Emil Wilson
Emil Wilson’s debut graphic novel is something very powerful that will stay with you. As Emil describes it, The Nightingales is about kindness and its transformative power, both to the giver and the receiver. Being kind to another person. What a fundamental act and yet one that can trigger complications. This is what happens to Donald, a shy and unassuming man, who decides one day to step up and do the right thing. It is 1985 and AIDS is raging around the globe with no known treatment, and plenty of misinformation. Jim, a co-worker at the courthouse Donald works at, has AIDS and has been forced out of his rental. With nowhere to go, Donald decides to bring Jim to his home, despite never informing his family in the first place. And thus begins this remarkable graphic novel. Read my review here.
It is my honor to present to you my conversation with Emil Wilson. He is a distinguished art director, illustrator and comic artist based in San Francisco. A few years back, when he started thinking about things he’d like to do to challenge himself creatively, he decided to enroll as a student at the Center for Cartoon Studies. He wasn’t exactly a kid but he was made to feel welcome. In fact, he shares in our conversation that he had a great time as an older student. And, hey, it’s not like he didn’t have plenty to bring to the table: a whole career in the world of advertising with its high standards and discipline. This is the background that Emil drew from when he embarked upon his own unique journey as a cartoonist. He got a bit of pushback from instructors, unsure about his methods, at least at first. Was he creating comics? Well, as a matter of fact, yes!
One instructor, rather curtly, stated to Wilson: “I don’t know what you think you’re making but I can tell you that you’re not making comics. You’re making something different.” In Wilson’s mind, making something different was great. It’s actually the goal in the world of advertising. So, he went with that.
Always follow your instincts. Yes, they will guide you. It turns out that another instructor, Jason Lutes, was open to taking a different path. He stated to Wilson: “Hold on there, I think about comics as a visual medium and what you are doing is visual. I think that good comics move the reader and your work is moving.” And, with that, Emil Wilson got some significant acknowledgment. He was going to pursue his own vision anyway, but it was also wonderful to get that kind of support.
The Nightingales is not your typical graphic novel while, at the same time, it honors the basic principles of comics, the interplay of words and pictures. Wilson found a way to upend a few things and, in the process, tap into quite an immersive narrative path. Part of the magic is what he does with text. He doesn’t rely on word balloons and, instead, favors variations on text boxes. His story is contained within the format of a sketchbook so much of the text is how he would treat it when actually working in a sketchbook. So, there’s a number of passages where the text appears on Post-It Notes or scraps of paper. Sometimes these spaces are a little more abstract. Often, the dialogue will evoke a script that has been pieced together. All the while, the reader is engaged and runs with it. I never felt brought out of the story but, rather, deep into the story.
I encourage you to seek out The Nightingales and see for yourself. As always, I also encourage you to go over and enjoy the interview at our YouTube channel and, if you have time, give it a Like and Comment. Every bit helps as we do our best to keep the channel strong and on friendly terms with algorithms. And, if that weren’t enough, find us wherever you get your audio podcasts too. The Nightingales is published by Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
