Big Ugly is your second long-form comic with Avery Hill, after Something City in 2017. Did you approach this book differently to the first?
Something city was a book of short comics. It felt easier to go into it without too much of a plan. If the comics worked by themselves they were probably going to work together because they had the setting of the book in common. Big ugly is my first longer comic that tells one story which was something totally new for me. I had to go into it with more of a plan and less crossing my fingers and hoping everything made sense.
You do a lot of freelance illustration work. What are the differences between that type of work and creating your own book? Comparing the two processes… are there things you enjoy and things that are more challenging with each?
With illustration work, there’s a lot of quick satisfaction. You often wrap a project up within 2 weeks to a month max. I always get a kick out of the speed but because of the nature of comics, I feel like there has to be more dedication involved. The satisfaction of finishing a book and finishing an illustration isn’t comparable though. Finishing a book feels like a big life moment. I also feel more vulnerable when creating comics, I definitely put a little more of myself into comics. It’s actually great to switch between both, I’m always really looking forward to returning to drawing comics whilst in an illustration and visa versa.
You call the book a “Post coming-of-Age”; what made you decide to focus on that point in life? Anypersonal experiences?
I think it’s just a matter of relating more to that phase of life. It’s fun because it’s kind of neither here nor there time. I’m sure every phase of life comes with a lot of questions and thinking but for me, the late 20’s coming into 30 has been a very thought-heavy time. I think without it being autobiographical I put a lot of that into the book.
Your illustration work is full of beautiful characters, did it feel strange working on two specific characters during the creation of Big Ugly? Do you feel like they’re part of your family now too?
Thank you! It didn’t feel strange because of how long I was working on the book. I had massive pauses throughout but I started the book in 2018 so it wasn’t an intense period of drawing the same characters over and over. It felt really joyful to draw the characters and make them feel things and speak. Sort of like how animation brings illustration to life. It’s a proud feeling of like, ‘aw my characters say stuff and I relate to them’.
How did you create the artwork for the book, what tools did you use?
Straight up digital, photoshop. Nothing flashy. I’m always grateful to work digitally. I move around a lot and do a lot of house-sitting and live on a boat so it’s important to be super mobile. I have a little chair extension that makes any seat ergonomic so I take that and my tablet. . . it always feels like a walking studio.
Finally, what do you hope people take away from reading Big Ugly?
I would like to think it was a little funny and hope that the characters are likable even in their less pleasant moments. I think it’s been on my mind a lot lately because I literally had a dream last night that my book came out and it got very good critiques, mostly 5 stars… the only problem was, that it wasn’t a book at all but an actual easter egg. With the cover as a foil and it was super chocolaty. I don’t know what that means…
If you follow our social media you will have seen the amazing print that Tillie Walden made for us to celebrate our ten-year anniversary. We’ve now added this as an add-on to the kickstarter campaign, so you can pre-order it by adding it to your pledge on checkout. This print is A4, beautifully printed on quality paper, and a limited run of 200. They’ll be signed/numbered by Tillie.
Pre-order the print by adding it to your kickstarter pledge here!
Your journey to this completed Macbeth started quite a while ago, with Act 1, Scene 1 winning the Elsinore Award for Graphic Shakespeare in 2016, did that prize have an influence on your decision to keep going and create this book? Or was that the plan all along?
It was the hope, rather than the plan. I wouldn’t have started this project if I hadn’t seen the call for entries to the Graphic Shakespeare Competition, so I really credit them with the inspiration to start working on it. Actually winning the award kept hope kindled; someone out there thought my interpretation of Macbeth was a good idea. But, everything in it’s time. I had to do a lot of living and growing and creating before there was actually an opportunity (thank you Avery Hill!) to dedicate myself to finishing the project.
And what was it that made you choose Macbeth itself? Were there any other pieces of Shakespeare’s work that were in the running?
Macbeth has all the best things – witches, tyrants getting their just desserts, Scotland. I started it while living in Germany and missing Scotland very much. Since moving back to America the yearning has only gotten worse, so spending time with Macbeth has meant spending time with Scottish landscapes and art history. But also, growing up I was obsessed with Shakespeare; when I was 12 I played in a school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and that was it, sold. I joined in abridged productions of Shakespeare plays once or twice a year. But I never got to play my favorite character, Lady Macbeth, before giving up acting to go to art school. So, I took the opportunity to cast myself in my dream role and act her out on the page, if not the stage.
Tackling an adaptation of such a notable piece of literature is no mean feat, where did you begin?
I tried to treat it like any other comic script; it’s already a script, it just needed page breaks so I put those in first. Then made some decisions about the “rules” the visuals would follow – historically accurate to the actual reign of Macbeth from 1040-1057 OR historically accurate to the year of the play’s first production in 1606? I went with 11th century Macbeth, so that dictated costumes, weapons, and architecture. I basically tried to work big-to-small when it came to making decisions.
Which part of the entire process did you enjoy the most?
The deep dives into medieval art. I’ve always loved it, but I grew a new appreciation for its drama and stylization. Also for the repeated use of sequential art; illuminated manuscripts are just comics before the printing press.
Your art style is beautifully detailed, what tools did you use?
I use a lot of different materials, whatever’s available, really. There’s watercolors and brush pens and fineline pens. There’s also $1 a pack markers and Crayola crayons and variety packs of sequins and actual leaves. My most used tools are a mechanical pencil and a scalpel and my hands to just rip things up and re-glue them. I try to let the content of the text dictate the materials and tools.
Did you learn anything from making this book?
It definitely deepened my understanding of the play, that’s for sure. I learned about how it can viewed as a piece of propaganda for the brand new and shaky reign of James VI of Scotland and I of England; there are references to the storied line of Scottish kings that start with Banquo’s heir and end with James himself. I very much got the “I’m not like other Scots” vibe from this play in it’s references to James.
Pet Peeves comes after you’ve been Eisner Award nominated, you’ve worked on huge titles including those with DC, what was it that made you want to create this story now? Pet Peeves was meant to be a break from big projects at big companies. It was a chance to stretch my writing muscles and to tell a story with no edits, no one telling me what do. Honestly, it was supposed to be much shorter than it is, just a quick story to refresh and re-inspire me between jobs, but I found that the story I wanted to tell needed more space and it grew into the full book that it is today.
You talk about Pet Peeves being a really personal story, how much of Bobbie is based on real-life Nicole’s life and experiences? Nothing that happens to Bobbie in the books is directly from my life. More, the things that happen are metaphors for experience I’ve had, and hopefully, emote the way that those things felt in that moment of my life.
You choose to ink this book traditionally, how did that process differ from some of your other works? Working traditionally is a much slower process for me. There’s no undo button, there’s not adjust size. For this reason I don’t usually like working that way on projects for big companies who have shorter deadlines and may ask for changes and edits. I still love working traditionally, though, and because Pet Peeves was entirely self dictated, I was able to take the time and care to work this way. This book is still partially done digitally. I do my my thumbnails and pencils on my iPad and then print out blue lines on bristol paper to ink traditionally on top of. It allows me the easy of planning and sketching digitally, while still getting to work in a physical medium for the end product.
Where do you start with a book? And which part of the creative process do you enjoy the most? Every book starts with an idea. When I write for myself, I usually do a full outline, script, etc. but know that I have the flexibility to add or change things as I go. Then it’s thumbnails, pencils, inks. I think my favorite part is pencils because all the hard work of planning the page is done, but there is still a looseness and freedom that you can lose sometimes in the inking process.
Are there any big influences on your work? Whether in comics, or otherwise. I could answer this the normal way, pick a few titles that are representative of things that inspire me, but I think the true answer is working with other comics writers. When you’re an artist, you get to collaborate with so many other creators, see how they do things, see what story ideas stick with you and that you connect with. Working one on one with another person can be an incredible learning experience and can give great insight into new and interesting ways to do things.
In this episode we talk to Shanti Rai, the creator of Sennen. We talk mythology, and anthropology and comic art… plus how chronic illness has affected Shanti’s creative processes.
Over on our campaign page you’ll find a video with all three creators talking about their books, there are sample pages from the books and also details of out what bonus items we have on offer. Some of the bonus items include original artwork and bundles of books/comics both print and digital.
Bobbie’s life is going nowhere fast. She’s working at a bar, wanting to play music but never having the time or energy. The only bright spot is her dog – always cheerful, always cuddly, and always there for her.
As the relentless day-in, day-out of work piles up, music and roommates and social plans begin to seem less and less important as Bobbie struggles to make rent and have any time to be creative. The only thing she has time for outside her job is her dog… and her dog is going to do everything he can to keep it that way…
With Macbeth, K. Briggs completes their adaptation of Shakespeare’s dark and bloody masterpiece… an early portion of which won the Graphic Shakespeare Competition in 2016. This book is a vivid graphic novel adaptation of the play, faithful to the original text while providing a new lavish interpretation.
When three witches prophecy to Macbeth that he will one day become the King of Scotland, an epic of unhappiness, treachery, and blood begins. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s ambitions lead to an ever-growing path of murder as Macbeth grows ever-closer to the throne. But where will it all end? Only with death – and with madness.
Briggs, as a Shakespeare reader (and performer) from age twelve, brings their lifelong love of the Bard to this work.
Work, health, family – Mel feels like her life is just circling endlessly as she begins to renew her relationship to her brother in this vibrant graphic novel.
Mel isn’t going anywhere – except to work every day. But when she offers the spare room in her apartment to her struggling brother, everything she loves and hates about wanting to live up to the expectations of her family becomes part of her every day again.
It turns out that even as adults, living with your sibling brings back the dynamics of tween rivalries. As Mel tries to rebalance things with her brother, she navigates how to offer help to someone who doesn’t want to need it.
There are some stunning pages of original mixed media art by K. Briggs that are available as add-ons!
You can view these larger on the campaign page.
Here’s what Avery Hill’s Ricky Miller has to say about the spring 2023 line-up:
“It’s one of the most exciting line-ups we’ve ever had, with a strong group of books that are all wildly different but totally complimentary and true to the things that Avery Hill prides ourselves on; exciting new talent, strong storytelling and stunning and innovative artwork. Nicole Goux is a bright up-and-coming star of both the indie and superhero scenes and long been on our list of creators that we wanted to work with. Briggs we’ve been talking to about various projects for years and finally managed to find the right one in this astonishing adaptation of one of the great texts of world literature. Finally, we’ve been trying to lure Ellice back into the comics world for some time and have been blown away by every page she’s delivered; if you don’t know her work, you’re about to discover your new favourite artist.”
In this episode we talk to Tom Humberstone, the creator of Suzanne, which came out last week. We do a deep dive into ideas about storytelling and writing, and find out about Tom’s early small press work creating (among other things) the well-loved UK comics anthology Solipsistic Pop.
We now have our autumn 2022 titles available to pre-order in the shop:
Suzanne – The Jazz Age Goddess of Tennis by Tom Humberstone
Sennen by Shanti Rai
Both have limited signed bookplate editions available while stocks last. Check them out in the shop here!
Hardcover, 212 pages, Full Colour
The incredible story of Suzanne Lenglen, a woman who changed the face of sport and society in the trailblazing jazz age, but who few even remember.
One of the greatest tennis players the world has ever seen was a woman few even remember. A championship player by the age of fifteen in a Europe overshadowed by impending war, Suzanne Lenglen broke records for ticket sales and match winning streaks, scandalised and entranced the public with her playing outfits, and became a pioneer, making friends and enemies throughout restrictive tennis society in the trailblazing jazz age.
With stunning art and an astute eye, and featuring a foreword by founding co-secretary of the Women’s Tennis Association and International Tennis Hall of Fame member Françoise Dürr, Suzanne explores how a figure both enormously influential and too-often overlooked battled her father’s ambition, bias in sporting journalism, and her own divisive personality, to forge a new path – and to change sport forever.
Softcover, 104 pages, Full Colour
A beautiful coming of age tale, packed with adventure and magic with a backdrop that outlines the importance of family.
Sennen’s life is mostly perfect – spending her days tending the fields in her idyllic village and her evenings with her beloved family, all tucked into the crook of a green and beautiful valley. If it wasn’t for the masked figures descending from the hills with increasing regularity to take their harvested food to deliver to their Gods, she’d have no worries at all.
But when the demands for tribute strike closer to home Sennen is forced to flee the paradise of her valley and venture into the home of the Gods to save her family and their way of life – only to discover that those we worship are not always what they seem and the lives we lead are not always so simplistic after all.
Sennen, the debut graphic novel from exciting new British author and artist Shanti Rai, tells a timeless tale of adventure and the discoveries we make as we explore beyond the boundaries of our childhood into the uncertainty of the adult world.
We have three events coming up next month: two signings with Tom Humberstone to launch Suzanne in London, and one in Edinburgh. At Gosh Comics in London, Tom will be doing a window illustration, so look out for that! At the Portobello Bookshop in Edinburgh, Tom will be in conversation about the book with tennis podcaster Claire Stanley. Come along and join us in celebrating this amazing book at one of the following:
In this episode we talk to Taki Soma, the creator of Sleeping While Standing which comes out in July 2022. We talk about why Taki loves editing, the balance of darkness and humour in her writing, and how she narrowly avoided a career in advertising.
We now have all three of our spring/summer books back from the printers and we’re so happy with how they’ve turned out. These are all available to buy in our shop here!
Some reviews of George Wylesol’s 2120:
“Fascinating… something that has a deep and dark mystery at its heart… something that will reveal its secrets slowly and perfectly through all of the 500 pages.” – Comicon
“Absolutely incredible. I’ve never seen this kind of thing tackled this way before; an eerie, compelling, crazy ride that you’ll want to revisit time and time again.” – No Use Crying Over Spilt Ink
Some reviews of Claire Scully’s Outer Wilderness:
“Every single page is pregnant with undiscovered meaning and frightening awe, which is exactly what I want from sci-fi landscape explorations. I couldn’t get enough of it, it was great!” – Ace Comicals Podcast
“A visual treat, packed with Scully’s strong, mysterious imagery and bold colour choices, something to take in slowly, letting the visuals imbue their own meanings to you, something to relax into and enjoy for the journey it will take you on.” – Comicon.com
Some reviews of Taki Soma’s Sleeping While Standing:
“Soma’s bracingly frank solo debut handles incidents great and small, traumatizing and uplifting, with the same gentle, questioning touch.” – Publishers Weekly
“A really significant piece of work. Powerful, beautiful, traumatic. Like swimming in someone’s memories… but each one informs the next, and it’s all connected.” – Ace Comicals Podcast
We still have some signed bookplate editions of Sleeping While Standing, and postcard editions of Outer Wilderness (copies will come with this special postcard while stocks last!)
We also have a special signed print that accompanies George Wylesol’s 2120, which you can grab here.
In other news, there’s a new trailer for Tom Humberstone’s Suzanne, which comes out in September. Watch here:
Keep an eye out in our shop… pre-orders for Suzanne will start soon! In the meantime there’s more info here.
Finally, we’ll be at the wonderful South London Comic and Zine Fair on the 10th July. Come along and say hello!
