IN DEPTH T
Company Spotlight Drawn & Quarterly
here is arguably no beter place in North America for an independent, literary graphic novel publisher to be based than Montreal. Sure, it is a sizeable market with a foot in the English and French languages, but Quebec’s biggest cit also has a deep- rooted appreciation of comics as an artform and, like the rest of the Francophone world, an understanding that bandes dessinées aren’t just for les enfants. That culture is part of the reason why Montreal-based Drawn & Quarterly (D&Q) has built itself up, in the 31 years since its founding by then-23-year-old cartoonist Chris Oliveros, as one of the globe’s most respected alternative comics publishers. Over the years it has brought out giants like Chris Ware, Kate Beaton, Chester Brown and Seth (the pen name of Gregory Gallant, who will be appearing virtually at two events in this year’s Canada Guest of Honour programme). D&Q has English-language rights for Tove Jansson’s Moomin comic strips—its four bestselling books sold into the UK are all Moomin collections—while its output is becoming known to even non-graphic novel readers: in 2020 Seth’s Clyde Fans was longlisted for the Giller Prize (Canada’s most prestigious books gong), while in 2018 Nick Drnaso’s Sabrina was Booker-shortlisted—it was the first time a graphic novel had been in contention for either award. D&Q publisher Peggy Burns—who stepped up to run the company almost seven years ago aſter Oliveros opted to concentrate on cartooning—says: “We are very fortunate to be in Quebec because it is a graphic novel-friendly place. In a French societ no-one questions that graphic novels are for adults. It’s not a novelt here. [D&Q author/illustrator] Michel Rabagliati is a hero in Quebec; everyone knows who he is. Only in Quebec would you have a politician like [Montreal’s first female mayor] Valérie Plante deciding to tell her story in comics. And not an adapted autobiography, either, but her first instinct was she wanted to write it as a graphic memoir.” D&Q published Plante’s Okay, Universe, with art by Delphie Côté-Lacroix, this year.
A new appreciation Seth and Drnaso’s appearances on those prize lists suggest the English-speaking world is finally catching up to the French, Belgian and Japanese markets, where comics are put on an equal footing with “serious” literature. But they also come within a long, wider acceptance of geek culture on the superhero front, with the explosion of comic-cons and the ongoing Marvel-isation of the movie industry. But Burns, who prior to joining D&Q in 2003 worked at DC Comics, does not think the “Intellectual Propert extension” part of the comics industry—most exemplified by the Marvel Cinematic Universe—helps her side out. At least not any more: “I’ve been in comics since the turn of the century. When the first ‘Spider-Man’ came out in the early 2000s, you saw a difference. And then we had ‘American Splendor’ [a comedy drama film about Harvey Pekar, author of the comic book series of the same name] and ‘Ghost World’ [based on Daniel Clowes’ comic book] around the same time. That really helped build momentum not just for comics sales, but to help graphic novels become a category in general bookstores. But I
16 21st October 2021
Redrawing the rules: Burns leads comics list
D&Q into fourth decade Having taken the reins at iconic graphic novel publisher Drawn & Quarterly seven years ago, Peggy Burns looks back on its achievements— and ahead with ambition
— Tom Tivnan @tomtivnan
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