Big spread in the Vancouver Sun today:
"Eager to help young artists tap into these career opportunities, Steacy has teamed up with his wife, author and graphic novel illustrator Joan Steacy, and the creative writing department at Camosun College in Victoria to offer Western Canada's first full-time comic and graphic novels certificate program. Beginning this September, the eight-month course will welcome 16 students who will combine creative writing and graphic novel illustration courses, with an exploration of the history of the industry from superheroes and villains to groundbreaking literary works such as Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prizewinning Holocaust survival story, Maus, and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, depicting the author's childhood in Iran following the Islamic Revolution.
The goal is give graduates the skills they need to work as freelance authors and illustrators for comic books, graphic novels and web comics, or pursue careers in gaming, motion graphics, animation, advertising and as storyboard artists for the film and television industries.
"We just want to absolutely stuff their heads with information that they can then parse and determine how best to use," Steacy said. Stan Chung, Camosun's dean of arts and science, said the school is thrilled to be able to offer the unique certificate program in what he called a "booming industry."
But it was really Steacy's international reputation and his willingness to share his real-world experience of the business that really sealed the deal....
Chung said Camosun has been approached by post-secondary schools interested in a partnership that would see certificate graduates transfer credits to a degree program.
"I can name you two universities that have expressed their admiration and jealousy about this program. They wish they had Ken Steacy. They know who he is and what he can offer."
