So I just took a really short trip to Wisconsin to visit my family. While I was there I was invited back to my highschool (Green Bay Southwest) and speak to the writing and art classes. It was a really amazing time. My speech teacher from my senior year Mrs. Reynen, showed me around, and introduced me to the classes. Everyone was so receptive... asking lots of questions, and really making me feel at home. I was blown away how similiar the attitudes of the teachers were to the students. It was very much like they were equals. There was a mutual respect, something that I had forgotten. I believe this type of atmosphere is so great to grow creative minds. Although... while I was there... I met basically no one who read comics. Either they were ashamed (which is ridiculous) or it's just a genre this group has been neglected of.
The Librarian had a graphic Novel section... which made me very happy. But, as we talked, I discovered she put it up just because I was coming. Which at first was sort of heartbreaking, but then... I guess I felt "whatever" as long as they are going to have one now.
I also went to where my Aunt Chris teaches middle school in Denmark Wisconsin. I went through a truncated rambling of how I write, and how I draw, and got the class to work on jam comics most of the time. The really loved them. They folded the paper in forths and drew the first panel, passed it to their left, drew, and so on... we did it twice and they got a real kick out of it.
So now I am back home in Brooklyn... and I've been forwarded a bunch of times that the book Stuck in The Middle 
put out by Viking has been reviewed in the NY Times. And they mention for a second my story. So here is the link. Also New York Magazine is running something where you can read my story this week... here. I think that is it. Oh, one of my dearest pals in the entire worl, Craig Thompson, has started a BLOG. Check it out... hopefully we'll be able to see more Habibi pages.
Lastly there is a party for Stuck in the MIddle this Friday at Rocketship in Brooklyn. Details here.
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