by Mike Rhode
For years, Glynnis Fawkes has been tabling at the Small Press Expo. Her newest book is an adaption of a history of the collapse of the Bronze Age civilizations in the Mediterranean. I was fortunate enough to get a review copy, which led to asking her for an interview that we did over the course of the summer. This year she'll be at SPX on Sept 14-15, even though 1177 B.C. is published by Princeton University isn't small press. Stop by and say hello; I recommend all her books and have bought most if not all of them over the past decade. Note that Fawkes' announced appearance at GWU Bookstore on Sept. 13 has been CANCELLED.
What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?
I draw autobio, memoir, non-fiction, and fiction.
Do you consider yourself an archeology cartoonist, if that is such a thing?
Sure! My most recent book, my adaptation of Eric Cline’s 1177 BC includes a lot of archaeology, as well as history and theory, as well as two fictional kids to guide the story. In the sense that archaeology uses evidence found in material culture for insight into how people live, my other books (especially Greek Diary, Persephone’s Garden, and Alle Ego) involve archaeology too.
How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?
I drew 1177 BC A Graphic History of the Year Civilization Collapsed in pencil on paper, colored it digitally with Procreate, edited with Photoshop, and the text is in InDesign.
When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?
I was born in 1969 in Oregon. I grew up in NW Portland, among artists and authors.
What area do you live in?
I currently live in Burlington, Vermont, and I teach at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction.
What is your training and/or education in cartooning?
I studied Humanities and languages (Russian, Italian, and Greek) at U of Oregon, then painting at Pacific NW College of Art, and at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where I earned an MFA. I haven’t had any formal training in cartooning except for a class when I was in HS with Bill Plympton. I’ve learned by trial and error, and by teaching, first at the University of Vermont, and then at the Center for Cartoon Studies.
I also learned a lot from having good editors, especially James Sturm who edited my book on Charlotte Bronte.
Who are your influences?
New Yorker cartoonists of previous decades including Helen Hokinson, Charles Addams, Peter Arno, and Ed Koren, Sempe, Roz Chast, as well as Lynda Barry.
Children’s book illustrators including Robert McCloskey, Garth Williams, Clyde & Wendy Watson, .... Novels for kids including Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Lloyd Alexander...
Novels for adults...
Contemporary cartoonists Alison Bechdel, Uli Lust, Ozge Samanci, Anneli Furmark, James Sturm, Camille Jourdry, Riad Sattouf, Rutu Modan, Michele Rabagliati, Posy Simmonds, my pals Jennifer Hayden, Summer Pierre, Ellen Lindner ...
If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?
I would have liked to become more fluent in languages, especially French so that I could more easily converse and read Bande Desinee.
What work are you most proud of?
I’m proud of my most recent book, my adaptation of Eric Cline’s 1177 BC. I’m also proud of my cartoons published in the New Yorker.com, and my autobiographical work.
How did you become part of the GN adaptation?
Did you and the text author Eric Cline work together on the adaptation? Was there an editor involved in between you? Did you do the breakdown of the book into the GN format? If so, how so? Thumbnails? or a script?
I did the adaptation entirely myself. I drew thumbnails and sent them to Eric at each step of the way, and he was quick to answer questions and make suggestions, mostly minor. I had resided the idea of having a narrator, wanting to avoid a TED-talk vibe in favor of making ancient characters speak. I sent what I thought were two finished chapters, and Eric and I met by zoom. He suggested adding ancient narrators, and the idea for the two young characters fell into place. This opened up lots of story telling possibilities for me, in how they interact with the historical figures, art, and geography.
I assume the original book is for adults; what led to this becoming a YA book?
It’s still categorized as adult, but you’re right, the young characters make it seem more like YA! I aimed this book for my younger self: fascinated by the ancient world. I’m interested in coming-of-age stories (and teach a summer workshops at CCS about this) and so this lead me to gearing the book to a teen audience.
Whose idea were the young characters and the framing sequences? Was that useful specifically in a graphic novel adaptation?
The characters were an idea Eric and I had together, and I invented their specific characters: Pel of the Peleset, Shesha the Egyptian scribe.
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| from the New Yorker |
How did you get work in the New Yorker? Did you pitch Emma Allen directly? Have you been in print yet, or just online?
Emma wrote to ME! Right at the start of her time as editor. That’s an email you can’t refuse! I’ve had one cartoon published in the magazine, and I haven’t pitched in a few years!
What would you like to do or work on in the future?
I’m planning on finishing a book-in-progress, as of yet untitled, an adventure about a girl painter set before and after the Bronze Age eruption of Thera. After that I’m determined to write/draw a memoir of working in archaeology in the Cyprus and middle east around Y2K.
What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?
Walk around the actual block, talk to a friend, step back and not force my way forward, but give things time to re-orient.
What do you think will be the future of your field?
I can’t guess! I hope that people will continue to value and to buy books.
You usually table at SPX with a group of women - can you talk about how you came to know each other and what keeps you together and coming to SPX?
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| SPX 2019 - Summer Pierre, Ellen Lindner, Glynnis, Jennifer Hayden |
I met Jennifer Hayden at my 2nd SPX, and loved her comics immediately. I was feeling very much like a mom, in what then felt like a young male world, and Jennifer’s example helped strengthen my conviction there is a place for stories like hers and mine.
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| Glynnis and Ellen Lindner |
I met Ellen by stopping by her table at SPX over a few years, she made me laugh, and I admired her work, and that she edited The Strumpet. We coedited the last issue and I learned from Ellen about editing, and managing an anthology. The Strumpet created a space for me to publish, and to have structure to create, and a community of other women cartoonists. I met Summer Pierre at a “drink n draw” or as we called it “sweat and shout” before MoCCAfest, and again as soon as I read her work I knew I’d found a kindred spirit and friend.
What cons do you attend besides The Small Press Expo? Any comments about attending them?
I have attended SPX and MoCCAfest in NYC for about 10 years, and have also been to TCAF, and the Nonfiction Comics fest in Burlington is a gem of a festival.
I love attending festivals, where I’ve met friends and colleagues and publishers, had the best conversations, learned from and participated in panel discussions. Meeting the community in real life feels vital to continue this solo practice.
What comic books do you read regularly or recommend? Do you have a local store?
I order books at my local bookstore, Phoenix books in Burlington. I can’t wait for new books by Coco Fox and Emma Hunsinger.
What's your favorite thing about DC?
I love the museums!
What monument or museum do you like to visit to?
The National Gallery. I revisit paintings I love.
Do you have a website or blog?
How has the COVID-19 outbreak affected you, personally and professionally?
It meant my kids were home for a whole year, while their HS was shut down for PCB poisoning and the city renovated an old Macy’s that became their HS by spring. My work time was often disrupted, but it was also great to spend so much time with them.
