“If I could easily describe it in a few words, I wouldn’t have put it into words and pictures. (Basically,) Treeboy is about obsession, loss and looking for family out there in the vastness of the void.” That is James Hilger’s response to my asking him what his new book is about. What a perfect answer. It’s a heart-felt answer without any of the irony we too often need to slog through in the worlds of contemporary media, whether it’s fiction, film or comics. Hilger knows about all three of these creative arenas. He’s been making headway in each and it is, Treeboy, his debut graphic novella, that he can point to with pride and anticipation for how it is received in the world. Well, I’ve received it quite well. During the course of our conversation, I did my best to emphasize to James that he’s heading in the right direction. He has created something special and worthwhile, hitting on the mark the very qualities so many of us hold dear in the comics medium, keeping to the high standards of the sequential art tradition.
I find James Hilger to possess a steadfast integrity. That’s the best way that I can cut to the chase and say it. He is someone who is compelled to tell stories, sometimes in prose, sometimes in film and sometimes in comics. In our conversation, making sure to circle back when needed, I asked him more than once to describe how he came to create comics. As you’ll find out, whether you view this interview on the Comics Grinder YouTube channel or listen to it on another platform, Hilger is the real deal, not one to provide quick and snappy answers but, rather, to wrestle with ideas and then finally offer up this or that observation. It seems to me that Hilger was drawing and thinking about comics all along. Life happens. You take on this responsibility, take on this creative project, and before you know it, you are coming back to that graphic novella that’s been brewing for a few years.
There’s nothing brash or snappy about James Hilger. He’s a guy who loves what he does. He creates excellent comics. I only see a bright future ahead for him. I can’t guarantee immediate success or fame and fortune but I feel confident that he will continue to reap the rewards of creating honest work. And, if that’s happening now, which it is (you must read Treeboy), and a consistent pattern emerges, then things will undoubtedly progress: more doors will open; more people will take notice. These sort of things happen and take on a life of their own. The work is its own reward and you go from there. I’ve been part of this world of creativity for quite some time now and I know it when I see it. I see Hilger embarking upon a decided literary comics path which is a more challenging climb but one that holds out the promise of something truly rewarding and purposeful. Hilger has begun that climb.
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