A Smashingly Good Review!

The Yakima Herald has a wonderful review of both SMASH books. Some highlights:

Brothers Chris and Kyle Bolton, author and illustrator, respectively, of the “Smash” series of graphic novels, have created a wonderfully funny and action-packed new addition to the realm of middle-grade comics.

I absolutely love the wonderful combination of story and art in the “Smash” books....I particularly enjoy Kyle’s artwork; it combines the goofiness of cult classics like the Tick with the youthful vigor of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes. Every panel is filled with the energy of a 10-year-old boy, with characters ready to bounce right off the page.

The text is challenging enough to engage a competent middle-grade reader but still accessible, hitting the perfect balance of being appealing and chortle-inducing while not raising too many parental eyebrows. And the warmth of the story, with its focus on familial relationships and the struggles that all kids face, gives it a universal appeal.

It’s a good time to be a young reader, with so many franchises aimed at the under-18 crowd. The “Smash” series is an exciting, compelling addition to the once-overlooked field of comics for kids, sure to appeal to everyone from fans of Iron Man to Wimpy Kid devotees.

Click here to read the full review! And if you're in the neighborhood, we'll be reading at the celebrated Inklings Bookshop in Yakima, Washington, on Saturday, July7th, at 2pm. Drop in and say hello!

Making a SMASH!

The website 411mania.com interviewed SMASH writer Chris A. Bolton about the origin of the comic, how it went from webcomic to print, what the future holds for Smash, and more! Read the interview here.

SMASH 2 Is "One to Note" for Spring 2018!

The media coverage of SMASH 2 begins with 100 Scope Notes including our book on its list of “10 to Note” for Spring 2018. Smash is featured among some truly awe-inspiring company, too!

Preorder Book 2 Right Now!

Have you heard? SMASH BOOK 2: FEARLESS is coming out in trade paperback and hardcover editions on May 9, 2018!

The long-awaited trade paperback edition of SMASH BOOK 1: TRIAL BY FIRE will go on sale then, too! To make sure you get your copy in time, preorder it right now!

Just ask your favorite local comic book store to order your copy using one of these ordering codes:

MAR181377 — Book 2 trade paperback
MAR181378 — Book 2 hardcover
MAR181379 — Book 1 trade paperback

They'll be happy to make sure your copy is waiting for you the day it comes out!

Presenting... SMASH Book 2: FEARLESS!

We're thrilled to announce that SMASH Book 2: FEARLESS will be published on May 8, 2018!

Here's your first look at the cover. And the publisher blurb:

Superhero. Super young. Super freaked out! In his second adventure, Smash has his hands full with old enemies and a few new ones — not to mention homework.

Thanks to a strange twist of fate — and a massive explosion — Andrew’s dream of having the strength and abilities of his superhero idol came true, and Smash was born. Great, right? Wrong! As superhero Smash, Andrew finds himself in a losing battle with the one emotion no hero should ever feel: fear. And he definitely didn’t count on becoming the prime target of Magus, the vilest supervillain of all time, who will stop at nothing to steal Smash’s powers. It’s going to take Andrew everything he’s got to conquer his fears, safeguard the city, keep his identity a secret . . . and pass the fifth grade.

Book 2 Is Real—and Here's Proof!

Look what came in the mail! More images and details coming soon. In the meantime, here are the details we can share:

SMASH, Book Two: FEARLESS will be published on May 8, 2018. You can even preorder it on Amazon through this link.

There Will Be a SMASH Book 2!

We are thrilled to announce that we've just finalized a contract with Candlewick Press to publish SMASH BOOK TWO! And, as you can see, we're flying in circles over it.

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For now, the title and plot of the book are sealed inside an underground vault in the Magus's secret lair and guarded round-the-clock by his Minions. While we don't have a publication date yet, rest assured we're working as fast as we can to bring new adventures of SMASH to all our fans.

Candlewick Press also published SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE, our first all-ages graphic novel featuring 10-year-old superhero Smash, and we couldn't be more excited to work with them again.

In addition to creating a gorgeous book that's a pleasure to read, Candlewick has worked tirelessly to promote SMASH, leading to glowing reviews, literary prizes like the Oregon Spirit Book Award and Children's Choice Book Award, and a legion of young readers who have let us know they can't wait for more SMASH.

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Smash Cover Small

We're especially excited to collaborate again with our fearless editor, Mary Lee Donovan, whose guidance and enthusiasm helped us develop our webcomic into a finished book we can be proud of. And we want to thank our agent, Bernadette Baker-Baughman at the Victoria Sanders Agency, for her patience, support, and all-around awesomeness.

We'll keep you updated as Book Two progresses. For more information, sign up for the mailing list in the margin at the right to get all the latest news while it's hot!

You can also follow SMASH on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank You for a SMASH-ing 2014!

Happy New Year to all our SMASH readers! As the calendar switches over to 2015, Kyle and I can't help looking back at a wonderful year for our 10-year-old superhero.

Some highlights:

• Numerous awards for SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE, from the Oregon Spirit Book Award to the Children's Choice Book Award and a nomination for the Black-Eyed Susan Award.
• A wonderful experience at the Emerald City Comic Con, including panels with other kids' comic creators and a demonstration on how kids can make their own comics.
• More fantastic reviews for our graphic novel, including notices from Horn Book, Bookslut, Library Media Connection, and many more. The blog 100 Scope Notes even called TRIAL BY FIRE one of the Top 10 Circulated Books of 2014.
• Readings at schools like Laurelhurst Elementary and Broadview-Thomson in Seattle, where we encountered wide-eyed fans full of great questions who were bursting for more Smash adventures. (Coming soon — we promise!)
• Inktober 2014 featured a month of Kyle's artwork, showing a wide range from the spooky and macabre to the hilarious and fantastical. (If you haven't seen it yet, take a look!)

Most of all, we're grateful for all of you! By buying our book and sharing our creation with friends and family, you've helped spread the word about SMASH in ways we could only have dreamed about.

We have exciting announcements coming in early 2015! But first, we want to reflect back on 2014 and say thanks again. May you all have a wonderful and joyous New Year celebration!

Oregon Spirit Book Awards Presentation

You may have heard that SMASH: TRIAL BY FIRE won the 2013 Oregon Spirit Book Award for Graphic Novel.

On Saturday, October 4, SMASH writer Chris A. Bolton attended the awards ceremony at Wilsonville High School. Sponsored by the Oregon Council of Teachers of English, it was a wonderful day that kicked off with a rousing keynote speech by author Brian Doyle.

Then the winners were each presented a beautiful plaque onstage and given a few minutes to speak.

Afterward, they had a chance to sign books and mingle with teachers and other nominees. Chris heard from several teachers who were phenomenally excited to introduce SMASH to their classroom.

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank the OCTE for this honor. Their award highlights a variety of children's books from Oregon writers and helps introduce the value of stories to young minds that crave them. We are deeply grateful for this award and a wonderful ceremony!

And, if you'd like to watch Chris's acceptance speech:

Happy 1st Anniversary, SMASH!

Today marks one year since the publication of Smash: Trial by Fire! And Smash brought some cake to share with all of you...

Uh, hmm, sorry about that. We'll get that mess cleaned right up. Anyhoo...

Our graphic novel has had a remarkable first year, earning rave reviews and prizes like the 2013 Oregon Spirit Book Award and a Children's Choice Book Award.

Kyle and I have made appearances at classrooms, bookstores, and comic conventions, where we've gotten to meet enthusiastic Smash fans and introduce our 10-year-old superhero to some eager new readers, as well.

From the bottoms of our hearts, we want to thank all of our readers and fans for making this first year so fantastic. Thanks for reading! And huge thanks to everyone who's helped us get the word out about Smash — we couldn't have done it without your support.

We're excited to see what the future brings!

To celebrate our first anniversary, here's the blog tour we took to kick Smash off:

Random Chalk Talk — Guest Post on the evolution of SMASH from webcomic to book.

Powells.com Book Blog — Guest Post on the birth of Smash, featuring the scandalous true story how we designed and created the character.

Who R U Blog — Q&A with Kyle and me talking about what it's like to work together as brothers and other titillating tales.

Book Bitch — Exclusive interview with none other than Smash himself! (Plus a surprise guest.)

Cynsations — Guest Post, "Graphic Novel 101" — how we make the comic.

Green Bean Teen Queen — Guest Post about the magic of libraries and how they helped create a certain pint-sized superhero.

Charlotte's Library — Guest Post featuring a comic titled "The True Origin of the Brothers Bolton." Yes, it's all true!

Hooked On Books — Guest Post featuring the SMASH playlist, for the perfect soundtrack to accompany the book!

Bildungsroman — Q&A with Kyle and me.

— Chris A. Bolton