The Rabbit
146 pages long, full colour.
Release date: August 28th 2015 with a launch party/signing at Travelling Man, Manchester
Debut convention: September 5th 2015 at International Comics Expo, Birmingham
London launch party/signing: September 11th 2015 at Orbital Comics, London
Rachael Smith has self-published several comics such as The Way We Write, Flimsy’s Guide to Modern Living, and I Am Fire (which made Forbidden Planet International’s ‘Best of 2013’ top 10 list). She then went on to release Clara’s Shadow via David ‘V for Vendetta’ Lloyd’s publishing house Aces Weekly, and her debut graphic novel House Party came out in 2014 with Great Beast Comics to critical acclaim (and made Forbidden Planet International’s and Broken Frontier’s ‘Top 10 comics of 2014’ lists). She is currently working with Titan Comics on her monthly strip for the Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor comic series and draws a weekly comic strip for the Leicester Mercury. She was nominated for the Emerging Talent category in the 2013/14 British Comic Awards.
We’ve been hoping for an opportunity to work with Rachael for some time. Her witty dialogue and brilliant cartooning made her stand out as a creator to follow with interest and the impressive debut graphic novel, House Party, proved that she could excel in a long-form book.
With The Rabbit, the new subtlety in her line work and colouring in particular are obvious, but there’s also an added depth to the characterisation and storytelling that we think is going to set this book apart as something very special.
We can’t wait to share it with everyone.
Bloody brilliant storytelling, bloody brilliant comics…I honestly dare you not to be impressed.
Forbidden Planet International
With a balance of clean line, sharp wit and expressive cartooning Rachael Smith is shaping up to be a major talent in British comics.
Emotionally brutal, yet poignant, recognisable and refreshingly optimistic as well, House Party is an exquisite encapsulation of that moment of epiphany when we finally realise the nature of life’s constantly evolving state.
Eleanor and her younger sister Kathy have run away from school, from home and from all of their troubles. They may also be running from reality itself, as they seem to have acquired a new friend in the form of a talking cartoon bunny rabbit called Craig. As Craig grows bigger and bigger, the girls soon discover exactly what kind of creature has joined them on their adventure. Running away is not as easy as it seems.
Some words from Rachael
“I’ve had The Rabbit kicking about in my head for a couple of years now, and it’s lovely to be exploring it properly in the drawings. I suppose at the time I did House Party I was in a pretty similar position as the main character, Michelle – so it felt very apt and slightly autobiographical. The Rabbit is less autobiographical and a lot more surreal, but there are a few similarities between me as a little girl and Kathy, the younger sister in the story. Kathy is always wondering about the big questions and worrying about things she doesn’t understand, Eleanor is much more pragmatic and practical, and gets frustrated easily with her sister’s whimsical and tender nature. So I guess, while House Party was about how I was feeling at the time I wrote it – for The Rabbit I’ve been turning more to my childhood. Both sisters have been a blast to write and draw, I love them a lot.
I can’t really say too much about the rabbit in the story without giving too much away… OK well, he’s called Craig, and as the girls take care of him he gets bigger and bigger. He was also amazing to write and draw – as I’ve never worked with a character who has changed so much during the course of the story.”
The Rabbit is a surreal and affecting coming-of-age tale that captures the wonder and vulnerability of youth. Both funny and sinister, familiar yet fantastical. You won’t soon forget The Rabbit.