Four-Eyes: A Vagabond ([info]4_eyez) wrote in [info]act_i_vate,
2006-09-14 10:47:00

Bag of Mice

I took a poem by memoirist/poet Nick Flynn and made it into a two-page comic. I find Nick's work really lends itself to this treatment, and this is the third time I've adapted one of his poems into graphic form. This poem in particular just blows me away.

The piece is a two-page spread, forming one complete image. Here's how it looks in spread form. The individual pages are displayed below the cut.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Tags: collaboration, death, josh neufeld, mothers, nick flynn, poetry, suicide

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  • 27 comments

[info]sneakymonkey

September 14 2006, 15:09:34 UTC 5 years ago

Holy shit, Josh.

Dark, poetic, doomed, beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen you do anything like that, though I'd like to again.

[info]man_size

September 14 2006, 15:21:43 UTC 5 years ago

I agree with Steve, here. These kinds of comix show off your best in creativity and intelligence of the form. Who knew poetry would work so well within the comix context?

I'd love for Act-i-vate fans to see your other two Flynn collaborations, come soon...

[info]4_eyez

5 years ago

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[info]4_eyez

5 years ago

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[info]comfortslut

September 14 2006, 16:08:21 UTC 5 years ago

This is fucking amazing.

[info]4_eyez

September 14 2006, 19:55:37 UTC 5 years ago

thanks, comfort! as i said, i find nick's work amazing — and inspirational.

[info]polly_sings

September 14 2006, 16:20:16 UTC 5 years ago

this is absolutely stunning. really nice work, especially using the smoke for "your voice released into the night"

[info]4_eyez

September 14 2006, 19:57:41 UTC 5 years ago

glad you liked the smoke effect. i was looking for the element that would really link the pages together, and that hit me like an epiphany as the perfect thing. i even tried to give the smoke puffs little tails to evoke word balloons.

[info]benchilada

September 14 2006, 20:11:01 UTC 5 years ago

Wow. That's some mad bastard rockstar layout, that is.
Striking, as the kids down at the malt shop say.

[info]4_eyez

September 14 2006, 20:44:28 UTC 5 years ago

keen, daddio!

[info]neuroticme

September 14 2006, 21:48:53 UTC 5 years ago

This poem is from Nick's first book, Some Ether (Graywolf Press). His other books include Blind Huber (poetry, also from Graywolf Press) and Another Bullshit Night in Suck City (memoir, W.W. Norton, which is also being turned into a movie).

I remember Nick mentioning one of his poems being turned into a comic. I did not realize it was you.

[info]4_eyez

September 14 2006, 21:56:05 UTC 5 years ago

yeah, as i mentioned, this is our third collaboration. the 1st one was published in crossroads: the magazine of the poetry society of america, the 2nd one ended up in the common review, and this one will be published in world literature today. he's the nicky-est!

[info]neuroticme

5 years ago

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[info]neuroticme

September 14 2006, 21:50:10 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, and Nick is also the new Executive Manager of the literary magazine Gulf Coast (for which I used to intern).

[info]dlasky

September 15 2006, 01:01:24 UTC 5 years ago

kickass

this is one of your best!

[info]4_eyez

September 15 2006, 02:15:13 UTC 5 years ago

Re: kickass

thanks, d! since i always look to your fun, formalist work as a model, it means a lot coming from you.

[info]bertozzi

September 15 2006, 03:10:14 UTC 5 years ago

This is beautiful. One of the best, most interesting comics I've read all year.

And don't think I didn't notice how incredibly subtle and strong the coloring is!

[info]4_eyez

September 15 2006, 16:51:27 UTC 5 years ago

aw, shucks! thanks, nickables. again, all props to the original material, which demands inspiration.

[info]dangoldman

September 15 2006, 03:48:33 UTC 5 years ago

You could keep doing dreamy pieces like this forever and I'd keep reading and reading and reading...

One of my favorite things you've ever done. Effortlessly self-assured and a thousand pounds heavy with truth and defiance.

[info]4_eyez

September 15 2006, 16:51:56 UTC 5 years ago

you are too kind. too kind.

Deleted comment

[info]4_eyez

September 15 2006, 16:53:03 UTC 5 years ago

thanks, michel ma belle.

look for the other two in The Vagabonds #2, in your hands next month!

*plug plug*

[info]penrod_pulaski

September 15 2006, 09:08:47 UTC 5 years ago

this was very well done.

nice job, man.

[info]paulmay

September 15 2006, 14:22:49 UTC 5 years ago

Reaaaaally awesome story telling, and a fine example of sequential format exclusive story telling as well.

[info]lordrexfear

September 16 2006, 21:02:19 UTC 5 years ago

wagon jump! an amazingly beautiful piece and effort in art.

[info]lucien75

September 17 2006, 11:56:05 UTC 5 years ago

loved this

Wow. this is exactly why I keep coming back to ACT-I-VATE, for a new take on what comix can accomplish and to be introduced to something, or somebody, new. I'd never heard of Nick Flynn before, but this poem has me wanting to check out more of his work. And the adaptation was great. the inventiveness (text in the smoke) and the color palette combined with your use of shadows really helped to evoke the feel and tone of the poem nicely. Great work. Hope to see your other adaptations up her sometime as well. Thanks, man.

Anonymous

September 18 2006, 21:41:42 UTC 5 years ago

Re: loved this

thank YOU... for one of the best reader responses i've ever gotten!

[info]inkboy

September 21 2006, 00:32:03 UTC 5 years ago

Fantastic!
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