Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: Agent, Faber, Giant!, graphic novel, Mollie Ray
Mollie Ray’s debut graphic novel Giant will be published in 2024 from Faber, created in ball-point pen on cartridge paper.
Article Summary
- Mollie Ray’s “Giant” debuts June 2024, a graphic novel exploring family, illness, and resilience.
- Faber to publish silent graphic novel drawn in ball-point pen by Edinburgh alumna Mollie Ray.
- “Giant” tells a poignant story of a boy’s growth in adversity, mirroring the cancer journey.
- Director Angus Cargill likens “Giant” to Shaun Tan’s “The Arrival” for its emotional depth.
Mollie Ray is a Lancaster-based comic artist and illustrator who graduated from The University of Edinburgh with a First-Class Honours degree in Illustration. Working for the BBC for David Attenborough‘s Wild Isles series, her debut graphic novel Giant will be published in 2024 from Faber.
Ray states “Giant is a silent graphic novel published by Faber and Faber, coming June 2024. The book is inspired by the journey my brother faced after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and how our family were affected. The main character wakes up one morning to find he has grown to the size of a giant, which acts as three metaphors: the physical mutation of cancer; the idea of feeling like the ‘elephant in the room’; but also, the ‘giant’ strength he takes away with him following his recovery.”
These illustrations have been created in ball-point pen on cartridge paper.
“One morning, a teenage boy wakes to find that he has grown to the size of a giant. Inspired by the journey of the author’s younger brother, this wordless wonder of a book follows the experience of a family as one of their own faces a life-threatening illness. As his health declines, can the family remain resilient on his long journey through treatment? Deeply moving and tender, with gorgeous ball-point illustrations, Mollie Ray’s debut graphic novel is a resonant story of empathy, healing and hope.”
Faber Publishing director Angus Cargill acquired world rights from Mollie Ray’s agent James Spackman at The bks Agency. Cargill states: “I was instantly smitten by Mollie Ray’s illustrations and the way she uses them to tell this story with such emotion and grace. In the tradition of Shaun Tan’s silent masterpiece The Arrival (Hodder Children’s Books), Giant is a book that will resonate widely. I can’t wait for people to read it.”
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