While growing up in New York City, Ralph Cosentino became a huge fan of superhero comics. As a writer, illustrator, and toy designer, his passion for the amusements of childhood have not waned; Cosentino is the founder of U.F.O Toys, has designed a number of Japanese-inspired figurines, and has published two children's books based on his creations: the picture book The Story of Honk-Honk-Ashoo and Swella-Bow-Wow and the wordless The Marvelous Misadventures of Fun-Boy.
In The Story of Honk-Honk-Ashoo and Swella-Bow-Wow, Honk-Honk-Ashoo—who has a pillow for a head—finds a little lost dog sitting on his doorstep one day. After calling the dogcatcher to come take the pup away, Honk-Honk-Ashoo cannot get the lost puppy out of his thoughts. Honk-Honk-Ashoo finally decides to take action, and he adopts the dog himself. Upon returning at home with his newfound friend he decides to name the little pup Swella-Bow-Wow after a friend calls the pooch marvelous. Marge Loch-Wouters, writing in School Library Journal, stated that Cosentino's book presents readers with "a fine story about friendship and finding the place where you belong," while a Kirkus Reviews critic deemed The Story of Honk-Honk-Ashoo and Swella-Bow-Wow "a tender tale of togetherness."
Career
Comic-book writer and illustrator, author, and toymaker. U.F.O. (Unidentified Fun Object) Toys, founder and designer; creator figurines, including Black Terror, Kaiju Kids, Honk-Honk-Ashoo, and Funboy.
Writings
Self-Illustrated
- The Story of Honk-Honk-Ashoo and Swella-Bow-Wow, Viking (New York, NY), 2005.
- The Marvelous Misadventures of Fun-Boy, Viking (New York, NY), 2006.
Work in Progress
A comic-book series called The Black Terror, based on the character created by Richard E. Hughes and Don Gabrielson and featured in Exciting Comics issue 9, 1942.
Biographical and Critical Sources
Periodicals
- Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2004, The Story of Honk-Honk-Ashoo and Swella-Bow-Wow, p. 1199.
- Publishers Weekly, January 31, 2005, review of The Story of Honk-Honk-Ashoo and Swella-Bow-Wow, p. 66.
- School Library Journal, February, 2005, Marge Loch-Wouters, review of The Story of Honk-Honk-Ashoo and Swella-Bow-Wow, p. 96.
Online
- Toi Protocol Web site, http://www.toiprotocol.com/ (February 24, 2006).
- Toy Toons Web site, http://www.figures.com/ (February 24, 2006), interview with Cosentino.
- Honk-Honk-Ashoo Web site, http://www.honkhonkashoo.com/ (February 24, 2006).
