Comics Rule the World ... and that Includes Sushi

by Glen Downey, Comics in Education, www.comicsineducation.com

AMY CRABTREE, THE FOUNDER OF CAKES WITH FACES AND AUTHOR OF HOW TO MAKE SUSHI

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This is just the sort of thing I love about comics...

I think I was destined to come across Amy Crabtree--not just because I love all manner of comics and visual art but because I also happen to appreciate a good vegetable maki set. Amy Crabtree is a UK graphic artist with a passion for Japanese culture and you can see these Eastern influences both in her art and in the subject matter of her book, How to Make Sushi.

Here is Amy talking about her labour of love:

"How to Make Sushi" is a comic-style recipe book that guides you through the process of making sushi at home. The whole book is in comic format, and the recipes really work. The book has just been published worldwide on Amazon Kindle, and is also available as a printed comic.

I took a sushi-making class and wanted to share what I'd learned. By its nature, sequential art is perfect for step-by-step instructions. I realised a comic book would be a perfect way to demonstrate how to prepare ingredients and roll sushi.

Cute characters in the comic guide you through making hosomaki (single filling rolls), futomaki (larger rolls) and nigiri, as well as how to cook edamame and gyoza for a complete Japanese meal.

Kawaii (cute) characters and manga format seemed like a perfect match for Japanese cuisine. Sushi is an art in itself - it's all about presentation and preparing the ingredients in a very precise way. What better way to describe this than by using drawings?

Any practical instructions could be communicated using a comic - maybe instructions for flatpack furniture should be drawn as comics to make the process less frustrating!

Most of my artwork is character-based and involves personification - mainly food with faces! - so that translated easily to a comic recipe. A lot of kitchen situations involve danger for the ingredients as they're sliced, diced, boiled and fried, so there's a lot of fun to be had with the characters when you bring the ingredients to life. An element of humour makes cooking seem more fun and inspires people to have a go!

Readers have said the comic book makes sushi-making seem easier, more fun and less intimidating. As well as online, it's sold at comic cons in the UK. Some people pick up the book just because they like the cute artwork; then when they realise the recipes really work, you can tell they're really interested. The comic's been popular, and often people buy it as a present for friends. It's a good feeling to be sharing the sushi-making knowledge!

I've also drawn a comic book recipe for ramen noodles for NEO, a UK anime and manga magazine. It's available to download free from my website. It's so great to see photos on Twitter of sushi and ramen that people have made by following the comics, and I'd definitely like to draw more comic book recipes in future!

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If you're already smitten with Amy's cool book projects, you should know that she's the owner of the T-shirts and accessories brand, "Cakes with Faces," specialising in fun and colourful designs, many of them involving food (and cakes) with faces. You can also find Amy on Twitter, where she hangs out as @cakeswithfaces, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cakeswithfaces.

Her ebook is available here from the Kindle Store, and the printed version is available as a gift set with a rolling mat and chopsticks from http://www.cakeswithfaces.co.uk (worldwide shipping available).

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