GRAPHIC NOVEL CLUB: LOCKE & KEY writer Joe Hill compares comics and prose writing

Shall I compare comics to a Shakespearean sonnet?

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The Beat is a proud sponsor of Comix Experience’s Graphic Novel of the Month Clubs, which bring comics fans a curated mix of the best of new release graphic novels and conversations with the creators who make them. Each month, the staff of Comix Experience votes on three sets of upcoming books they are most excited about—one gets presented to adults, another to middle readers, and the third is a classic. Each club provides swag like original signed custom bookplates for adults or buttons and magnets for the kids (in this case, the former, to support the featured Comics Masterpiece book, Locke & Key).

locke & key

Most excitingly, the Graphic Novel Clubs bring in the creators of selected books to talk exclusively to GNC members in interviews conducted by Comix Experience owner Brian Hibbs, who brings 30 years of experience in comics to the table. These talks are livestreamed to members all over the country and are a fun and informative mix of conversation on craft and form, as well as on the business of making comics. The Graphic Novel Clubs make a point of being inclusive, inviting creators from a wide variety of age, race, sex, and cultural perspectives to speak to members.

Membership is what propels these conversations, so if you like what you see, please support these discussions of comics, and the creators who make them, by joining the club.

Today: Brian Hibbs talks to Locke & Key creative team Joe Hill (writer), Gabriel Rodriguez (artist), and Chris Ryall (editor). In this clip, Hill waxes on the specificities of comics writing; feeling that he’s not only at his best in that arena, but also adding that it’s the closest he’ll ever get to being in a rock band. Then, Rodriguez describes his creative process, first familiarizing himself with the aesthetic, and only then actually putting pen to paper.

Make sure to check out the full interview on Comix Experience’s official YouTube page.