The National Post talks with cartoonist and editor Kazu Kibuishi (Daisy Kutter, Copper, Flight) about Amulet: The Stonekeeper, his first in a series of young-adult graphic novels for Scholastic:
What was the genesis of Amulet? What were you trying to do with this book?
One of my biggest goals in life was to create a great fantasy graphic novel series in the vein of Bone by Jeff Smith and Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind by Hayao Miyazaki. It was one of those things I just wanted to do just to do it, like climbing a mountain. As I began writing the book, the focus began to shift more toward talking about family issues, like financial burdens and a person’s ties to their own ancestry. It was a place for me to discuss a lot of the stuff that was happening in my own family, and when I read it now, I can clearly see how close it is to my own life, minus the monsters and robots, of course.
This is being marketed as a young adult title. Do you find that limitations are imposed when that description is used?
Not at all. Especially with this book. It was created with younger readers in mind, but I believe older readers will enjoy it as well. Also, I enjoy working with limitations. I believe the most creative work often comes from trying to break out of imposed restrictions.
Amulet: The Stonekeeper is on shelves now.
