Huck dips its toe into the world of graphic novels
- Text by Adam Woodward
- Photography by Bryan Derballa (main image)
The makers of Huck have created a limited edition graphic novel in collaboration with three of the world’s leading indie comic artists: Ronald Wimberly, Emma Ríos, and Sanford Greene. Produced for premium whisky maker Ardbeg, Planet Ardbeg takes its inspiration from cult ’70s comics like Métal Hurlant and Heavy Metal, which combined high-concept genre storytelling and cutting-edge illustration with an emphasis on the erotic, the grotesque, and the surreal.
In keeping with this tradition, Planet Ardbeg is itself an anthology of strange, visually stunning tales. The 40-page graphics novel comprises three original sci-fi stories, each based on one of Ardbeg’s signature whiskies: Sanford Greene’s ‘Guardians of Oa’ is an action- packed epic about a copper city coming under attack from a monstrous creature; Ronald Wimberley’s The Best Laid Schemes is a fast-paced neo-western featuring giant botanicals and even bigger beasts; and ‘Take it with a Grain of Sand’ by Emma Rios is a mystical adventure that recounts a quest through a land lost to time.
Photo by Mattia Stompo
Wimberly, an award-winning American cartoonist and the founder of LAAB, an annual art tabloid examining race, gender, identity and visual culture, also served as creative director on Planet Ardbeg. Speaking about the project’s influences, he explains: “Planet Ardbeg is a response to the magazines that were doing that sort of radical science fiction back in the ’70s. Ardbeg has its own funky, weird vibe – and these magazines were funky and weird, so I wanted to capture that essence in this comic.” Emma Ríos, a Spanish comic artist whose work has appeared in such titles as Pretty Deadly, I-D and Mirror, said of her Planet Ardbeg story: “Take It with a Grain of Sand is the echo of someone yearning for one perfect taste that haunts the dreams of a genie in a faraway land.”
Completing the ensemble is Sanford Greene, a North Carolina-based comic artist who has previously worked with DC Comics, Dark Horse and Image Comics, and whose cult serial Bitter Root, a mix of action and dark fantasy set during the Harlem Renaissance, is now being adapted into a major feature film.
Photo by Mattia Stompo
Photo by Mattia Stompo
You might like
Largest-Ever Display of UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Opens at Tate Modern
Grief Made Visible — Comprising hundreds of panels made by lovers, friends and chosen family, the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt returns in full for the first time since 1994 – a testament to grief, friendship and the ongoing fight against HIV stigma.
Written by: Ella Glossop
The carnival and community of New York’s block parties
Soul of the Summer — Since attending his first street party in Crown Heights two decades ago, photographer Anderson Zaca has spent his summers travelling across New York’s five boroughs, documenting over 300 in the process.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Remembering New York’s ’90s gay scene via its vibrant nightclub flyers
Getting In — After coming out in his 20s, David Kennerley became a fixture on the city’s queer scene, while pocketing invites that he picked up along the way. His latest book dives into his rich archive.
Written by: Miss Rosen
On Alexander Skarsgård’s trousers, The Rehearsal, and the importance of weirdos
Freaks and Finances — In the May edition of our monthly culture newsletter, columnist Emma Garland reflects on the Swedish actor’s Cannes look, Nathan Fielder’s wild ambition, and Jafaican.
Written by: Emma Garland
Capturing life in the shadows of Canada’s largest oil refinery
The Cloud Factory — Growing up on the fringes of Saint John, New Brunswick, the Irving Oil Refinery was ever present for photographer Chris Donovan. His new photobook explores its lingering impacts on the city’s landscape and people.
Written by: Miss Rosen
We are all Mia Khalifa
How humour, therapy and community help Huck's latest cover star control her narrative.
Written by: Alya Mooro
