The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, commonly known asThe Kubert Schoolor Joe Kubert School, is aprivatefor-profitart schoolfocused on cartooning and located inDover, New Jersey.It teaches the principles ofsequential artand the particular craft of thecomicsindustry as well as commercialillustration.It is the only accredited school devoted entirely to cartooning.[1]

The Kubert School
TypePrivatefor-profitart school
Established1976
FounderJoe Kubert
PresidentAnthony Marques
Academic staff
10–15 per school year
Undergraduates150
Location,,
United States
CampusUrban
MascotTor
Websitekubertschool.edu

The school's instructors are full-time professionals working in the industry, many of them graduates of the school themselves, and the instruction is hands-on and practical. The school has a reputation for demanding and intensive coursework. Its alumni includeAmanda Conner,Lee Weeks,Andy Price,Ed Piskor,andAlex Maleev,as well as many other comicspencilersandinkers.[2][3]

History

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The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art was founded in September 1976 bycartoonistJoe Kubertand his wife Muriel in the old Baker mansion on 45 Lehigh Street in Dover; then, from 1984 onwards, Dover's former high school, whose tall windows offered optimal lighting.[4]Its first graduating class of1978includedStephen R. Bissette,[5]Thomas Yeates,[6]andRick Veitch.[citation needed]

By 1984, the school offered a three-year program in Cartoon Illustration, Graphic Arts, and Cinematic Animation, accredited by theNational Association of Trade and Technical Schools.Approved by theNew Jersey Department of Education,the Kubert School advertised itself to veterans and "non-resident alien"students.[7]

In 1993,Dark Horse Comicsannounced it would begin funding the "Jack Kirby Scholarship" at the school.[8]

Founder and teacher Kubert kept his own studio in the school, later joined by his sonsAdamandAndy,who are also comic book professionals and who teach at the school.[9][10](In addition to The Kubert School, in the late 1990s, Joe Kubert was offering "Joe Kubert's World of Cartooning"correspondence coursesto prospective students.)[11]

In the fall of 2019, former student Anthony Marques purchased the school with $2.4 million in combined 7(a) term and 7(a) Express loans through TD Bank's Small Business Administration (SBA) Lending Group.[12]

In January of 2025, the school announced that it would be moving from Dover to a new location inMadison, New Jersey.[13]

Campus and student body

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Anthony Marques andAdam Kubertat a Kubert School presentation at the 2012New York Comic Con

There are usually no more than 150 students attending the school at any time. As well as regular weekday classes, the school also holds a weekly class every Saturday, which is available for people who are not enrolled in the main program. The class is on basic lessons in cartooning, and is taught by various alumni.

Criticism

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A 2003 article inThe Comics Journalcriticized the school for turning out "hack" artists with no individual character.[14]Similarly, Kubert alumEd Piskor(who only attended the school for one year) criticized the school for its hackneyed approach and outmoded techniques.[15]

References

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  1. ^"Having fun doing what he was born to do: Cartoonist Rick Veitch | Vermont Business Magazine".vermontbiz.RetrievedDecember 4,2024.
  2. ^Molnar, Phillip (October 8, 2010)."Comic's Kuberts Teach Art to Next Generation".Associated PressviaNewsday.Archived fromthe originalon December 7, 2010.RetrievedAugust 13,2012.
  3. ^"THE KUBERT SCHOOL -- Alumni".THE KUBERT SCHOOL.RetrievedJuly 24,2020.
  4. ^Jennings, Dana (December 14, 2003)."Paper, Pencil And a Dream".The New York Times.
  5. ^Dahlen, Chris (July 23, 2009)."Steve Bissette".The A.V. Club.Archivedfrom the original on December 22, 2013.RetrievedApril 10,2010.
  6. ^"Talent From The Kubert School: Thomas Yeates".The Kubert School. n.d.Archivedfrom the original on December 28, 2014.
  7. ^"full page advertisement for the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Inc".Vigilante.No. 7. DC Comics. June 1984.
  8. ^"Dark Horse Offers Scholarships". Newswatch.The Comics Journal.No. 150. May 1992. p. 27.
  9. ^"Adam Kubert, Illustrator, Comic Book Illustrator and VP".The Kubert School. n.d.Archivedfrom the original on January 11, 2014.RetrievedNovember 13,2011.
  10. ^"Andy Kubert, Illustrator, Cartoonist and VP".The Kubert School. n.d.Archivedfrom the original on January 11, 2014.RetrievedAugust 13,2012.
  11. ^"Joe Kubert's Correspondence Courses".Cartoonist Profiles.No. 122. Interviewed by Peter Carlsson. June 1999. pp.72–81.
  12. ^"TD Bank Provides $2.4 Million SBA Loan to Support Purchase of The Kubert School".stories.td.RetrievedDecember 4,2024.
  13. ^"The Joe Kubert School is Moving to Madison, New Jersey".firstcomicsnews.RetrievedJanuary 26,2025.
  14. ^Williams, John E. (December 2003). "Hack U".The Comics Journal.No. 257. pp.54–55.
  15. ^"Pekar, Piskor, and a Preview of Macedonia".Sequart.Interviewed by Rob Clough. June 9, 2006.

Further reading

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  • Busbee, James (April 1998). "Wizard U: Wizard Scouts America's Top Schools for Budding Comic Pros and Fanboys".Wizard: The Guide to Comics.No. 80. pp.67–78.
  • Relkin, R. (October 1994). "School's In". Cultural Corner.Comic Culture.Vol. 2, no. 1. pp.37–42.
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