Comic Books

Nir Levie unveils the modern comics epic ‘Age of Canaan’

The tale of vengeful gods is crowdfunding now via Zoop.

February 27, 2024

With 2022’s BIORIPPLE, writer-artist Nir Levie broke down barriers to tell an equally unsettling and enthralling slice of “bio-punk.” But after exploring some not-so-distant version of the future, Levie is looking to turn his gaze to the ancient past with a brand-new original graphic novel, Age of Canaan.

Currently crowdfunding via Zoop, the 160-page Age of Canaan features a series of stories (each one around a respective god) in which the titular deities all duke it out. More specifically:

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In the realm of gods and heroes, Akhat, adorned with a divine bow, faces the wrath of Anat, the passionate goddess, who covets his enchanted weapon. Akhat’s bold defiance sparks a furious vendetta, and as Anat dispatches her formidable falcon warrior to end his tale, an unexpected hero, Paghat, fueled by grief and rage, steps forward to rewrite the destiny set by the gods.

Promising everything form “epic battles mirroring the seasons to tragic vengeance and divine conflicts,” Age of Canaan explores deeply human ideas of courage, revenge, and power through an action-heavy lens dripping with historical significance. It’s an epic in every sense of the word, and another project that should help establish Levie as a proper comics-making deity himself.

The campaign for Age of Canaan runs through late March/early April. (If you’d like to support the project, head here.) Levie was also kind enough to answer a few of our questions about Age of Canaan, including how BIORIPPLE informed its development, his interest in Canaan mythology, his take on crowdfunding, some important contributors/collaborators, and even his larger creative process.

AIPT: What’s the elevator pitch for Age of Canaan?

Nir Levie: This Canaanite myth adaptation follows Anat, the goddess of passion, and Baal, the god of fertility, as they navigate celestial warfare and ancient moral dilemmas, weaving a captivating tale of myth and humanity.

2. I think a lot of people loved BIORIPPLE. What did you learn from doing that book that informed this new graphic novel?

NL: I view my art as akin to a game of Jenga. The base represents my starting point, where I learned the fundamentals like using a pencil and tapping into my imagination. Each new skill or technique I acquire is like adding a wooden block to the tower. Elements like perspective, story structure, and world-building are the building blocks in this tower.

Occasionally, I pause certain artistic or writing techniques. I might abandon cross-hatching or a particular writing method I’ve learned. However, removing the base would cause the entire structure to collapse, and removing too many blocks from the middle would make it unstable. Interestingly, I find that my best work emerges when the tower is almost unstable. My art shines when it balances between the figurative, realistic, and surreal and abstract realms. Similarly, my writing flourishes when it straddles the line between straightforward, “mainstream” storytelling and abstract, “Lynchian” approaches. I strive to maintain this precarious balance in every project I undertake.

In the case of BIORIPPLE, working on this graphic novel added numerous bricks to the middle of my artistic tower. I developed my style by focusing on outlining shapes with lines and largely abandoning hatching in favor of using textures for depth. I created my own perspective grid to convey characters’ points of view and implemented the “floating head” idea inspired by the DOOM games. In my writing process, I began to visualize my writing using network-based modules and complex plot structures. I delved deeper into the narrators’ identities and crafted intricate, immersive worlds. This process taught me to explore the core of the story and use themes in a more compelling manner.

Art from Age of Canaan. Courtesy of Nir Levie.

AIPT: What’s your interest specifically in folklore and the Canaanite stories/mythology?

NL:My heart will forever belong to science fiction. When it comes to fantasy, however, I’m still exploring my relationship with it. As a child, I adored fantasy tales, from D&D to Thundercats. However, as I matured, my logical side took precedence, and I felt like I outgrew it. Nevertheless, I’m drawn to fantasy narratives that challenge the genre’s conventions.

In my view, science fiction delves into technology and society, while fantasy focuses on politics and human interactions. This perspective leads me to classify stories like Star Wars as fantasy rather than pure science fiction. To me, the Bible is a fantasy narrative.

After completing BIORIPPLE, I felt the urge to delve into the deep waters of fantasy. I noticed that many fantasy stories draw heavily from biblical, Norse, Greek, Asian, and Indian mythologies and folklore. I wanted to uncover a source of myths that hadn’t been extensively explored in modern storytelling. My interest was particularly piqued by the Levant, given my Jewish heritage.
After extensive research, I stumbled upon the Ugaritic poems, and it was nothing short of a revelation. These poems are exquisite, on par with the epic narratives of the Iliad or Gilgamesh, yet they remain relatively unknown. Discovering them felt like stumbling upon a gold mine.

AIPT: How do you balance being both the writer and artist? I assume one role might come easier for you, but is it a challenge at all?

NL: I began my journey as an artist. My first book was a collection of art pieces woven together by a story I crafted. My day job as an architect has been instrumental in bridging my writing and drawing pursuits. In architecture, we receive a program from the client and are tasked with translating it into a physical structure. This process is akin to receiving a script and visualizing it. As an architect, I often find myself assisting clients in refining their ideas, helping them develop their vision. This experience has deepened my understanding of the interplay between text and visuals.
When I embark on a writing project, I envision the visuals, and when I create art, I grasp the essence behind the words.

However, the writing process can be challenging, especially at the project’s outset. The early stages are the most difficult. Conceiving the idea is the toughest part; identifying core themes is challenging, world-building is somewhat easier, creating characters and backstories comes more naturally, and finally, developing the plot based on these elements is the most straightforward.

Art from Age of Canaan. Courtesy of Nir Levie.

AIPT: You have such a powerful and vivid style. Do you have specific influences/references you turn to for each book, and does that change with a rather specific book like this?

NL: For each book, I strive to focus on something specific while also developing a style that transcends individual projects, becoming a signature style that defines my work overall. When working on BIORIPPLE, I immersed myself in the work of the best modern science fiction artists such as Moebius, Bilal, and Darrow.

In contrast, for Age of Canaan, I drew inspiration from ancient illustrations. A trip to Greece proved pivotal, as I was deeply moved by the black figures drawn on Hellenistic pottery. Additionally, I actively sought Jewish influences and discovered the artist E.M. Lilien, whose work greatly inspired me.

During the creation of Age of Canaan, I also wrote a short story for Humanoids, intended for the Metal Hurlant magazine. Seeking new inspiration, I came across R.S. Sherriff, an exceptional caricaturist and cartoonist, whose style profoundly influenced the story. Upon returning to Age of Canaan, this newly-developed style naturally found its way into the pages.

In fact, if you examine the pages closely, you’ll notice a subtle shift in style halfway through, influenced by this experience. However, I embrace this evolution. I believe that the creative process should be evident in the final work, and it’s a beautiful thing when readers can perceive this evolution on the page.

AIPT: I’m sure it’s a touch involved, but can you briefly walk us through how you outline or organize a page? There’s so much life and energy across the preview pages I’ve seen.

NL:When it comes to crafting a page, I begin by writing my script in a rather loose manner. During this initial phase, I focus on describing the events unfolding in the story, the setting, the characters involved, and the topics of their conversations—essentially, the foundational elements.

Art from Age of Canaan. Courtesy of Nir Levie.

Once the script is complete, I divide it into issues or chapters of approximately 20 pages each. Being both the writer and artist, I find it easier to visualize how much space each part of the story requires. For every chapter, I further break down the script into individual pages, usually with a sentence or paragraph assigned to each page. This helps me keep track of the narrative flow and essential details.

Next, I transfer these descriptions onto the actual pages as a reminder of what needs to be depicted. With these placeholders in place, I proceed to layout the pages. I prefer to layout an entire chapter before delving into the sketching phase, as it allows for greater flexibility in rearranging or altering the story flow.

When working on a specific page, I delve into the core concept outlined in the paragraph. I focus on creating visual impact and action-driven sequences, which guide my panel layout decisions. Additionally, I consider design elements and proportions, especially in Age of Canaan, where I intentionally used rigid grids for more straightforward scenes and gridless layouts for fantastical moments, creating a visual contrast that enhances the storytelling.

Once the panels are established, I start fleshing out the characters’ positions and the foreground and background elements. Sometimes, this involves rough sketches resembling stick figures, while other times, it’s more akin to detailed manikins.

In Age of Canaan, I developed a unique perspective grid—a warped, fisheye-like grid that is tilable, allowing me to seamlessly create multiple scenes. This approach creates a harmonious flow across the pages, with converging lines that unify the composition.

While this entire process is digital, the real joy begins when I print out the pages and ink them traditionally using a lightbox. I use dip pens for characters to achieve varying line weights and technical pens for backgrounds. Coloring is also done digitally, with a carefully chosen palette that reflects the mood and style of each scene.

In the lettering phase, I write out the specific dialogue, influenced by a method similar to the Marvel method, but with the distinction that I write for myself. The lettering style is inspired by Ugaritic characters, giving it an angular, ancient look that adds to the overall aesthetic of the book.

Art from Age of Canaan. Courtesy of Nir Levie.

AIPT: From the description I’ve read, this story feels like a proper hero’s epic. Why is that interesting to tell now, and is it hard to create a proper epic in 2024?

NL: Ancient stories often focus on a specific character, typically a hero whose name becomes synonymous with the tale itself. This phenomenon led me to ponder the underlying reasons. I believe many of these narratives originated from powerful rulers — kings who sought to immortalize their names by weaving stories around them. While these stories evolved over generations, I suspect their origins lie in the politics of a privileged few.

Considering these ancient societies, stories of heroic kings may mask darker, more self-serving motives. These kings, often portrayed as heroes for their conquests and wars, likely engaged in unspeakable deeds. The stories I’ve chosen challenge the notion of heroism in these figures, often portraying them in a negative light. Instead, they highlight a secondary character as the true hero.
I believe this approach not only makes these stories more relatable to modern readers but also underscores their relevance in today’s political landscape.

AIPT: Do you have a specific page or moment that speaks to the larger story or what you were trying to do with this project in general?

NL: In the “Tale of Aqhat,” there’s a double-page spread illustrating the moment when the god Baal strikes down the mother of vultures. This act allows King Danel, father of Aqhat, to inspect the contents of the vulture’s stomach in search of his son’s remains. The dynamic action and fluidity of this page encapsulate the core themes of the story — surreal, dramatic, and fast-paced, yet also imbued with a deep, human sadness and relatability.

AIPT: Is there a larger message in a story like this? Do you think you’re celebrating humanity or maybe dissecting some of our baser tendencies?

NL: The Ugaritic texts unveil the Canaanite ideology through a rich tapestry of myths and legends, presenting a worldview considered pagan by modern standards. These ancient texts reflect the Canaanite society’s profound connection to nature, encompassing aspects such as farming, animals, seasons, and the rhythm of droughts and rains.

In the modern era, there’s a resurgent interest in these elemental themes, highlighting the stories’ relevance and resonance today. Rather than mere relics of the past, they offer surprising insights into contemporary issues.

Art from Age of Canaan Courtesy of Nir Levie.

Through Age of Canaan, these stories celebrate the simple yet profound elements that tie us to nature. They also serve as a critique of our enduring political and societal tendencies, which have persisted from the Bronze Age to the present day.

AIPT: Have you shown this book to any friends/family/fellow creators? What have those reactions been like, and are they motivating for you at all?

Friends and family play integral roles throughout my creative process. My mother, an artist, and my sister, an art conservative, offer valuable insights and support at every stage. Additionally, my partner, an animator, provides invaluable feedback and encouragement.

In collaborating with fellow creators, I sought out individuals whom I deeply admire. Carson Grubaugh from Living the Line and Steve Orlando contributed powerful quotes to the project. Both of them are creators whose work I look up to and respect.

Furthermore, I reached out to other artists for pin-ups, which always proves to be a rewarding experience. It’s fascinating to see my story and characters interpreted through different artistic lenses. Age of Canaan features pinups from Brent Mckee, Bruno Seelig, Jason Crager, Gonzalo Ruggieri, Artyom Trakhanov, and Jesse Simpson, each adding their unique perspective to the narrative.

AIPT: How do you feel about crowdfunding via Zoop? Does this feel like the way forward for you and the kinds of projects you’re interested in releasing?

NL: I’ve long harbored a desire to venture into crowdfunding, and Zoop presents me with the ideal avenue to explore this realm. The platform handles all logistical aspects, allowing me to channel my focus solely into the artistic process. Crowdfunding also grants me greater control and transparency — I can actively monitor the number of backers and track the project’s progress in real time.
Conversely, traditional publishing offers its own set of advantages. It provides a stable home for the intellectual property, controlling distribution and boasting a dedicated staff for every aspect of the process. While I remain undecided between these two methods, I am certain that experiencing both will be a crucial part of my artistic journey.

Courtesy of Nir Levie.

AIPT: Why should anyone support Age of Canaan?

NL: Supporting Age of Canaan is not just about backing a project—it’s about joining a journey. This graphic novel delves into ancient myths and legends, weaving a tale that challenges conventional narratives and explores timeless themes. By supporting Age of Canaan, you’re not only helping bring this captivating story to life but also enabling the exploration of diverse cultures and perspectives.

Moreover, Age of Canaan represents a unique blend of art and storytelling, drawing inspiration from ancient texts while offering a fresh, modern take. Whether you’re a fan of fantasy, mythology, or simply enjoy a compelling narrative, Age of Canaan promises to deliver a rich and immersive experience.

Your support is not just an investment in a single project; it’s an investment in creativity, storytelling, and the power of art to transcend time and culture. Join us in bringing Age of Canaan to life, and be a part of something truly special.