It’s been more than 15 years since I served as the managing editor for Capstone’s Graphic Library brand, a line of nonfiction graphic novels. The idea of telling stories through sequential art was new to me back then, and to fully understand the potential of the format, I felt I needed to try my hand at writing a graphic novel script. Matthew Henson: Arctic Adventurer and Shackelton and the Lost Antarctic Expedition were my first graphic novels (A little TRIVIA: I also drew the storyboards for Shackelton). Since, I’ve written dozens more on everything from mythology to sports, science, biographies, retellings, and even created my own series, Eek and Ack, about two space alien brothers set on conquering our big blue home.
Now, as a freelance author, it’s exciting and a bit nostalgic to write stories for the brand that piqued my initial interest in the format. In a way, my latest book takes me back to those early graphic novels, presenting important historical moments through sequential art. While Shays’ Rebellion might seem to be a minor skirmish when compared to other world-changing conflicts. Its impact is still felt some 200 years later. The threat posed by poor, angry farmers (most had been soldiers in the Continental Army) brought George Washington out of retirement (otherwise he might not have been the first U.S. president) and helped push the Founding Fathers to address the many faults of the Articles of Confederation (the original constitution that united the 13 Colonies into states).
My graphic novel telling of Shays’ Rebellion was released earlier this year. It is only a brief account, told in 12 spreads, of events and written at a middle-grade level.