Unveiling CLAY FOOTED GIANTS: A Groundbreaking Graphic Novel on Masculinity, Trauma, and Parenthood
By Staff Reports
A tragicomic meditation on masculinity, violence, and parenthood. Two fathers dig down to the roots of inherited trauma before it’s too late. Growth is possible, but so is oblivion…
Announcing CLAY FOOTED GIANTS, the critically-acclaimed graphic novel co-written by David Plath prize winner Mark McGuire and Alain Chevarier, with art by Alain Chevarier, is being released for English language audiences for the first time, only from Mad Cave Studios!
Pat and Mathieu are proto-feminist dads who try not to repeat their father’s mistakes, but trauma inherited from previous generations makes family life volatile. Their partners earn more money and travel constantly for work, leaving these forty-somethings to assume a role traditionally reserved for women: taking care of the kids and the home. Despite their best intentions, they quickly collide against their own limits.
Pat is particularly affected. His parents separated when he was young and his father is a notorious alcoholic. Pat has been crippled by rage since childhood. He must find the origins of this darkness before he transmits it to his own kids.
Praise for CLAY FOOTED GIANTS
“Dense and somber, with moments of hilarity and a luminous finale… Confronts a taboo subject, men in crisis, as Québec faces up to an unprecedented wave of femicides… A major work, anchored in the present, essential.” —Jean-Dominic Leduc, Journal de Montréal
“Vast autobiography whose narrative threads explore questions about fatherhood, work-life balance, new masculinities, veterans’ lives, and family conflicts. Offers a rich and intimate perspective on the struggles some live daily.” —Josée-Anne Paradis, Revue Les Libraires
“Perceptive and intelligent. A well-crafted essay on the representation of men who struggle to break the cycle of violence and redefine themselves in a world where the role of silent provider is no longer desirable.” —François Lemay, Le Devoir
“A courageous and moving work which succeeds in addressing the themes of parenthood and masculinity in all their complexity.”
—Jason Paré, Métro“A poignant story that will strike a nerve for many by its universal themes. A chronicle of ordinary life that exposes with acuity the latent suffering we carry inside us as a weighty heritage. Alain Chevarier’s dynamic pencil stroke and nuanced shading, paired with the use of allegory, illustrates brilliantly the characters’ interior tumult. Candid and forsaking taboos, the authors plunge us into the darkness to better dazzle us at the end.” —Mathieu Roy, bdgq.blog
“This book should find a home in every family dealing with problems transmitted from previous generations. It’s about acceptance, forgiveness, communication, and a cry for help in a world where family dramas appear in daily news coverage.” —Madamelit.ca
“Alain and I met on a basketball court in Montréal during a parent-kid activity on a subzero Sunday morning,” said Mark McGuire. “He showed me photos of haunting paintings probing his grandfather’s prisoner of war experiences. We decided to make a graphic novel together exploring society’s evolving understanding of gender roles, parenting and trauma. Over six years as we wrote and rewrote our story, I saw our characters magically come to life in Alain’s delicate pencil strokes. Talking about my struggles helped me realize I wasn’t alone, and that sharing our story might help others. The entire Mad Cave team has worked with remarkable dedication and enthusiasm to refine our story and find our audience. It’s a huge privilege to collaborate with experienced professionals who are passionate about visual storytelling.”
“Mark and I sat down at his kitchen counter once a week for 6 years to work on Clay Footed Giants,” said Alain Chevarier. “After we got published by a small Quebec publishing house, we got to go to the Festival de la Bande dessinée d’Angoulême, in France. The book was originally written in English in Montreal, and then translated to French. McGuire being American, he really wanted our work to be seen in his homeland. Amongst all the international editors present at the Angoulême book market, we got lucky enough to meet with Mad Cave’s Mark Irwin and pitch our story. We were immediately told the whole Mad Cave team was interested! It’s been a huge thrill to work with Mad Cave since, and our experience as authors has been a breeze. We feel pampered!”
Don’t miss this suspenseful yet humorous tale that readers of Allison Bechdel’s Fun Home will connect with!
The “Shoot the Book” FIBD Angoulême and Bédéis Causa award finalist, Clay Footed Giants is set for release Oct. 8, and is now available for preorder at your favorite book store, local comic shop, and www.madcavestudios.com.
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