You Can Draw … with Katie Cook 001: Why I Love Comics

Hello all! My name is Katie Cook . . . and I love comics. 

I grew up always knowing I’d be a cartoonist. I told teachers in preschool who asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up that I was going to draw cartoons. 

I spent all my time devouring comics, newspaper comics, animated movies, whatever. There was nothing else I wanted to spend my time on. 

Now, at the tender age of *mumble mumble*, I draw comics for a living. I write comics for a living. 

I have gotten to do work for things that I’ve loved since I was a kid  . . . Star Wars, the Jim Henson Company, Marvel, and more. Recently, I began writing the bestselling comic My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. These are things that impacted me as a kid, and now I’m a part of their impact on a new generation . . . a career does not get better than this! 

I love comics as a medium and as an artform, but I also love them as a community. I have met the best people while working in comics. Other artists and writers are as supportive as you can get, because they want comics to thrive for years to come. 

Part of that community is also going to comic book conventions! These have become part of my life in a way that I would never have imagined. It’s my chance to meet people, draw for folks, and more. I love them. 

I think I’ve been going to San Diego Comic-Con for 7-ish years now, and ever since the Artists’ Alley folks welcomed me with open arms, I have looked forward to the craziness each year. I go to a lot of conventions every year, but Comic-Con is that hectic pilgrimage of nerdery that I love. I premiere my new books there, I meet new fans there, I have a spot I’ve been in for a while where I know people will always be able to find me. It’s an amazing event. 

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Katie Cook will be contributing to Toucan on the fourth Tuesday of every month, with her column “You Can Draw . . .” Tune in next month to get your first Katie-torial and draw along with her!