Mattie Lubchansky on “Simplicity” and the Mystery of Utopias

Mattie Lubchansky

How best to describe Mattie Lubchansky‘s new graphic novel Simplicity? It’s a nestled narrative about how a futuristic society remembers the past; it’s an unsettling account of an academic learning too much about the history of an isolated community; and it’s a psychedelic-infused story where bizarre creatures lurk just out of sight. There’s a lot going on, basically, and Lubchansky deftly balances these seemingly disparate elements throughout. I spoke with her about utopias past and future, the legacy of The Wicker Man, and the follies of jetpacks.

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Previewing a Graphic Novel Adaptation of “Parable of the Talents”

"Parable of the Talents" cover

What does it take to adapt a classic novel by Octavia E. Butler into words and pictures? Damian Duffy and John Jennings did just that with their award-winning adaptation of her Parable of the Sower, and they’ve returned to that fictional setting with a new book — their adaptation of Butler’s Parable of the Talents, due out on April 22 from Abrams ComicArts. We’re thrilled to publish an excerpt from the book below.

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