"What's Beneath the Surface" -- Interview with Joe Latham about Haru: Fall

Joe Latham's gorgeous middle grade fantasy graphic novel Haru: Fall, the final volume in his Haru trilogy, just came out from Andrews McMeel last month. I love talking to Joe about his creative process because he thinks deeply about his story's themes (and he's a process nerd like many other comics creators!). I hope you enjoy our conversation below.

The final book in your HARU trilogy is publishing on Oct 28th. First, could you sum up what HARU is about, and the type of readers who've been responding to it? And how does it feel to have the whole story completed now?

I like to think of HARU as having a few different layers you could read into it. On the surface it is a fantasy adventure story about a small blue bird who cannot fly, but must overcome tremendous adversity to save their home and their loved ones from a terrible destructive force which has awakened and threatens their way of life. Then beneath that, it's also about growing up, the lengths you would go for those you love, and exploring your self-identity through the process of grief and loss.

The allegorical is what binds me to the story, and the adventure is hopefully what invites people to join the journey.

Could you share some of your favorite moments from the final HARU book? Both story moments you really love, and artwork that you're especially proud of?

The first chapter of the new book is an homage to The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri and Gustave Doré. I really love the feeling of cold isolation in a strange and barren landscape. I wanted it to feel dream-like, but not a comforting dream, more an unnerving waking dream. I like how that turned out.

I'm also proud of the conversation between Haru and Mom towards the end. I'll avoid spoilers, but there's a spread that I consider the emotional climax. It contains words I've said, and heard, and it's a very real moment, except it's told with a cartoon bird and a ghost. These moments inform who we go on to be, and I'm pleased with the space that was left in the story from this point on to show such a moment's impact.

You're doing so many interesting things to promote the book, especially in the UK. What sort of promo items have you created? And what are some of the events you'll be doing?

Promo is so tricky, as it really never feels enough. I've done 4 different bookplate prints for different independent bookshops. I'm doing 20 custom sketch cards and a signing event at Gosh! Comics in London.

I'll be doing a window painting at Small City Books Bristol. I'm going to be doing a window painting and live draw-along event at Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath. I'm trying to schedule another signing at Excelsior in Bristol too.

I've made a custom illustrated poster to promote the series for Page 45 Comics in Nottingham. I've shared that poster with the publisher too in case they want to share it with their friends.

I also made a handwritten letter and custom print for my publisher to give to book buyers in the US, and a video to say thank you. I'm going to record a video Draw-Along style event, also for the publisher to share with anyone.

Lastly, I'm going to be exhibiting at Thought Bubble, which is the biggest event of its kind in the UK, to launch the third book.

Oh, and I also designed and built a single page website, https://harucomic.com/, to promote the series. I think that's everything, for the time being anyway.

Now that HARU is wrapped up, what else do you have on your horizon? What other projects are you excited about?

This is the scary question. After finishing work on the third HARU, my brain struggled to focus, and I darted between a few too many possible ideas. I think the very next thing from me will be a self-published second chapter of The Eternal Mountain.

Beyond that, I'm trying to find headspace to focus attention on 2 or 3 possible projects, all of which I would be incredibly excited to dive into fully. I'm just not sure which one is going to be the front-runner at this moment, or how much I can say about them without putting the candle out. Needless to say, they are adventurous with big emotions.

I'm sure they are! 

Enjoy these additional spreads from the final volume of Haru....

 

 

If you're drawn to Joe's work, please keep him in mind -- he is available for freelance illustration work.

Buy Haru: Fall here.

Connect with Joe on his website.

Connect with Joe on his Substack.

 

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by Janna Morishima