Paul Peart-Smith is an accomplished artist, illustrator and cartoonist. In this interview, we focus on his recent graphic adaptation of the landmark work by W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk. Back in 1903, when the original was published, it was as if Du Bois was anticipating the internet with his multi-faceted presentation, a taking stock of the status of Blacks in America after Reconstruction. I think this graphic adaptation is, in its own way, also in answer to the many distractions (along with a very real internet) that can get in the way. The original is essentially a collection of thoughts, some subtle, some direct, in the service of appreciating where Blacks stood in these United States of America after the Civil War and is a timeless classic that remains relevant today. This unique graphic adaptation compliments the original and adds to our understanding.
As I try to impress upon anyone, I have a long history with comics. When I tell you that Paul Peart-Smith’s book is something special, you can believe me. I think a lot can get lost in the whirlwind of media. I know that certain factions in this or that sector of the publishing world stake their claim and it’s hard to get noticed. That said, what I love about this book is that it feels like, and truly is, a patiently assembled thing that will always be there when you’re ready for it.
The art of any successful graphic adaptation is in how the artist evokes the written work in a very palpable way, going into the mind’s eye of the reader. During our conversation, Paul shared with me how he constructed the above page. Playing off the fact that Du Bois was keenly aware of his white readership, wanting them to be part of the conversation, Peart-Smith creates a scene depicting a lynching that mixes the Black existential crisis with the epitome of Western cultural angst, the existentially rattled Hamlet.
This book is published by a university press and, with that, comes some sense of permanence. As long as Rutgers University Press keeps it in print, it has a healthy life ahead of it. Perhaps that is the answer for some honest hardworking cartoonists with a project they aspire for the ages and not just to make a quick splash at a comics festival or one promotional cycle. For those select few cartoonists out there, the right fit at a small press could be rewarding. And yet reaching a wider audience beyond your niche readership is a good thing too. How could it not be? So, one does what one can.
One succeeds in the comics market, like any other market, by taking most things with a grain of salt. What may seem like an all-important moment will likely be but a mere blip. Real staying power requires taking the long view and just being patient. What becomes clear is that Paul’s love of art and storytelling has guided him along.
Paul relates to me during our conversation a lifetime of being ready for when opportunities arise. If he hadn’t submitted some of his work to the Sci-Fi anothology, 2000 A.D., when he did, he may have continued on a different path, perhaps going deeper into animation.
Worse Than Slavery by Thomas Nast, 1874.
Fast forward to more recent times, if Paul Peart-Smith had not made contact with the great comics authority Paul Gravett, he just might have missed out on Souls of Black Folk. One thing led to another, Paul Gravett put Paul Peart-Smith in touch with the man directly connected to this new exciting Souls of Black Folk project, Paul Buhle. So many factors need to be in place and that includes a good dose of serendipity. Three Pauls in a row!
Excerpt pages from One Plus One.
Of course, there’s always more to the story and, as Paul related to me, it was a small work entitled, One Plus One, a mix of slice-of-life and social commentary, that led, down the road, to Souls of Black Folk. That piece appeared in the popular webcomics collective ACT-I-VATE and people in the industry, Paul Gravett included, took notice.
A career in comics has to do with making yourself known and available. The comics market is, in part, a game with a number of players jockeying to be known and remembered. In the case of Paul Peart-Smith, he can confidently let his work do a lot of the talking for him.
It was during our discussing the last chapter in the book that we came back to the power of mass communication, and how it is harnessed. The last chapter to the book is entitled, “Of the Sorrow Songs,” a look back at Black spirituals, with their origins in slave songs, and their power to inspire and inform. The fact that W.E.B. Du Bois was focusing in on the power of the songs, says it all. As Paul related to me, it brought back to him Chuck D, of Public Enemy, and his famous quote: “Rap is Black America’s CNN.”
Paul Peart-Smith has a couple of new titles out on the horizon as well as an amazing newsletter you should join. With Inkskull, you’ll get all sorts of tips and insights into comics, life hacks and much more.
Paul provides a graphic interpretation of Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, published by Beacon Press, and out October 2024.
Romanis Magicae is a Roman Empire supernatural adventure. Paul illustrates the script by creator Matthew Blair of this ongoing comic book series.
And so I hope you enjoy the video conversation. As always, your VIEWS, LIKES and COMMENTS are welcome directly on the Comics Grinder YouTube channel.
Souls of Black Folk: A Graphic Interpretation is published by Rutgers University Press.
