Graham Nolan is an acclaimed American comic book artist and cartoonist who began his career in 1985 with work for DC, Marvel, and Eclipse Comics. He gained prominence through a six-year run illustrating Batman in Detective Comics where he teamed with Chuck Dixon to create the iconic Batman villain Bane.
More recently, Graham’s work has focused on creator-owned properties such as The Chenoo, The Ghosts of Matecumbe Key, Alien Alamo, and others which he publishes through Compass Comics.
He spoke with Fandom Pulse about his latest horror book, Chenoo ‘77, the horror genre, and AI.
Fandom Pulse (FP): You’ve got a new comic book you’re crowdfunding, Chenoo ’77, what can you tell me about it?
Graham Nolan: It’s the prequel to the first Chenoo graphic novel. During the blizzard of ‘77, trucker, Hank Donovan finds a car stuck in the snow. Its occupants torn to shreds. The only survivor is a new born baby. Hank will have his hands full protecting the child while exorcising the demons in his past. There is also a ravenous snow beast stalking them through the blood soaked drifts. This makes for a very long day for ‘ol Hank.
FP: What attracts you to do horror in the comic book medium?
Graham: I was a “monster kid” long before I discovered comics. When I decided to branch out on my own, I didn’t want to compete in the oversaturated US superhero market. Besides, I played in that sandbox for decades and wanted to do something different.
FP: What are some difficulties in trying to do horror with comic books, I would assume the lack of sound might be a big one? Are there ways you’ve thought of to address these difficulties?
Graham: Horror doesn’t need sound. Look at the silent Nosferatu or any of the great German Expressionist films of the silent era. The beauty of horror is that it can rely solely on a visual image. I think the lack of sound as an available tool, would affect other genres, like superheroes, even more.
FP: What underrated project from your bibliography would you most like new readers to discover, and why?
Graham: At DC, I was always very proud of SUPERMAN: THE ODYSSEY, and JOKER: DEVILS ADVOCATE. For Compass Comics, I’d want everyone to try my new books. They are the best of my career.
FP: How do you think the rise of AI will affect comic creation? Have you explored using it to assist your writing or artwork?
Graham: That genie is out of the bottle, unfortunately, but I think if it’s not abused it can serve as a helpful tool. In fact this entire interview was done by AI….I KID!
FP: You’ve drawn a ton of Batman in your life, what are your thoughts on Daniel Warren Johnson depicting Absolute Batman seemingly killing an ICE Agent? Chuck Dixon told me it’s appalling. What do you think?
