Late last year, BOOM! Studios announced Seen: True Stories of Marginalized Trailblazers, a graphic novel series shining a light on the stories of under-represented historical figures whom may not typically be covered in most history classes. The first installment in the series, Seen: Edmonia Lewis, arrives in stores next month, and now BOOM! has revealed details and an interior preview for the second installment in the series. Seen: Rachel Carson will tell the story of the biologist and environmentalist whose work ultimately led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States. The graphic novel is slated for release in March of 2021.
Seen: Rachel Carson will be written by Birdie Willis, a queer writer known for work on the Over the Garden Wall series for BOOM!, illustrated by Rii Abrego, who has worked on BOOM!’s Steven Universe and Oni’s Rick and Morty series, and colored by Kieron Quigley. In a statement accompanying the new details and preview, Willis and Abrego both expressed their gratitude at the opportunity to spread Carson’s story to a wider audience:
“I feel SO privileged to have gotten to tell the extraordinary story of Rachel Carson’s life! I thought I knew everything about her when I began this project, but it turns out that wasn’t the case at all!” said Willis. “It’s my hope that I’ve captured even just a fragment of her; that by the end, the reader feels a genuine connection to both her, and her passionate defense of all living things.”
“Rachel Carson is such a tremendously impactful figure, and I’m thrilled for young readers to learn more about her through Birdie’s prose,” said Abrego. “Her story is a reminder that to protect the earth is to protect those who inhabit it.”
The initial installment of the Seen series, about sculptor Edmonia Lewis, is a thoroughly-researched biography of the artist that, thanks to the skill of its creative team, manages to be both informative and entertaining. Given the quality of both Willis and Abrego’s resumes, Seen: Rachel Carson seems poised to maintain the series’ track record.
Check out the unlettered preview pages and cover image, as well as the full text of the announcement, below. Published under BOOM!’s Boom Box imprint, Seen: Rachel Carson will arrive in comic shops and bookstores in March of 2021.
LOS ANGELES, CA (August 14, 2020) – BOOM! Studios today announced a new graphic novel in the series SEEN: TRUE STORIES OF MARGINALIZED TRAILBLAZERS, an original graphic novel series from a group of acclaimed comics creators including Jasmine Walls, Bex Glendining, Birdie Willis, Rii Abrego, Anthony Oliveira, and Killian Ng. This brand new graphic novel series illuminates the triumphs and struggles of important historical figures who aren’t found in traditional textbooks, but deserve to be remembered for their contributions to humanity and their inarguable strength and courage in the face of impossible odds.
In SEEN: RACHEL CARSON, from writer Birdie Willis and artist Rii Abrego, meet the woman who changed the way America fought against environmental crises through her bestselling books, ultimately spurring the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Birdie Willis is a queer, non-binary comic book writer best known for her work on the five-issue miniseries Over the Garden Wall: Soulful Symphonies from BOOM! Studios. She resides with her wife and two cats.
“I feel SO privileged to have gotten to tell the extraordinary story of Rachel Carson’s life! I thought I knew everything about her when I began this project, but it turns out that wasn’t the case at all!” said Willis. “It’s my hope that I’ve captured even just a fragment of her; that by the end, the reader feels a genuine connection to both her, and her passionate defense of all living things.”
Rii Abrego is a southern USA-based Latina illustrator and comic artist with a BFA in both drawing and painting. Abrego has done work for BOOM! Studios, Oni Press, Lion Forge, Kazoo Magazine, and Power & Magic Press, among others. She has participated in anthologies such as Heartwood and ELEMENTS: Earth and is currently working with Alison Wilgus and Random House on the graphic novel Grace Needs Space!
“Rachel Carlson is such a tremendously impactful figure, and I’m thrilled for young readers to learn more about her through Birdie’s prose,” said Abrego. “Her story is a reminder that to protect the earth is to protect those who inhabit it.”
SEEN: TRUE STORIES OF MARGINALIZED TRAILBLAZERS will be published through the company’s award-winning BOOM! Box imprint, with each original graphic novel spotlighting a different trailblazer who changed the course of history. In this new series, you’ll find the stories of the real groundbreakers who impacted our world for the better. They’re the heroes— the inventors, the artists, the activists, and more—whose stories you won’t want to miss.
“Rachel Carson stirred the nation when she first published Silent Spring, bringing environmental science and its concerns to the people and shedding light on a dangerous topic that had been suppressed for too long,” said Shannon Watters, Senior Editor, BOOM! Studios. “Birdie and Rii dig deeper into the life of this courageous woman who stepped into the spotlight in order to speak truth and help make the world a safer place for future generations.”
SEEN: RACHEL CARSON is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning BOOM! Box imprint, home to groundbreaking original series such as Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooklyn Allen, and Noelle Stevenson; Giant Days by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin; Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera and Celia Moscote; The Avant-Guards by Carly Usdin and Noah Hayes; Fence by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad; and Goldie Vance by Hope Larson and Brittney Williams.
Print copies of SEEN: RACHEL CARSON will be available for sale in March 2021 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one), bookstores, or at the BOOM! Studios webstore. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Madefire. The SEEN series launches with SEEN: EDMONIA LEWIS from writer Jasmine Walls and artist Bex Glendining, available in September 2020.
For more on SEEN: TRUE STORIES OF MARGINALIZED TRAILBLAZERS and other projects from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.
