AUSTIN, Minn. — Before Minnesota author Chad Corrie fleshed out his idea for his first graphic novel, he already knew who he wanted to illustrate it.
Corrie knew of Eagan, Minnesota, illustrator Matt Wendt’s work through Wendt’s wife and area comic book conventions.
“He has very expressive faces and storytelling,” Corrie said.
So when it came time to bring his story about Viking Squirrels to the printed page, Corrie went with Wendt.
When Corrie proposed the idea to Wendt, the illustrator didn’t need much convincing.
“When he says ‘Viking squirrels, you don’t even have to explain,” Wendt said. “People’s ears just perk up.”
“Sons of Ashgard,” published by Dark Horse Publishing, was released in 2023, but Corrie and Wendt are making a push to promote the book locally. The two will have signings, workshops and meet-and-greets in Austin as part of Nerd Week downtown. The two have also done impromptu signings at other bookstores including Barnes & Noble in Rochester, where signed copies might still be on the retail shelves.
The book is a standalone story introducing a fantasy world populated by anthropomorphic squirrels and other critters. The main character is a reluctant hero thrown into a Dungeons and Dragons-style adventuring party far from home. Corrie said he plans to continue it as a series if given the greenlight from Dark Horse.
Wendt created the characters with a 1980s cartoon style. The two began creating the concept in 2016. Corrie said he had general ideas of what the characters would look like and the weapons they would wield, but left it to Wendt to bring them to life.
“The initial designs don’t look anything like what they look like now,” he said.
Wendt added details such as footwear, hairstyles and other characteristics to make each character unique. He also kept careful track of where characters were as they moved through action sequences and how readers would see the action unfold.
“I’m picking the camera angles, I’m kind of the director,” he said.
As Corrie looked at the pages, he would give feedback and suggestions. One battle sequence gave Corrie pause, and he asked Wendt if he thought it was too violent.
“I said, ‘Well, you wrote it,’” Wendt recalled.
In the end, Corrie changed little.
“I don’t give a lot of notes on what the characters look like,” he said.
It was rewarding to see his story be brought to life.
“When I saw the first pages, I was like, ‘Whoa, this is even better than I thought,’” he said.
Having some time during the COVID-19 pandemic helped Wendt concentrate on the project.
“Most comic artists don’t do this as a full-time job,” he said.
The work was a silver lining while things were closed, Wendt added.
“It’s nice to turn on some tunes and draw all day,” he said.
The two will appear for talks and signings Saturday, March 16, 2024, as part of Austin’s Nerd Week. The two will discuss the process of making and publishing comics in a presentation at the Austin Public Library. They will hold a signing and meet-and-greet in the morning at Hot off the Press Comics and Coffee and in the afternoon at Sweet Reads Books and Candy.
The graphic novel is the latest of Corrie’s fantasy concepts Dark Horse has published.
His first book has unfolded into a trilogy, “The Wizard King.” His other books, “Rainier’s Legacy,” “As the Sparrow Flies: Sojourners’ Saga” and “The Shadow Regent,” are also available at book stores and through Dark Horse Comics.
Meet the illustrator and author of “Sons of Ashgard”
When: 9 a.m., Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Hot off the Press Comics and Coffee; Noon Austin Public Library; 2 p.m., Sweet Reads Books and Candy.
Where: Austin, Minnesota.