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Terry Moore 25th Anniversary Sketchbook
Terry Moore began his comic book career in 1993 with the release of his critically acclaimed series, Strangers In Paradise. He went on to create the award winning series Echo, Rachel Rising and Motor Girl. In addition to thousands of pages of story art, Moore has produced a vast amount of sketches and design art, most of which feature the strong modern women from his books. This sketchbook offers an inside look at the artist and his work.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 13, 2017
About the author
Terry Moore
851 books652 followersFollowing the examples of independent comic creators such as Dave Sim and Jeff Smith, he decided to publish Strangers in Paradise himself through his own Houston-based "Abstract Studios" imprint, and has frequently mentioned a desire to do a syndicated cartoon strip in the authors notes at the back of the Strangers in Paradise collection books. He has also mentioned his greatest career influence is Peanuts' Charles Schulz.[1] Some of Moore's strip work can additionally be found in his Paradise, Too! publications.
His work has won him recognition in the comics industry, including receiving the Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story in 1996 for Strangers in Paradise #1-8, which was collected in the trade paperback "I Dream of You".
It was announced on June 15th, 2007 that Moore would be taking over for Sean McKeever as writer of Marvel Comics's Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane series starting with a new issue #1. On July 27th, Marvel announced that Moore would also take over for Joss Whedon as writer of Marvel's Runaways.[2]
On November 19th, 2007 Terry Moore announced in his blog that his new self-published series would be named Echo and its first issue would appear on March 5th, 2008.[3]
His work has won him recognition in the comics industry, including receiving the Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story in 1996 for Strangers in Paradise #1-8, which was collected in the trade paperback "I Dream of You".
It was announced on June 15th, 2007 that Moore would be taking over for Sean McKeever as writer of Marvel Comics's Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane series starting with a new issue #1. On July 27th, Marvel announced that Moore would also take over for Joss Whedon as writer of Marvel's Runaways.[2]
On November 19th, 2007 Terry Moore announced in his blog that his new self-published series would be named Echo and its first issue would appear on March 5th, 2008.[3]
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 28, 2020
Terry Moore writes and draws women I want to meet
They are cranky. They are smart. They are irritating. They are kind. They are a little slow. They are funny. They are wise. They are naive. They are all shapes. They are beautiful.
I’ll never forget reading the first issue of the “Strangers in Paradise” series and being astounded that one of his characters was running around getting dressed for a job interview. It’s a comic, so she was sexy, right? Well, her underwear was mismatched, her panty hose was pulled over a tummy bulge, and she was yanking on a too-tight blouse. (And yes, she WAS still sexy, but not for the usual cheesecake reasons.) Possibly for the first time in decades I was seeing a woman drawn by a man who actually paid attention to real people. And they were all unique, multi-layered and wonderful! Turns out that when your cast has more women than men in it, they’re allowed to have personalities besides just being “the girl.” Funny how that works.
I get his annual sketchbook every year but I still had to get this because I love how he draws people, and because he comments on a lot of his sketches. It is crammed with stuff, including characters from all of his comics, and is a wonderful peek inside his head.
They are cranky. They are smart. They are irritating. They are kind. They are a little slow. They are funny. They are wise. They are naive. They are all shapes. They are beautiful.
I’ll never forget reading the first issue of the “Strangers in Paradise” series and being astounded that one of his characters was running around getting dressed for a job interview. It’s a comic, so she was sexy, right? Well, her underwear was mismatched, her panty hose was pulled over a tummy bulge, and she was yanking on a too-tight blouse. (And yes, she WAS still sexy, but not for the usual cheesecake reasons.) Possibly for the first time in decades I was seeing a woman drawn by a man who actually paid attention to real people. And they were all unique, multi-layered and wonderful! Turns out that when your cast has more women than men in it, they’re allowed to have personalities besides just being “the girl.” Funny how that works.
I get his annual sketchbook every year but I still had to get this because I love how he draws people, and because he comments on a lot of his sketches. It is crammed with stuff, including characters from all of his comics, and is a wonderful peek inside his head.
August 10, 2018
However one seeks to measure an artist's creative endurance, art books aren't a bad place to start. Less for their presence alone than for the variety of emotional experiences they encompass, the art book is a tool of convenience as well as a harbinger of heated expectation.
"They've done what so far?"
"Well, what have they done since then?"
For indie comic book readers with an affection for character-based narratives, LGBTQIA story dynamics, and lots and lots of running around, Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise remains a fun, frustrating, and emotional roller-coaster. Even when the book reached its conclusion, it still didn't feel quite real. Are Katchoo and Francie really meant for each other? After all that fighting and arguing and pining and longing . . . it's honestly hard to know. Human relations are weird like that.
In 25TH ANNIVERSARY SKETCHBOOK, Moore empties the shelves of his office and tracks down oodles of original artwork -- mostly SiP pencil sketches -- and provides occasional commentary on his creative inspirations, worries, and wonders as a long-suffering independent comic book creator and artist. And while the creator's pithy conjectures have value, this art book's value is enumerated mostly for being an easy and helpful way to hunt down more lovey-dovey Katchoo-Francie art. . .
Terry Moore's style, as is often the case with indie creators, has come more and more alive with time. He takes his cues from Alphonse Mucha (female beauty), Charles M. Schulz (connective humor, roundness of character), Will Eisner (scene structure), and others. Mixed and blended together and seasoned with the author's passion for observational atonement and for crafting misunderstanding in the simplest of actions, these storytelling and aesthetical assists gift readers realistic but flawed characters in flawed but recognizable situations. Terry Moore's work is like that of a professional figure artist whose true passion is freehand illustration.
One might view Moore's insecurities on the page as a bit fluffy and unnecessary ("I learn something about Francine every time I draw her," p. 78), but such comments belie the indisputable wholesomeness of the man's art: these are characters whose lives are as real as the reader's. Francine is tall, curvy, feminine, and somewhat awkward at being confident about each of these features at the same time. When Francine smiles, it's hard to know who she's smiling for. As such, when Moore sketches her profile with knitted eyebrows, hunched shoulders, and the suggestion of a puckered cheek, readers aren't simply endeared because she looks like the girl next door; rather, readers identify with Francie's sorrow because they know all too well what it's like to live a life in the absence of direction -- traveling so fast it's impossible to steer oneself clear of every obstacle in their way.
25TH ANNIVERSARY SKETCHBOOK collects mostly Strangers in Paradise sketch work (and an occasionally inked piece), but a few of Moore's other titles and various fanart are sprinkled throughout. And while there isn't much of a signature look to the artist's work on the whole, it's a little hard to criticize his affection for drawing women with a pug-nose and a rubbery smile, because it invariably turns out that these characters are too damn charming to effectively dislike. Nevertheless, Moore's respect for proportions (necks, collarbones, and shoulders in particular) and his knack for making drawing hair look easy are competent and dependable highlights in an otherwise comfortable and friendly style.
"They've done what so far?"
"Well, what have they done since then?"
For indie comic book readers with an affection for character-based narratives, LGBTQIA story dynamics, and lots and lots of running around, Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise remains a fun, frustrating, and emotional roller-coaster. Even when the book reached its conclusion, it still didn't feel quite real. Are Katchoo and Francie really meant for each other? After all that fighting and arguing and pining and longing . . . it's honestly hard to know. Human relations are weird like that.
In 25TH ANNIVERSARY SKETCHBOOK, Moore empties the shelves of his office and tracks down oodles of original artwork -- mostly SiP pencil sketches -- and provides occasional commentary on his creative inspirations, worries, and wonders as a long-suffering independent comic book creator and artist. And while the creator's pithy conjectures have value, this art book's value is enumerated mostly for being an easy and helpful way to hunt down more lovey-dovey Katchoo-Francie art. . .
Terry Moore's style, as is often the case with indie creators, has come more and more alive with time. He takes his cues from Alphonse Mucha (female beauty), Charles M. Schulz (connective humor, roundness of character), Will Eisner (scene structure), and others. Mixed and blended together and seasoned with the author's passion for observational atonement and for crafting misunderstanding in the simplest of actions, these storytelling and aesthetical assists gift readers realistic but flawed characters in flawed but recognizable situations. Terry Moore's work is like that of a professional figure artist whose true passion is freehand illustration.
One might view Moore's insecurities on the page as a bit fluffy and unnecessary ("I learn something about Francine every time I draw her," p. 78), but such comments belie the indisputable wholesomeness of the man's art: these are characters whose lives are as real as the reader's. Francine is tall, curvy, feminine, and somewhat awkward at being confident about each of these features at the same time. When Francine smiles, it's hard to know who she's smiling for. As such, when Moore sketches her profile with knitted eyebrows, hunched shoulders, and the suggestion of a puckered cheek, readers aren't simply endeared because she looks like the girl next door; rather, readers identify with Francie's sorrow because they know all too well what it's like to live a life in the absence of direction -- traveling so fast it's impossible to steer oneself clear of every obstacle in their way.
25TH ANNIVERSARY SKETCHBOOK collects mostly Strangers in Paradise sketch work (and an occasionally inked piece), but a few of Moore's other titles and various fanart are sprinkled throughout. And while there isn't much of a signature look to the artist's work on the whole, it's a little hard to criticize his affection for drawing women with a pug-nose and a rubbery smile, because it invariably turns out that these characters are too damn charming to effectively dislike. Nevertheless, Moore's respect for proportions (necks, collarbones, and shoulders in particular) and his knack for making drawing hair look easy are competent and dependable highlights in an otherwise comfortable and friendly style.
January 27, 2018
"If I ever make the perfect drawing, I might stop." - Terry Moore
As much as I appreciate Terry Moore as a writer and a storyteller, his art never fails to capture my attention, and often my heart. In over 200 pages of sketches and concept art, Moore puts on display his talent for heartfelt portraits and the candid moments that make his stories come to life. Some pieces are more finished than others, but all manage to convey a sense of character, personality, and emotion.
The art in this book represents the span of Moore's career, so there's a lot of Francine and Katchoo from 'Strangers in Paradise,' as well as smatterings from 'Echo,' 'Rachel Rising,' and even a few from 'Motor Girl.' There's also a few surprises, including a drawing of Amanda Palmer, and another of J.K. Rowling. Captions are sparse, yet enlightening - I discovered that Moore is an appreciator of the art nouveau style, and Alphonse Mucha in particular, and I learned where some of his ideas came from, or where they led. Often, however, the art is left to stand on its own merit... as it should.
In the pages of this sketchbook, the journey of an artist thus far is chronicled - often playful, occasionally serious, always with heart and an eye for beauty. Page for page, it's a reminder of why I enjoy Moore's art so much.
I hope Terry Moore never makes his perfect drawing - only because I hope he'll never stop.
As much as I appreciate Terry Moore as a writer and a storyteller, his art never fails to capture my attention, and often my heart. In over 200 pages of sketches and concept art, Moore puts on display his talent for heartfelt portraits and the candid moments that make his stories come to life. Some pieces are more finished than others, but all manage to convey a sense of character, personality, and emotion.
The art in this book represents the span of Moore's career, so there's a lot of Francine and Katchoo from 'Strangers in Paradise,' as well as smatterings from 'Echo,' 'Rachel Rising,' and even a few from 'Motor Girl.' There's also a few surprises, including a drawing of Amanda Palmer, and another of J.K. Rowling. Captions are sparse, yet enlightening - I discovered that Moore is an appreciator of the art nouveau style, and Alphonse Mucha in particular, and I learned where some of his ideas came from, or where they led. Often, however, the art is left to stand on its own merit... as it should.
In the pages of this sketchbook, the journey of an artist thus far is chronicled - often playful, occasionally serious, always with heart and an eye for beauty. Page for page, it's a reminder of why I enjoy Moore's art so much.
I hope Terry Moore never makes his perfect drawing - only because I hope he'll never stop.
December 19, 2017
Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.
April 14, 2018
A look back.
January 6, 2020
Awesome. I loved the little story that goes along with the art.
July 1, 2024
Step dad bought this for me because it had lesbian drawings!! Thank you 🫶🏻
Genuinely really inspiring sketches and the butches were sooooo fine, will definitely be using some sketches as reference.
Genuinely really inspiring sketches and the butches were sooooo fine, will definitely be using some sketches as reference.
April 13, 2022
Love terry moore
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews