Book club with us and get 15% off Roth until August 31 with the discount code SUMMEROFSTRANGE
Award-winning author Richard Van Camp’s graphic novel Roth throws readers headfirst into the Wheetago War. The first installment in the series, the novel introduces readers to what was meant to stay undisturbed and scattered beneath the permafrost. Unearthed by the greed of industry, the Wheetago have returned, bringing back ancient horrors long thought banished. In their wake, a group of unlikely allies stumble across the Child Finder, a once-revered hero now fighting to cling to his humanity after surviving a Wheetago attack. Together, they must save him, survive the returning terrors, and come to terms with what’s been unleashed.
Buy your own copy here on All Lit Up for 15% off (or find a copy from your local indie using our Shop Local finder).
Read on for our interview with Publisher Alexander Finbow of Renegade Arts Entertainment.
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Interview with Alexander Finbow, Renegade Arts Entertainment
All Lit Up: How did Renegade come to publish Richard Van Camp’s Roth? Was there a particular element—a voice, a piece of lore, an artistic vision—that drew you in?
ALEXANDER FINBOW: The story brings not only a timely reminder that humanity it hurtling towards self-destruction in its insatiable need to exploit the world that keeps us healthy, but Richard’s unique harnessing of the narrative through the Tlicho lens, bringing a take on horror tropes that are fresh and offer a new perspective. His voice mixes humour, empathy and horror in way that is beguiling and hard to resist.
ALU: Can you give us a picture of what the editorial process looked like for this graphic novel? Did the story shift much through the editing process, or was it fairly close to what Richard had originally outlined?
ALEXANDER: Richard had been trying to persuade me to work with him for a long time. But, given the costs and timelines involved with the production and publishing of a high-end graphic novel like Roth, it was impossible for this family-run, very small press publisher to take on, despite Richard’s fantastic writing and vision for the books. Over the years we became friends, and the story refused to lie quietly in wait. Once we started working together, the story developed as Richard put more and more creative energy into it. My role became partly figuring out what he should include to keep the readers turning the page, otherwise, the book would be 100s of pages long, too heavy to lift, and too expensive to illustrate. Richard has been very easy to work with, even when I suggested he rewrite the story to fit a traditional comic script format. We are friends, which means there is an honesty that helps to cut through to the heart of the editing process.
ALU: How does Roth reflect or expand Renegade’s vision for the kinds of stories you want to publish?
ALEXANDER: Roth adds to the diversity of voices that we publish. I want us to have more diverse storytellers because not only is it important to have representation in books, but because it keeps our books interesting. The more diverse the storytellers are, the more diverse stories our readers get to enjoy.
ALU: This is Christopher Shy’s first book with Renegade. How did his unique, often cinematic style influence the look and feel of the book?
ALEXANDER: It’s pretty unique for sure! When you collaborate with an illustrator like Christopher, who is an accomplished storyteller in his own right, you have to be willing to let his creative vision take a story in ways that you hadn’t anticipated. This means that the three of us have to work closely together to figure out the best way to illustrate the story, maximizing Christopher’s skills and approach. What some people don’t realize is that he is working in a mix of traditional and digital art. His tools include an ancient copy of Photoshop, a scanner, a camera, photo references and videos of the Indigenous actors we hired for the book, pencils, ink, and paint. You’ll notice his art in Roth is not like a traditional comic book, but brings an ethereal feel to the story.
ALU: Without spoilers, what can readers look forward to in Roth? What do you find most compelling about the story?
ALEXANDER: It’s a story about people, people who face a mysterious disaster unfolding around them, people who have their own interests to protect whilst also figuring out how to cooperate together to survive. You’ll find out about Roth’s origin, and all this takes place in Canada, for a change, not America.
ALU: We’re seeing a real surge of Indigenous horror and storytelling right now. Where do you see Roth fitting into that movement?
ALEXANDER: Maybe it’s because more of us are looking for new ideas and perspectives in our stories, whether that’s in humour, drama, speculative fiction, or horror specifically. Indigenous authors hopefully are finding it easier to find submissions editors willing to take on and champion their work, as readers are searching for stories that bring that different perspective. Roth could be considered a zombie apocalypse story, but with the Dene’s myths and lore, making it very different and, honestly, scarier.
ALU: Keeping it spoiler-free, what can you share about where the Wheetago War series goes from here? What can readers expect next?
ALEXANDER: Wheetago War book 2 is written, and you’ll see the group of uneasy allies figuring out what they need to do next. They’ll be spending a chunk of the book in Edmonton, so you’ll see sequences take place in very familiar locations, including West Edmonton Mall. In the meantime, we’re publishing Wheetago War Stories, which is a collection of Richard’s short prose stories about the Wheetago. That’s even scarier than Roth! Christopher has created some spot illustrations for the book too. Look out for it in September!
Watch the Official Trailer
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Thanks to Alexander at Renegade Arts Entertainment for answering our questions! Get Roth here on All Lit Up for 15% off (discount code SUMMEROFSTRANGE), all summer long.
Keep on top of all summer book club happenings here.
