Another Great Review for SMASH!

SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE just got a great write-up on the website Bookslut (don't worry, it's safe to read!) from ace blogger Colleen Mondor, who calls it "a funny story with bright artwork and a nice wide size that early readers should enjoy exploring on their own."

She goes on to write:

SMASH has a lot of humor....[Chris] Bolton makes Andrew extremely believable and lets him fulfill a few kid fantasies along with the more serious hero stuff. Kyle Bolton's artwork is perfect; the faces are very expressive, and he captures Andrew's alternately confident and overwhelmed expressions with aplomb. Elementary-schoolers are going to get a lot of joy out of this one, and I hope a sequel, set up by the final pages, will be released soon.

Click here to read the whole column. Thanks, Colleen!

And you can check out more reviews for SMASH right here.

Give the Gift of SMASH!

'Tis the season for hunting down the perfect gift for everyone you know and love. If someone on your shopping list craves adventure, humor, fantasy, and a fast-paced story with unforgettable characters, pick up a copy of SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE! A Junior Library Guild Selection and 2014 Great Graphic Novels for Teens nominee, SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE brings every child's superhero fantasy to life with action, humor, and eye-popping artwork.

"Smash is an action-packed crowd-pleaser....Sure to be a draw for superhero fans and reluctant readers alike." — School Library Journal

"Filled with humor, action, and art that makes it a fun ride for everyone." — Good Comics for Kids

"SMASH: Trial by Fire sits squarely at the intersection of Spider-Man and Calvin and Hobbes." — The Sleeping Hedgehog

This holiday season, share the magic — and help Santa delight your loved ones with a gift they'll never forget!

Available at Barnes & Noble stores or your favorite independent bookseller, you can also find SMASH online at Amazon, Indie Bound, and Powells.com.

Kyle Bolton Interview at NW Book Lovers Blog!

The blog NW Book Lovers interviewed Kyle about Smash, his drawing inspirations, and more! And writer Kristianne Huntsberger had some lovely things to say about Smash: Trial by Fire:

Chris' energetic storytelling and Kyle's bright illustrations capture readers in the thrill and confusion of Andrew's new powers and leave us all wondering what will happen to the hero as he tries to grow into them.

Big thanks to Kristianne for taking the time and interest to meet with Kyle!

Click here to read the interview.

SMASH Goes to School!

Yesterday, SMASH creators Chris and Kyle Bolton went back to school! To the Oregon Episcopal School, that is, where they gave a presentation on "How to Make Comics — the SMASH Way!" First, Chris gave an overview of six easy steps kids can use to make their own comics. Then Kyle demonstrated how to draw Smash, giving tips and helpful pointers to all the young artists in the room.

They gave one presentation to two 5th grade classes (click here for pics), then another to a dozen middle school students. Even though both creators were a little nervous about talking to that many kids, they had a great time — and the kids were fantastic! Hugely enthusiastic, full of great questions, and head-over-heels for Smash!

Here are some pictures of the middle school session, courtesy of OES Web and Communications Editor Tom Berridge.

Chris (left) listens happily to Kyle's drawing advice.

Kyle demonstrates how the design of Smash basically boils down to a large circle above a bunch of rectangles. (The artists in the audience were amazed by that!)

When the Boltons finished, the lineup to get posters signed began.

Librarian Patrick Fuller looks on as Kyle sketches Smash for some eager fans.

One young artist takes Kyle's lesson to heart with a great Smash sketch of her own!

HUGE thanks are owed to OES's wonderful librarians: Lara Ingham, Heidi Hackenjos, and Patrick Fuller. (Extra-special thanks to Emily Alkek from Powell's Books for setting up the event!)

SMASH Nominated for Great Graphic Novels for Teens Award!

We just found out that SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE has been nominated for a 2014 YALSA* Great Graphic Novels for Teens award! It's quite an honor, especially considering how many very distinguished titles were nominated along with us.

* FYI, YALSA stands for Young Adult Library Services Association. In case you were wondering.

"The Intersection of Spider-Man and Calvin & Hobbes!"

A great review from Richard Dansky at The Sleeping Hedgehog:

SMASH: Trial by Fire sits squarely at the intersection of Spider-Man and Calvin and Hobbes. And this is a good thing....Although specifically targeted at kids, SMASH: Trial By Fire isn’t condescending or simplified. There’s plenty here for adult comics fans...

Mockingbird Books Gets Smashed!

Smash artist Kyle Bolton poses with a bunch of Little Smashes at the Mockbingbird Books reading in Seattle last Friday.

Photos: Wordstock and the PNBA Nightcapper Events

Wow, what a busy weekend! On Sunday, we were at Portland's terrific Wordstock Festival of Words, where we read from Smash: Trial by Fire, answered questions, and signed books. Then we were off to the Nightcapper event for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association's annual conference, where we signed and handed out copies of Smash to booksellers and librarians from around the region. We were overwhelmed by all of the enthusiastic responses to the book, to say the least!

Kyle and I pose in the iconic Wordstock red chair.

At our table at the PNBA Nightcapper event, waiting for the doors to open so we can unleash our powers.

Huge thanks to Jennifer and all the folks at Portland's Green Bean Books for providing copies of Smash for sale and for signing at Wordstock!

Kyle checks his notes before the Wordstock reading.

Answering questions after the reading.

Kyle autographs a copy of Smash at the signing table.

The Bolton brothers, posing with a young fan.

Girls love Smash, too!

I had the unexpected honor of being a fill-in moderator for the Visual Narrator panel, featuring some wonderful comic artists: Gene Luan Yang, Colleen Coover, Shannon Wheeler, Nicole J. Georges, and Mark Russell. It was great meeting them all!

Sitting with one of our colorists, the amazing Christina Mackin!

This is how most of our story conferences look. Kyle and I always make sure to respect the other's opinion, hear each other out, and come to a reasonable compromise.

And, no matter how tough it gets, we always make up afterward.

Arriving at the PNBA Nightcapper event.

Before the event, books piled high.

From the minute the doors opened, booksellers showed up to tell us how excited they were for Smash!

The line started long...

And got longer...

And longer...

And stayed long...

Until we were completely cleaned out!

Enthusiastic Smash fans!

We had a fantastic time at both shows, and can't wait for next year! Thanks for checking out our photos.

Day #8 of the SMASH Blog Tour — The Last Stop!

Today is a little bittersweet for us — the final stop on our 2013 Blog Tour! We're breaking down the equipment, unloading the tour bus, and unpacking our suitcases. It's been a great trip and we can't wait to hit the (virtual) road again! Our farewell post — for now — comes courtesy of the Bildungsroman blog (hey, if you can pronounce it correctly, give yourself a pat on the back). It's a Q&A with Kyle and I, where we discuss, among other things, the genesis of Smash: Trial by Fire, what it's like working together as brothers, and what super-powers we'd love to have.

Here's a taste, for those of you with siblings of your own:

Any advice for kids who are dealing with sibling rivalry?

Kyle: Well, only to the youngest. Always remember to love each other. As corny as that sounds, that is what will ultimately win the argument. One of you will remember that you love the other, then this fight is pointless. That's the idea anyway. If that's not happening, go talk to Mom.

Chris: Are you kidding? I still deal with it. What I wouldn't give to draw like Kyle! One thing I can say from experience is that siblings who are close in age (and might even have to share a bedroom) can get pretty fierce with each other. Sometimes it can feel like a household apocalypse! But later in life, those same siblings might be very surprised to discover they have a lot in common. As adults, they might even enjoy spending time together in ways that used to drive them crazy. So, there can be a light at the end of a long, sometimes very dark tunnel.

Check out the Bildungsroman blog — and if you've missed any stops in the tour, you can find them all right here. Thanks for reading along with us, and we hope you'll join us again on our next tour...which we hope isn't very far off!

Day #7 of the Blog Tour - The SMASH Playlist!

We're feeling a little musical today. Tapping our toes, clapping our hands, shaking our booties a li'l bit. That's because today we're on the Hooked On Books blog, which features books for t(w)eens reviewed by t(w)eens — what a fantastic concept! It's a wonderful blog, and we're honored to share a Guest Post about the SMASH Playlist. That's right, our ideal soundtrack for fighting crime, whether you're young or old!

Here's a little taste:

Andrew flies: "Short Change Hero" by the Heavy

The tone of Smash: Trial by Fire is intended to be fun and fast-paced, but with real stakes involved. We wanted the danger to feel very immediate to our hero, and to off-set that danger with a lighter touch. When Andrew flees from the bully, he stumbles into freeway traffic and discovers quite by accident that he can fly! "Short Change Hero" has a bouncy tone that fits the mixture of Andrew's panic turning into euphoria that turns into... well, air-sickness. It's fast and fun without feeling frivolous — which is very much what I hope readers take away from the book.

Click here to read more — but make sure you've got your dancing shoes on!

Which leaves just one more stop on our Blog Tour! We'll save the tears for tomorrow, when we end this wild ride with a bang. To follow the whole tour — including any stops you may have missed — click here for our full Blog Tour agenda.