Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Agent, alex l combs, graphic novel, History, marketplace, ogn, ownvoices, trans

Alex L. Combs Sells Trans History: A Graphic Novel at Auction

Published Thu, 17 Sep 2020 09:25:10 -0500

Last updated Sat, 30 Jan 2021 17:30:26 -0600

Alex L. Combs has sold their debut nonfiction YA graphic novel, Trans History: A Graphic Novel at auction to Andrea Tompa at publishers Candlewick.

Written and illustrated from an #OwnVoices perspective, Trans History: A Graphic Novel will be published in 2023 and aims to introduce readers to the history of transgender identities, the transgender rights movement, and what it means to be trans in the USA and beyond.

Alex was born in Asheville, North Carolina in 1982, now lives in the San Francisco Bay area, teaching and making comics. He has a BA in art with a focus in printmaking and a BA in Gender Studies from the University of North Carolina Asheville in 2011, and an MFA in Comics from California College of the Arts. Alex says "my first self-published comics were fanzines, and I've been exhibiting at conventions since 2009. I love to connect with fan communities and a lot of my art is related to being queer and being a geek. I enjoy doing a variety of commission work– my visual influences include anime, fine art, illustration, portraiture, tattoo art, and sign painting."

You can see Alex's work on Instagram where he writes of the Trans History: A Graphic Novel news, "I'm so excited to share that I'm working on a graphic novel about trans history! With this book I hope to help make trans history more accessible using the power of comics!! I'm consulting with historians and community members in order to ensure accurate information and inclusive perspectives. It's already been an incredibly rewarding and eye-opening experience and I look forward to eventually sharing the result."

Zabé Ellor at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency was Alex's agent and negotiated the auction details. The book will be edited by Andrea Tompa at Candlewick. The image below is from a previous comic book by Alex that may be relevant to the new book.