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The Battalion
Page 3 • Wednesday, September 15, 2004
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The ‘write’ stuff
rom comics to coffee-table books y Aggies well-represented in publishing scene
By Amber Gray
THE BATTALION
Appearing at his first book signing this past weekend, Ruben DeLu-
Classof20()l and author of the “Fish” comic strip featured in The
ttalion from 1998 to 2004, joined other Aggie authors in presenting
ir published works.
While creating comics began as just as job for DeLuna, he said he
longer the strip ran, the more interested he became in it.
it became more of a priority because it was something I was proud of.
>hn Coll rich made me put more effort into creating (the comics),” he said.
While DeLuna’s comic series came to an end in May, he has created
o books to encompass the collections of his work. The first book,
ishOut of Water.” was released in January and features a compila-
n of the best comics throughout the first 10 semesters the comic ran.
s second book, which came out over the summer, “Gone Fishing:
ie Complete Final Year.” features the past two semesters’ series of
mics in their entirety.
“A lot of the comics have real-life roots. They are based on things
resist! happened to me,” he said. “Only they are partially true be-
not " f ' use 1 exaggerated a little to make them more humorous."
While the bulk of the series is based on real-life experiences, De-
tnasaid the rest is based on random thoughts that he would just turn
:o jokes.
“The comics are mostly all A&M-inspired since the audience are
identshere,” he said. “Although I would like to think there’s some
iversal humor in them, 1 think people who don’t attend A&M
nuldn’t) get it.”
DeLuna said events that were occurring on campus would be hu-
orously incorporated in his series. Controversies at the time, such as
, , iking fiin at Transportation Services and traditional administration,
e 0e lere some of his favorite topics to illustrate.
' xm “\ used the comic strip as my ow n venting place for things students
uld be griping about,” he said.
While most students find it hard enough just to keep up with their stud-
DeLuna would have to find time every day to sketch his comics.
1 would have to devote a couple of hours each afternoon to the
Hp,’’ he said. “I mean, my grades may have suffered a little at times
i an a\: cause 1 would be drawing when 1 should have been studying, but 1
it 8 inck|und the time to w-rite.”
To get his collections of comics published, DeLuna opted for the
iline publisher InstantPublisher.com. Someone interested in this re
but I befcl urce can ser| d ‘ n t ^ ie ' r manuscript on C D or online through their self-
to come l blishi ng software.
HormotJ was because the minimum print is 25 books and since I
. . wasn’t mass producing, it was good alternative at a decent price,”
e ulrt ! f|:Luna said.
la y w 'tl\f While DeLuna’s first book of comic collections was complete
u\.\ dhl t w0 W e e ks, his second took a few' weeks longer to print.
)p\e sij'M.
)age
iters wife
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with fe
ted to
■esearch
“This book has some color
pages which 1 guess makes it a
more difficult process,” he said.
For future comic strip illus
trators, DeLuna said practice is
the key to becoming more ad
vanced in the art.
“As you keep publishing
and creating more and more
you will get a feel for the pro
cess,” he said. “You will see
your drawing and your writing
will improve.”
For a good start at getting
practice, DeLuna suggests ap
plying at the school paper.
“Or begin writing Web
comics,” he said. “It is the
easiest way for everyone to get
published and for people to see
your stuff.”
As DeLuna nears graduation
from graduate school in visu
alization science, he is keep
ing his options and mind open;
however, he would love a job as
a comics artist.
“I have had so much expe
rience and done so much al
ready, I feel I could do the job
well enough,” he said. “It’s
just making a living out of it
that might be difficult.”
For more information on De
Luna, students can check out
his Web site at www.rdeluna.
com, or pick up a copy of his book at the MSC Bookstore.
When Nancy Glenn, another Aggie author, went to college, women
were not allowed to attend the A&M. Over the years she has become
involved with in the Texas A&M Women’s Club, the OPAS Guild and
the Aggie Mom’s Club. In addition, she and her husband have adopted
American and international Aggie students for 25 years.
“We just loved this area,” she said. “And we wanted to move to a
community that focused on education in order to raise our children.”
Glenn said she received her inspiration for creating the historical, fine
arts photographic book, “Texas A&M University: A Legacy of Tradi
tion” from one of her and her husband’s favorite hobbies: traveling.
“We love to buy books that portray the beauty of the countries we
visit,” Glenn said. “It was my love for these that created my interest in
JP Beato III • THE BATTALION
At the MSC Bookstore last Saturday, author Jimmy Tiller (right) of “Tales of a Helicopter Cowboy” views
a section of “Gone Fishing: The Complete Final Year” by author Ruben DeLuna. DeLuna’s second book
is a compilation the last two semester of his “Fish” comic strips, which ran in The Battalion for six years.
producing a beautiful book about A&M.”
Her book debuted right before the 1999 Aggie Bonfire Collapse.
“I wanted to create something that would be very honoring to the
University and the people who impacted it,” Glenn said.
Glenn hired an award-winning photographer whom she flew to
Texas several times over the course of the two-year period she spent
producing the book.
“With the color photographs making the publishing process more
expensive and with the limited audience, a book like this was more
difficult to get produced,” she said.
Glenn said when creating the book she focused on campus history
See Authors on page 10
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University if
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irsemenl bf
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18.
identtopW
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