Author Interview: Nathan Hale

Here is is at last: the highlight of the Graphic Novel Readathon. Please welcome Nathan Hale, amazing author of many graphic novels and picture books.

You can find him drawing daily comics on his blog, Space Station Nathan, or pick up one of his fantastic books (pictured below).

Who is your favorite character to draw?

Right now, the Hangman from Hazardous Tales. He's sort of like the Devil from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW and Yellowbelly from YELLOWBELLY AND PLUM smooshed together in a black executioner outfit. I could draw that guy all day. Actually, I DO draw that guy all day.


Which of your books was the most fun to create? Which are you the most proud of?

Fun to create? FRANKENSTEIN. Why fun? Because it was a loosey-goosey, scribbly style (after the style of Ludwig Bemelmen's MADELINE) it was quick, easy and fun to do. It took about a month to do and was a joy to work on. (Note to illustrators: scribbly, sketchy styles go a lot quicker than fussy, over-detailed styles. If you can work loose--DO IT!)

I'm the most proud of THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, because it was my first. It was an unagented slushpile manuscript. Getting a picture book published out of a slushpile is pretty exciting. It wasn't a big seller, and it got a bad review or two. But it's my first, and I'll always be proud of it.

What are some of your favorite graphic novels (to read, not write)?

I grew up reading newspaper comics. I didn't start reading comic BOOKS until I was in college. The school I went to, Cornish College of the Arts is in Seattle, where Fantagraphic Books is located. Fantagraphics publishes classic golden age comics, Little Nemo, Krazy Kat, Pogo etc. and underground/alternative comix. Both of which I really got into.

Right now I'm reading the Carl Barks Duck cartoons (the old Disney comics that Ducktales is based on) and re-reading Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki which just came out in a GORGEOUS new hardcover set (go out and buy it, you won't regret it--1000 pages of epic Miyazaki adventure!)

How has the rise in ebooks affected your job as an illustrator / graphic novelist?

So far there has been little effect. Picture books and graphic novels are still very tactile objects (especially picture books) so, unlike novels, my market hasn't changed too much (yet.) I think most smart parents are now looking for ways for their children to spend LESS time with screens (not more.) So hopefully the traditional picture book market will continue to stand. Now, that said, my Hazardous Tales books are out in both Nook and Kindle versions--I haven't see either. I don't own a tablet. But if any of your readers have seen the ebook versions, I'd like to hear how they look.

You have mentioned in other interviews that you listen to audiobooks while working. Which are your favorite books to listen to?

I'm a genre jumper. I don't like to listen to books in the same genre back-to-back. For years, I just took whatever the library had in unabridged audio form. So I read all over the place. Now it's habit. I like everything. Mostly, I like crime, war, horror, and westerns--gritty tough guy stuff. Right now I'm in the middle of the latest Harry Bosch detective novel THE BLACK BOX.


Do the books you are listening to affect your work at all?

Nope. I guess, sometimes it makes working more fun. But the work has to be consistent with it's own story, not with what I'm listening to.

Which comes first, the idea of an illustration or the idea of the story?

For me, story first. Every time.

What is your work day like? Do you draw all day or just a couple of hours each day?

I work all day, every day. If you want to make a full-time career as an illustrator, you work ALL THE TIME. I once saw the great illustrator Wendell Minor speak, he said his work schedule was 12 hours a day, seven days a week. The audience laughed--they thought he was joking. He wasn't joking. And he doesn't do graphic novels. Creating a graphic novel takes hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours. It's a major time commitment. There's a manga series out there called BAKUMAN, about some kids who want to be Manga creators. One of the kids has an uncle who draws manga--he literally DIES from working too much. It is labor. I tell my writer friends it's like writing a novel using macaroni and a glue gun for the letters.

Do you create multiple drafts of each illustration or just begin drawing?

Everything I do is sketched out and reviewed by the publisher before final art (except for my blog posts.)

What is coming up next for you?

I JUST finished Hazardous Tales #3, which I'm VERY excited about. And I'm moving right into #4, which I'm even MORE excited about because I'm just about to jump into final illustrations for it. #3 will be out this summer and #4 in Spring '14. The second Hazardous Tales book, BIG BAD IRONCLAD was just shortlisted for a Cybil award, and I'll be watching excitedly to see if it wins.

And, of course, I'll be blogging new comics and stories on my site.

Thanks for the interview!
Thank you, Nate!

Top 10 Graphic Novels

In honor of the upcoming Graphic Novel Readathon, I decided to make a list of my 10 favorite graphic novels. This list was not as difficult to make as I thought it would be, as I had room for most of my favorites. Although the list is a "top ten," the books are not strictly in order of how much I like them. The first three definitely deserve their place at the top, but other than that, I love them all.

So, without further ado:

1. Rapunzel's Revenge / Calamity Jack, by Shannon, Dean and Nathan Hale
These are my absolute favorite graphic novels. As I say in my review, these are the books I will turn to again and again. I'll never tire of them, and I recommend them to young and old alike.

2. Bone, by Jeff Smith
A fantastic and epic tale. I have read this at least four times in the last three years, and I love it more every time. It's quite long, but the length simply adds to how much I enjoy it.

3. Amulet, by Kazu Kibuishi
One of my favorite graphic novel series. I look forward to the release of each volume (there are 5 so far) and the story continues to get better with each one.

4. The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick
The Invention of Hugo Cabret is not strictly a graphic novel, but it is absolutely amazing, and I am counting it in this list because the images are just as important as the text. A fantastic read.

5. Robot Dreams, by Sara Varon
A sweet and simple story with a powerful message. I loved this book, and cannot wait to revisit it.

6. Anya's Ghost, by Vera Brosgol
Subtle and enjoyable, Anya's Ghost is a great read for all ages. The illustrations are excellent, and the story is entrancing.

7. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword / Hereville: How Mirka Met a Meteorite, by Barry Deustch
A great story about "Yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl." Deutsch makes the most of the graphic novel format, and teaches the readers a bit too in this lovely coming-of-age tale.

8. Smile, by Raina Telgemeier
A fantastic coming-of-age story with great illustrations, a strong voice, relatable protagonist, and engaging story. I'd happily hand this to any middle school girl.

9. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, by Nathan Hale
A fun and fact-filled historical series for middle graders. I loved them and am eagerly awaiting the next volume.

10. The Adventures of Tintin, by Hergé
I haven't yet read all 24 volumes of the Tintin series, but I've loved those I have read. They have a timeless quality and are pure fun. I am excited both to reread my old favorites and to discover the rest of the books.

And there you have it: my ten favorite graphic novels! I could go on and on and on with honorary mentions, but suffice it to say that there are many excellent graphic novels that didn't make it onto this list. I hope to revist them as well during the readathon.

I find it interesting that all of the books on this list are middle grade graphic novel. It's not as if GNs for older readers don't exist - they do, and I've read them - but I prefer my GNs for the younger set. I get more out of the story if I am not cringing from R-rated content. Plus, middle grade graphic novels are awesome, so there's nothing more to say.

Don't forget to sign up for the Graphic Novel readathon, going on right here at Pica Reads, on January 3-6! Read some of the books on this list, or come up with your own list of favorites!

Mini-Review: Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales

 by Nathan Hale
Series: Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales
Hardcover, 128 pages
Published August 1st 2012 by Harry N. Abrams
Age Recommendation: Late Elementary, Middle Grade

Summary (from Goodreads):
Nathan Hale, the author’s historical namesake, was America’s first spy, a Revolutionary War hero who famously said “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country” before being hanged by the British. In the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series, author Nathan Hale channels his namesake to present history’s roughest, toughest, and craziest stories in the graphic novel format.

One Dead Spy tackles the story of Hale himself, who was an officer and spy for the American rebels during the Revolutionary War. Author Hale highlights the unusual, gruesome, and just plain unbelievable truth of historical Nathan Hale—from his early unlucky days at Yale to his later unlucky days as an officer—and America during the Revolutionary War.

Since the release of Rapunzel's Revenge back in 2008, I have been a steadfast follower of illustrator Nathan Hale's blog, Space Station Nathan. When I heard he was writing a new historical graphic novel series inspired by his webcomic about Lewis and Clark (and the Bottle of Thunder!), I put it on my auto-buy list. When they came out, my brother and I got both books and spent the evening with them in our hands, swapping books when we had both finished the ones we were reading. Although we were both significantly out of the intended age range, we loved them.

Reading these books are a delightful way to spend an afternoon, whether you are learning about the events for the first time or have already taken more history classes than you care to count.

They present the historical material in a very digestible and entertaining way, and include a surprising amount of detail. There are also fantastic illustrations in the cartoon-y style shown on the two covers. The dialogue is informal with plenty of asides and jokes to break up the history. (Swedish swearing! Anacondas!)

Overall Thoughts: These books will easily keep kids interested, and I will happily pass along copies to my younger friends and cousins, as well as keeping copies for myself (to reread and reread and reread). Overall, a huge success from Nathan Hale. I can't wait for the next installments.

Review: Rapunzel's Revenge & Calamity Jack

by Shannon and Dean Hale
Illustrated by Nathan Hale

Rapunzel's Revenge Information:
Hardcover, 144 pages
Published August 19th 2008 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (first published August 5th 2008)

Summary (from Goodreads):
Once upon a time, in a land you only think you know, lived a little girl and her mother . . . or the woman she thought was her mother.

Every day, when the little girl played in her pretty garden, she grew more curious about what lay on the other side of the garden wall . . . a rather enormous garden wall.

And every year, as she grew older, things seemed weirder and weirder, until the day she finally climbed to the top of the wall and looked over into the mines and desert beyond.

Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale teams up with husband Dean Hale and brilliant artist Nathan Hale (no relation) to bring readers a swashbuckling and hilarious twist on the classic story as you’ve never seen it before. Watch as Rapunzel and her amazing hair team up with Jack (of beanstalk fame) to gallop around the wild and western landscape, changing lives, righting wrongs, and bringing joy to every soul they encounter.

Calamity Jack information:
Hardcover, 144 pages
Published January 5th 2010 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Summary (from Goodreads):
Jack likes to think of himself as a criminal mastermind…with an unfortunate amount of bad luck. A schemer, plotter, planner, trickster, swindler...maybe even thief? One fine day Jack picks a target a little more giant than the usual, and one little bean turns into a great big building-destroying beanstalk. With help from Rapunzel (and her trusty braids), a pixie from Jack’s past, and a man with inventions from the future, they just might out-swindle the evil giants and put his beloved city back in the hands of good people ....while catapulting themselves and readers into another fantastical adventure.

My Review:
I cannot come up with words to describe how much I love these two books. They are my comfort books, the ones I turn to when I've had hard day. They're the books I recommend to absolutely everyone, whether they're in elementary school or have kids out of school.

Both books are twists on classic fairytales. Rapunzel's Revenge takes the tale of Rapunzel and sticks it in the Old West, with a totally awesome heroine instead of the good-for-nothing girl from the original story. She uses  her braids as a whip and lasso, and sets off with her sidekick (and plan-maker) Jack. Together they set off through the West toward Gothel's villa to save Rapunzel's mother and stop Gothel once and for all.

Calamity Jack takes place after Rapunzel's Revenge and focuses on Jack's character and backstory. Jack and Raupunzel cook up a plan to expose the giant Blunderboar, who has taken control of the city.

Both are illustrated in full color by the wonderful Nathan Hale, both are hilarious, full of action and adventure, and both are perfect to read when you're feeling a little overwhelmed, or if you just want something fun. I gave them to my cousin last December for the holidays, and she didn't put them down for days, except for when her younger brother, still learning to read, borrowed them.

A highlight is the witty banter between Jack and Punzie. Both books are chock-full of jokes, which, I am told, Dean takes all the credit for, although Shannon swears that at least half are hers.

Another is the illustration. The Hales have created a unique and new Rapunzel/Jack and the Beanstalk story, and Nathan Hale's illustrations clearly show that. Also, the books are written to focus on the visuals. As Nathan phrases it, there was no need to write a graphic novel that looked like a low-budget movie. He could draw anything.  And he certainly does. In Rapunzel's Revenge alone, out heroes face a rampaging boar, a pack of coyotes, and a giant water snake, not to mention Rapunzel being locked in a giant tree.

These are the type of book you can read over and over and never get tired of. Even though I make a point of writing down every book I read, I rarely write down Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack anymore. Often, I'll flip to a random page, read a bit, and put it back on the shelf. That's all I need to cheer me up.

Overall Thoughts: If you're going to read any books on my recommendation, pick up these two. You will not be disappointed.

And, a bonus! Nathan Hale has made Rapunzel and Jack paper dolls. The Rapunzel ones are here (as a PDF) and the Jack ones are here (as a series of blog posts - scroll down a bit for the paper dolls).

I read these books for my Fortnight of Old Favorites Challenge.