Like a Dork!) Happy reading—and, of course, BOO!
It took seven years and one professional dog model on the cover, but ROTTEN, my YA tale of a tough teen and a rescued Rottweiler, is finally available in paperback. Just look at this good boy!
My mom had a big heart (and a sufficient backyard), so I grew up surrounded by rescue dogs. Writing one realistically as a main character was a labor of love, and ROTTEN is one of my favorite books. And it appears I am not alone! The hardcover came out so long ago that I forgot how much people really liked this book. (OK, almost forgot 😄)
Here are some of the nice things people have said about it:
“A sure bet for any reader who loves an underdog, human or canine.”—Publishers Weekly
“A fine portrayal of a boy, a dog and the ties of friends.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A laugh-out-loud book, with so many things to love.”—Christian Science Monitor
“Northrop knows just how to get into the male mind, blending subtle humor with convincing dialogue. But above all, the author knows that nothing gets between a guy and his dog.”—BookPage
ROTTEN was named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Bank Street College of Education, a Junior Library Guild selection, and a Keystone to Reading Award finalist in Pennsylvania.
Anyway, I love this book, and I am very excited that more people will get a chance to meet Jimmer “JD” Dobbs and his cooly drooly friend Johnny Rotten. You can pick up the shiny new paperback edition at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local independent bookstore, or wherever books are sold!
At this time of year, a certain red-suited gentleman is known to make a list and check it twice. Well, Dear Justice League has made a list too. In fact, it’s made several! My first graphic novel has been named:
One of the Today Show’s 26 Best Children’s Books of 2019!
One of Polygon’s 50 Best Comics for Kids!
One of Comicon’s 7 Best Original Graphic Novels of 2019!
A unanimous selection for the Texas Library Association’s Little Maverick graphic novel reading list! Yeehaw!
No need to check this list twice. I’ve already double-checked to make sure it’s not all some sort of Nutcracker-esque dream. (No Rat Kings in sight, thankfully!) Thanks so much to everyone—critic and kid alike—who’s taken the time to read and review and recommend this colorful, earnest little joy ball of a book this year. This fantastic flight wouldn’t have been possible without you. Happy Holidays!
Talk about a warm welcome! Dear Justice League was the #6 graphic novel in comic book shops for the month of July. It came out in comic shops July 31st! 🔥 It came out in bookstores and online six days later, and if anything, that warm welcome has only gotten hotter. Here are just some of the fantastic, kind, and humbling things people have been saying about my first graphic novel with the brilliant Brazilian artist Gustavo Duarte:
“The best kids’ comic I’ve read all year… Charming from cover to cover.”—Polygon
“Heartwarming, hilarious, and endearing to no end.”—AiPT! Comics
“A near-perfect all-ages introduction to the Justice League’s most popular characters.”—GeekDad
“A perfect welcome for young comic fans.”—ScreenRant
“Fun for all ages… An adorable introduction to the members of the Justice League.”—The Geekiary
“A lot of fun… A story I can see fans of all ages enjoying.”—The Good Men Project
“Humorous, action-packed and entertaining from cover to cover.”—Superman Homepage
“Positively delightful from beginning to end, Dear Justice League is a great comic for readers of all ages.”—Batman News
And, well, you get the idea 😃 It has been a heck of a week and a half! I love this book so much. For months, I couldn’t wait for launch day to arrive. The whole time I was hoping that once people saw this colorful, earnest joy-ball of a book, they would love it too. Well, it’s here—and they do! ❤️ More news soon, but for now, thanks so much to everyone who has opened this book’s canary yellow covers and taken flight with its heroes.
At long last! My first graphic novel, Dear Justice League, is available in comic book shops, bookstores, online, and everywhere else books are sold! The world’s greatest heroes, the Justice League, answer questions from their biggest fans—kids! I am so proud of this gorgeous, funny, big-hearted book and so thankful for Gustavo Duarte’s brilliant art, Marcelo Maiolo’s vibrant colors, Wes Abbott’s A+ lettering, and everyone else at DC Comics who helped me do this idea justice! More news soon!
