The following is an interview with Marc Chalvin regarding the upcoming release of the graphic novel, Pigeons!, with Street Noise Books. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Chalvin about his creative process in bringing the story and characters to life on the page, what readers may take away from the story’s themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: This December will see the release of your graphic novel, Pigeons!, with Street Noise Books. What can you tell us about the genesis behind this story?
Marc Chalvin: The idea for the book came to me during COVID. There were only crows and pigeons left on the streets of Paris. And then, there was the global political context, the controversies surrounding lockdown and vaccines. The rise of populism.
People complain that they no longer live in a democracy (which is something you can say out-loud only if you live in a democracy). On the other hand, people increasingly want strong, authoritarian leaders to protect them. So, I used the fable to talk about the contradictions in our society, to talk about democracy, freedom, and free will.
BD: In balancing the writing and illustrative duties, how would you describe your creative process in bringing the timely parable to life on the page?
MC: For this book, I started by creating my characters. I knew I wanted to make a political fable with archetypes. Pigeons, considered idiots (in France at least), were perfect for representing “the voice of people.” (Besides, they all look alike.) The crow is the ideal villain. And the seagull represents a free spirit who can stand up to the crow. Then, I wrote the dialogue and turned them into images.
I wanted the drawings to be simple so that the dialogue and the characters’ expressions would stand out. The fourth very important character is Paris, with its streets and typical buildings
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums – no matter the genre. How do you feel that this story may connect with and impact readers, and what, if any, conversations do you hope that it may inspire?
MC: I would like readers to ask themselves questions about their relationship with democracy. Often we (myself included) confuse freedom and democracy with individualism, and through fear of change or simply to preserve our comfort, we are able to sacrifice our ideals or freedom and accept ideas we don’t really agree with. The question regarding populism is: is the problem the dictator, or ourselves for putting him in charge?
BD: What makes Street Noise Books the perfect home for this story?
MC: A publishing house called ‘Street Noise’ was the perfect fit for Pigeons! More seriously, Street Noise Books is a militant, humanist publishing house concerned with the political and sociological issues of our time, which is perfectly suited to the book and its author.
BD: Are there any additional projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
MC: Pigeons! is quite different from what I have done so far. So, I hope I can continue my Pigeons! stories in a second book very soon.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Pigeons! and your other work?
MC: You can follow Pigeons! on my Instagram: @korbakveille. And follow all my cartoons works at @marcchalvin.
