James Sturm publishes new Christmas graphic novel

James Sturm, graphic novelist and founding member or Center for Cartoon Studies, has created a new book about Santa’s quest to write a book to pull kids away from electronics. Book is entitled, “Adventures in Cartooning: Christmas Special”.

The “Offline” project also gave me the idea for my new book, Adventures in Cartooning: Christmas Special!, in which Santa discovers, to his chagrin, that it’s a whole new digital world out there and the only presents children are asking for these days are video games and iTunes gift cards. So Old St. Nick sets out to remind today’s kids about the pleasures of handmade gifts by creating an old-fashioned item-a comic book. He enlists the help of the Magical Cartooning Elf (naturally), and together with a brave knight they search for a story to hold the attention of a generation of Web-addled kids.

Below is an excerpt from the book. (And yes, I am aware of the irony that you’ll be reading it on a screen.) I also realize most kids won’t choose a book over a video game. But what’s Christmastime all about if not hoping for a miracle?

Slate is running an excerpt (from which I snagged the above piece). Head over to Slate.com for more.