Children’s titles involve a very specific kind of cartooning – engaging and easy to follow panel-to-panel. And it doesn't hurt if it's funny, too...

Ongoing artists Art Baltazar and Franco have been doing an extraordinary job with their NEW YORK TIMES bestselling, Eisner-nominated children’s series, TINY TITANS. We asked Art and Franco for some behind-the-scenes insight into the steps they take to create the art you see in TINY TITANS.

What’s the first step they take when they get the script pages?

“We usually write them so this is an easy one for us!” Franco said. “AW YEAH! Our Tiny Titans scripts are more like notes. After talking on the phone for hours making up stories, funny dialog, and awesome situations, Franco will type up everything we talked about and email me the notes. It’s a cool system we got going on. After I re-read the stories, I pull out the gags and start thumb-nailing the story ideas in my sketchbook. Once we got something funny, the rest is easy,” Art said.

“The whole inspiration for this issue came from a familiar line to most comic and movie buffs, ‘I like pink very much, Lois!’ In this issue, we take that line to heart and turn everything PINK! We get to use the entire DC Universe and spin them with our take. I can't believe issue #39 is here already. It seems like we were just getting underway with the first issue! This book is so much fun, I can't wait until we're talking about issue #139!” Franco continued. “The Pink Issue! This is an idea we had for a long time! Being a lifelong fan of the Superman movie, working on this issue brought out the 8-year-old in me! Aw Yeah PINK! Aw Yeah DC! Aw Yeah TITANS!” Art replied.

So how often do these two communicate?

“We (me and Franco) talk all the time. Everyday even! We’re always creating and writing and making stuff up ‘til we are both laughing! That’s when we know we got something cool. Man, I go through 3 sketchbooks a year filled with thumb-nailed stories ready to be drawn onto the comic page. We are kind of like one entity with two brains. We think alike so much it can scare the average person. Even when I am drawing an issue we are already talking about the next one. Making comics is in our blood. It’s a way of life. Comic stories are constantly rushing through my brain. It’s like breathing,” Art said. “We talk all the time – sometimes many times a day. Occasionally we even talk about comic work stuff,” Franco chimed in.

How do panels get arranged?

“I let Artie do all of that,” Franco said. “Arranging panels is all about timing! Panels must also move the page along nicely not to leave the reader stuck in one place for too long. I like a nice flow. I like to use panels with no words sometimes to show the characters faces and reactions. This allows the joke to zing a little stronger sometimes. The sizzle before the bang, the bongos before the bass drum...dig?” Art replied.

How do they take a humorous style and translate it into their cartooning?

“Humorous, funny, style is really natural to me. I love the funny! It’s what I know and how I grew up. The style I draw in is the way things look when they leave my hand. It comes from within. Cartooning lives in my heart. I am what you see. And what you see is full of AW YEAH!” Art said.

“There are differences between children’s book art and other comics but to me it’s the same thing. I love traditional comic book artwork, but when I draw comics, they look the way TINY TITANS look. Kids are very open-minded and think lots of stuff is awesome and cool. I think it depends on the age of the kid and what they can relate to. As a kid gets older, they graduate to other styles of art that they find appealing at a certain age. It’s the subject matter and story that is different. Artwork can be interpreted differently depending on who is drawing the comic. It’s a total visual thing and appealing to the beholder. Yep, it’s like being in love,” Art added.

So what’s the biggest perk of the job?

“Working on these awesome characters with my bestest pal! It's truly a dream come true!” Franco expressed. “I love creating! I love creating new characters! I love redesigning many of the characters I grew up with! I love making comics! I love going to conventions and meeting the fans! I love interaction! I love our AW YEAH TITANS PEEPS! Our fans are the best fans in the world!” Art proclaimed.

TINY TITANS #39 hits stores on Wednesday.

Art, Franco – your panel in Room 4 has just started! What’s in store?

Art: “Aw Yeah Kids Panel!Find out whats been Rockin' the DC Kids Universe! The cool stuff! The New stuff! and the Secret Stuff!! AND, you get to ask us questions and hear the Famous Cartoonists of the DC Universe...TALK! Join Us for this awesome EVENT! It will enhance our comic book senses!!!!”

Franco: “The most AWESOMEST panel of all is on Sunday at san diego Comic Con! Come talk to us and find out what's going on with Tiny Titans and Billy Batson/Shazam and some new super stuff too! Dan Didio will be there as well and together we can get the best secrets out of him! Aww yeah DC kids!”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Aww yeah!

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Got plans this weekend? No? Well, now you do.

In case you didn't know, tomorrow is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, where comic book shops across the country open up their doors and give away a number of FREE COMICS to fans new and old from participating publishers. Yes, you read that right. Free. Comics. All day. Want to see what's going to be on display? Visit the FREE COMIC BOOK DAY site for info on participating stores and locations.

Want to find your nearest comic shop? Use the very handy Comic Shop Locator.

As far as what DC's got in store -- well, where to begin? We have the DC KIDS MEGA-SAMPLER, which features stories from all our kids titles, including the critically-acclaimed TINY TITANS and BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM. TINY TITANS features the fabulous storytelling and artwork of Art Baltazar and Franco, two creators that have really made a name for themselves with their endearing stories that appeal not only to kids, but older fans. Guys, what say you?

"Awww yeah FCBD!!!! Free Comics- there ain't nothing better!!! Unless there's one with Tiny Titans, Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, Batman Brave and Bold and the Superfriends- oh wait! there is!!" Franco said. "AND it also has a cover drawn by both Art and myself (historical for me)! I'm really excited about this- we've not only been a part of this for the past copule of years but it's just so cool to be able to get new readers into DC because of this book! Aww yeah awesome!"

"FCBD will Rock! Can't wait to hear what the kids think of our all SUPER preview of Tiny Titans!" Baltazar said. "Aw Yeah Fortress of Solitude! Man, I'm really diggin' Mike Norton's artwork on SHAZAM! The world will dig it too! AW YEAH!"

Aw yeah, indeed! Thanks, gents.

But there's more. Kicking off tomorrow is THE WAR OF THE SUPERMEN, from co-writers James Robinson and Sterling Gates. Teaming with artist Eddy Barrows for the #0 issue, WAR OF THE SUPERMEN promises to be an epic battle worthy of the Man of Steel. Don't believe us? Well, then take some cues from Mr. Robinson and Mr. Gates, willya?

"War of the Supermen was a blast to do," Robinson said. "It was wonderful to collaborate with Sterling Gates and the many artists involved in the project. With all the story lines coalescing it really has been two years in the making. As to who wins the war? Wait and see."

"War of the Supermen #0 kicks off a massive Superman story, one that we've been working towards in the Super-books for the last two years," Gates said. "James and I are excited and proud to bring you the opening salvo of the war on this year's Free Comic Book Day, one of the most exciting days on the comic book world's calendar!"

On top of the incredibly talented penciller Eddy Barrows (who draws one of the meanest Superman/Zod/Ursa/Non fights ever!), we've enlisted a number of other hugely gifted artists to help us with War #0, including Gary Frank, David Finch, Ethan Van Sciver, Aaron Lopresti, CAFU, Julian Lopez and Diogenes Neves."

I think it's fantastic the direct market gets one day a year that allows them to show off how awesome they are, and I'm beyond thrilled to join with James, Eddy, and the rest of the War of the Supermen team to bring you Free Comic Book Day's War of the Supermen #0."

I know, I know. Here I go, getting you guys all hyped up and now you need to wait until tomorrow to get your hands on these two great books, FOR FREE. But it's Friday, and in the spirit of that, we've got previews for both issues right here. See you at the shop tomorrow! Let us know which shop you'll be at in the comments below.

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If there’s one book that just screams “fun,” it’s TINY TITANS. The book bristles with the pure energy and joy creators Art Balthazar and Franco pour into the book each month. This week’s issue #25 is no exception, especially with special guest writer Geoff Johns, who joins the TINY TITANS duo for a special tale featuring a character that Johns is all-too-familiar with, Conner Kent – and Match?!

Let’s see what Art, Franco AND Geoff have got in store. Take it away, gents:

“This issue was just a blast to write! It was great to have another person like to Geoff to bounce ideas off just because of the back info he has on these characters,” Franco said. “It was also cool cause he told us all the Blackest Night and Brightest Day secrets and now we get to auction them off to the highest bidder! ... or use them as our own stories in future Tiny Titans issues!”

Huh, I don’t even know those secrets. Then again, I usually don’t! Geoff?

“ Aww yeah Art and Franco!!! I jumped at the chance to work with them and the Tiny Titans!”

“AW YEAH CONNER! AW YEAH RINGS! Man, we've been waiting to use Conner Superboy since issue #1! Getting to write with the same guy who brought Conner BACK from the dead was awesome! This issue is truly historical! I'm a big fan of Geoff Johns! I'm a fan of Franco too!”

And we’re fans of all three of you. Here are a few pages from the issue, which hits 2/24.

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