Ben Bishop is a man obsessed and it's beginning to show.
His latest graphic novel, Nathan the Caveman, took over four years to complete. "I got a little distracted," he admits, "I've been sort of like a caveman myself. I've been trying to survive and work on this at the same time." Ben has been employed in a slew of small jobs around Old Port--the cobble-stoned, cafe-ridden downtown area of Portland, ME--but has always made time to work on his next graphic novel. Started immediately after completing his first book, Repetition to Remember, it's been a labor of love that has traveled alongside its author through many influential periods of his young life.
Each page of this incredible story is filled with the tiniest details that play huge parts in the construction of its captivating plot. "I've tweaked every word to have a big impact," Ben observes, "I've just been extra careful about the plot and visual detail on every single page." When reading the novel it is immediately evident that each page is a piece of art in and of itself. Two large narratives placed in the past and present are intertwined and offer a nuanced consideration of primal human experiences: creativity, loss, love, and self-discovery. Each narrative, as they swoop effortlessly over thousands of years, is distinguishable by the type of medium employed: sketch, line drawing, or watercolor. It is a readily accessible and emotionally stirring work.
"I'm excited," Ben announces, "Every time I'm working on the novel at a cafe or whatever, people come up to me and get excited as well. I think I'm on to something great here and think people are really going to enjoy reading and exploring this story."
With Nathan the Caveman finally completed and on sale, Ben's outlook on the future seems limitless. "It's been a great experience," Ben says, "I've grown so much as a person and an artist and I think it's reflected in this work." Ben plans to submit the novel to the reputable Xeric Foundation in late March 2008 and then go to ComicCon NYC in April 2008 to pitch the novel to publishers.
Inquries and Sales: Ben Bishop ([email protected])
Web inquiries: William Donahoe ([email protected])
Pre-Order Nathan the Caveman
$25
$6 shipping and handling
Orders will begin shipment in early-April.
Email notifications as to when exactly books will ship will be sent out to each customer when confirmation has been recieved from the printer.
Videos
Trailer: A movie-style teaser with artwork form the novel.
Cover Drawing: A time-lapse version of Ben drawing the cover of the novel.
