Jillian Tamaki Books In Order

Publication Order of Roaming Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

Jillian Tamaki is a Canadian American artist that has garnered a reputation for using experimental forms of art to tell deeply moving yet relevant stories.

+Biography

Jillian Tamaki was born in 1980 in Ottawa, Ontario. Though, most of her childhood memories revolve around Calgary in Alberta where she grew up. A student of the Alberta College of Art and Design, Jillian initially put her artistic skills to effective use by joining a video game company.

Later on, Jillian found that she could attain greater fulfillment by doing illustrations for newspapers and magazines, not to mention creating her own unique comic books.

When Jillian isn’t writing or drawing, she is teaching at a Visual Arts school in New York.

+Literary Career

Jillian Tamaki cannot remember a time in her life when she wasn’t drawing. There was a spark in the field of art that called to her. She knew she loved to tell stories and it didn’t take her long to realize that her strength lay in using art to tell those stories.

Jillian can trace her career back to the Alberta College of Art and Design from where she graduated in 2003. It wasn’t just the skills from the college that catapulted Jillian to new heights.

She also had very supportive teachers who connected her to some of her earliest jobs; jobs that Jillian used to build her portfolio which in turn made her that much more attractive to larger employers down the line.

Jillian Tamaki’s first significant job was with a video game company in Alberta. While she liked the work, which was mostly character work, Jillian also freelanced in free time. That was where she had her passion.

She finally got to a point where she had garnered enough clients to start freelancing fulltime. It was at this point that Jillian packed her things and went to New York. Jillian credits her college for helping her figure out her style because that is what she is best known for.

The author remembers being encouraged to experiment with the basics at a young age. Her teachers were adamant that she forget about what was marketable and popular and instead focus on locating that distinct artistic form that only she could produce.

Jillian appreciates the fact that she did not take any jobs while she was in school because that would have forced her to conform to the marketplace. Instead, Jillian used her school years to master her craft and to simply incubate.

Though, the author admits that her style has evolved over time. She has learned to adapt to different situations. She understands the importance of giving clients exactly what they want.

Jillian doesn’t always encourage people to go to art school. She accepts that it is possible to master one’s craft outside a formal institute of education. However, Jillian Tamaki believes that there is a lot to be learned from an art school. Her stance is that only serious artists that are dedicated to their craft should invest in an art degree.

For all its benefits, only a serious artist can successfully take on the student debt that comes from going to art school because they are likely to persevere in the field until they achieve financial success.

Besides going to art school, Jillian Tamaki also believes that going to New York did wonders for her career. She was exposed to new heights of creativity and pop culture. The author was also challenged by the intensity of the competition in play. Everything worked to stimulate Jillian to push past her boundaries. The author admits that living in New York is no picnic and the first few months and years were hard. But she believes it was worth it in the long run.

For all her illustrative work, Jillian Tamaki is primarily known for her comics. She took up the habit shortly after she left college. Jillian started small, experimenting with mini-comics.

After seeing that the comics were selling online, she took them to shops and, eventually, decided to integrate herself into the indie comic scene. Jillian kept going to conventions and marketing her stories to people until some of them took the bait.

The author admits that it is much easier to get one’s work in front of eyeballs today. Back then, it required a lot of legwork. These days, Jillian makes effective use of social media to promote her comics.

She is also pretty active on indie comics spaces online. When things get a little hectic in the marketing and promotion department, Jillian always leans on her literary agent who helps her contend with the rigors of getting her books and comics published.

Jillian Tamaki has garnered a reputation for her art. The author’s comics stand out because Jillian has the distinct ability to tell a story both through the dialogue of her characters and her art. Every stroke on the page seems to signify something.

Jillian knows that her work is experimental and that it puts some people off. Her goal is to find a middle ground of sorts between the mainstream and the experimental. Many a critic believes that Jillian Tamaki already found that middle ground, which is why her comics seem to appeal to everyone.

+SuperMutant Magic Academy

SuperMutant Magic Academy is exactly what it sounds like, a prep school that attracts witches and mutants for students. The academy helps these extraordinary kids master their powers even while availing them an ordinary education experience.

However, the kids’ powers are often forgotten in the chaos that normally erupts around them, the result of teenage angst and intrigue.

This Jillian Tamaki book tells the story of a group of mutant teenagers going through their final years of high school at a special academy. The book uses humor to show that teenagers everywhere are essentially the same.

+Boundless

This book is a collection of short stories that focus on the trials of various women as they try to achieve a semblance of normalcy and happiness. Through her characters, Jillian Tamaki attempts to look at the manner in which societal expectations affect women.

The author blends elements of fantasy and realism as she tries to provide a profound understanding of the world. Jillian doesn’t try to deliver any particular message. Rather, she makes observations and allows her readers to make their own conclusions.