Here is an interview with cartoonist, illustrator and designer François Vigneault. We chat about his graphic novel, TITAN, and related matters. The French edition of TITAN was nominated for multiple awards including the Prix des Libraires and the Joe Shuster Award, and now we finally have the English edition published by Oni Press and available as of November 10, 2020.
TITAN by François Vigneault
TITAN, a graphic novel set during a worker’s revolt has, like any good science fiction, a “torn from the headlines” relevance to it. Politics and protest are clearly on the forefront now. In the U.S., we have one of the most consequential presidential elections in history. It will be a brave new world, on so many levels, that we will all enter into later this year. So, an intriguing sci-fi thriller graphic novel will definitely fit right in. For this interview, I ask François about the book and, specifically about the two lovers caught in the middle. We also discuss the whole process of creating comics, moving up the ranks as an independent cartoonist, and the life of an artist in Montreal, Quebec.
Hope you enjoy the video interview. Here is some additional material exclusive to this post:
What authors did you turn to for guidance or inspiration for TITAN?
There were definitely a big mix of influences and inspirations over the years, but I will mention a few that pop out to me:
Grendel Tales: Devils and Deaths by Darko Macan and the late Edvin Biuković is a comic I first read as a teenager and it had a big influence on me, like TITAN it is a story of love during wartime and I think anyone who enjoys my book will appreciate this somewhat underrated gem… Biuković’s untimely death was a real loss to the world of comics.
Italo Calvino is one of my favorite authors; most of his work is very, very different from what I am doing, but one of my favorite volumes by him is Difficult Loves, which includes a range of tales ranging from “Wartime Stories” to “Stories of Love and Loneliness” which definitely had an influence on TITAN. I know I reread that book at least twice during the creation of TITAN.
Finally, I think probably the biggest influence on me for the last decade or so has been the late, great Ursula K. LeGuin; she somehow manages to surprise me again and again over the years. Every time I think I have her figured out, or know what to expect from her, she throws another curveball (or perhaps a right hook is a more appropriate metaphor) and I’m left pleasantly dazed by the experience. The singular way that LeGuin would mix interpersonal pain with cultural conflict has been and remains a tremendous influence on my work. I had the privilege of meeting her very briefly back when I lived in Portland, and I am so glad that I had that opportunity, even if all I did was gush about her work and get my ratty old copies of Earthsea signed.
What would you like to share about the writing, the subtext, to TITAN?
That question is very open to interpretation! So I’ll just briefly say that despite the many dark elements to the plot, the corruption, violence, and inequality that is present throughout the book, I do think that TITAN is ultimately a hopeful story, a story about the capacity of human beings to connect with each other.
How do you think TITAN mirrors our society today and what is timeless in your work?
I do think so, though I will leave it to others to decide if the mirror that TITAN holds up to our world is interesting, useful, or just plain boring. Definitely the book is very much inspired by our world, and sometimes feels eerily prescient in how very closely it maps to events that are unfolding right now (keep in mind I finished writing TITAN back in 2017), it is disturbing, to tell the truth. ButI suppose that shows that some of TITAN’s themes of injustice, state-sanctioned violence, and the cruel indifference of capitalism to human suffering are certain to be with us for a long, long time. But as I mentioned earlier, there is also a theme of connection, love, and reconciliation that is present in the book as well, and I hope that those ideas are timeless as well.
Be sure to visit François Vigneault at his website right here.
Thank you! That’s exactly how I feel. It can be a challenge to get the word out, even when you provide quality content like this. I really appreciate your support.
💯👍
Thank you! That’s exactly how I feel. It can be a challenge to get the word out, even when you provide quality content like this. I really appreciate your support.
Wow! I had no idea! Thanks, I’ve been enlightened today!🙏🙂
Thanks so much! I really appreciate your comment, Kait.
You’re so welcome 🙂
Cool! Well, visit again. You have a great blog.
Thanks for your post. I’m a big fan of bandes dessinées and had not heard of this series.
Be sure to buy the new collected TITAN from Oni Press out next month!