What if you peaked decades ago, and your life since then has been a slow decline into painful mediocrity?
That most uplifting chestnut is at the heart of Night at the Belfry, a brand-new graphic novel (and ComiXology Original) from writer-artist Xavier Saxon. In it, we follow James Ransom, an elderly man who looks back at his brief life as a boxer. In trying to reconnect to that time and corresponding emotions and energies, we learn of Ransom’s struggles to exert a power larger than even a solid right hook. It’s an utterly poignant tale of regret, longing, and maintaining control before you’re counted out for good.
With the OGN dropping next week (October 18), Saxon was kind enough to answer a few questions via email earlier this month. That includes the story’s development, working as both artist and writer, the interest/focus on boxing, and how he hopes his “hero” is ultimately perceived.
Courtesy of ComiXology.
AIPT: What’s the elevator pitch for Night at the Belfry?
Xavier Saxon: Night at the Belfry is a graphic novel that follows James Ransom, a 73-year-old retiree and single father obsessed with a brief period in the early ’80s during which he boxed recreationally at a local gym. Frustrated with his lack of autonomy and increasing reliance on his daughter, Emily, James reconnects with a former trainer, determined to reclaim the independence he once had or die trying.
AIPT: This is the first book you’ve released. What’s it like to be done, and did you learn any big/valuable lessons along the way?
XS: I feel very relieved to be done. I learned plenty of lessons throughout the process (letter your comics at a high resolution!), but most of all, completing the book taught me that I could do it. There were so many uncompleted projects that came before Night at the Belfry that I was beginning to feel like I could never retain focus long enough to finish something. The idea of making a book felt so daunting because at the beginning all you see is this mountain of work before you. But learning to just take it one page at a time and not get overwhelmed by the scope of the project was invaluable.
Courtesy of ComiXology.
AIPT: You’d said in some press that you weren’t even particularly interested in boxing. Why, then, did that subject become a focus for you in Night At The Belfry?
XS: You know, as I continued working on the book I definitely grew to appreciate boxing as a sport, but at the beginning it was all about the visuals. A boxing match is a striking image–it looks epic no matter who you put in the ring. I suppose I’m just trying to be honest about my knowledge/passion for the sport itself so as not to set myself up for scrutiny when it comes to my portrayal of boxing in the book which, more than likely, is far from perfectly accurate.
AIPT: Building off that last question, why did it feel so vital to tell a story about a “lovable loser” type trying to regain his glory days? Is there something in your own life (emotionally, personally, etc.) that you’re perhaps working through?
XS: I think that’s just the kind of character that audiences frequently respond to. It’s easy to get the reader on their side even if they’re making, to a certain point, bad decisions. As for how much of that comes from me, I did try to separate James from myself as much as possible to avoid the idea that he’s some kind of self-insert. I know that idea comes up a lot when it comes to more “grounded” single character narratives, but that’s not really the case here.
Courtesy of ComiXology.
AIPT: Our “hero,” James Ransom, is interesting in that there’s lots to like and perhaps as much to dislike about him. How do you hope he’s perceived by readers?
XS: I hope he’s perceived like a real person. There are many moments in the book where his behavior is questionable and he might come across poorly, but I think it’s also apparent that this is a low point for him. Characters like James always have a chance of losing the reader if they’re too unlikable. All I can do is hope that I’ve done enough to elicit empathy for him as well.
AIPT: How did you balance the work as both artist and writer? Does that have some advantages of working with someone else? Maybe some disadvantages?
XS: I found that balance difficult at the beginning because I was trying to do everything at once. When Allison, who edited the book, came onboard she really got me to focus on one thing at a time. We separated all the different jobs I needed to do, so for the first month or so I was a writer and I wrote the whole comic at once, then I was a penciller, and so on. A disadvantage for me is that I find writing to be really hard, much harder than drawing, but a benefit is that I only have to draw what I want to.
Courtesy of ComiXology.
AIPT: Is there something extra valid about telling this story right now? I think the last few years have demonstrated that people feel powerless despite a huge urge to fight back.
XS: Maybe, but that didn’t cross my mind when I was making it. If people happen to relate to the feelings in the book because of whatever is happening right now, I think that’s great, but I wasn’t thinking of any particular current event or anything like that. That feeling of powerlessness can be pretty universal no matter what’s going on at any given moment.
AIPT: The book feels very physical, and there’s lots of fighting and box scenes involved. What were those like to create, and what does that add to the larger story/narrative?
XS: Those scenes were interesting. As this isn’t really an action book, I wanted to present the action in a way that felt unique. For me that meant scaling it back; in action-oriented comics, for example, two characters fighting often feels larger than life. Doing that in this particular story just didn’t feel right. There are moments where I show a bit of dynamism, but for the most part, that just doesn’t reflect how the characters feel. With James’ feelings coming so much from his own physical state, physicality being at the forefront was unavoidable. So much of his identity comes from wanting to feel powerful, and finding a way to visually manifest that desire was a fun challenge.
Courtesy of ComiXology.
AIPT: Did you have any major visual and story inspirations? Especially something for the fight/boxing bits?
XS: I used a lot of photo reference when it came to the boxing scenes. But I didn’t really want these guys, particularly when it came to the fight scenes between older characters, to look like athletes or competent fighters. In a way, that decision could make some of the boxing scenes underwhelming, but it was more important to me to make a scene that felt true to the characters rather than one that’s particularly dynamic or exciting. For artistic inspirations, my work on this book was probably most influenced by artists like Steve Dillon and Stan Sakai. I’m always trying to tap into the simplicity and openness that their drawings can have, as well as the readability of their page-compositions.
AIPT: Why should anyone read Night At The Belfry?
XS: People should read Night at the Belfry because it’s not a story they can get anywhere else. At no point in making it was I ever worried that somebody was going to end up doing something similar before I got the chance to put it out. Also, if people choose to use ComiXology Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited, or Prime to read Night at the Belfry, they can get access to a ton of other amazing books, too.
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