Ben Sears is the creator of the new book Hearing Things, a graphic novel for kids. His other books include Young Shadow. He is based in Louisville, Kentucky.
Q: What inspired you to create Hearing Things, and how did you create your characters Tim and Martha?
A: My friend Tucker got hired on at the publisher and asked me to pitch something. He's a good dude who's been working behind the scenes in comics for a while now, so I was happy to work with him.
During the pandemic I bought a handheld field recorder, and had been enjoying recording nature sounds and incorporating it into music I was working on. I wanted to include that somehow, and Tucker was helpful in getting those ideas off the ground and formatted into a kids comic.
The characters of Tim and Martha came from idle sketchbook drawing. Tim is like the protagonists in my other comics (House of the Black Spot, Young Shadow), but isn't in the same kind of post-apocalyptic/dystopian situation. He gets to be a kid and live a fairly comfortable life, not unlike my childhood.
Tim was always going to have a sibling, but the character of Martha became more developed when I needed some conflict for Tim. That's not to say she doesn't have any agency, but there wasn't much of a story until both characters were developed.
Q: Did you work on the text first or the illustrations first--or both simultaneously?
A: I always start with sketchbook drawings. I've found that if I set aside some time to just draw with loose goals, then the characters' personalities reveal themselves more quickly. Story ideas come easier after that.
For this particular project I was required to have some more concrete descriptions early on, which was challenging. Hopefully not too limiting.
Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Tim and Martha?
A: I think they're friends. Martha's a little older so her social life is different, but that doesn't keep them from getting along.
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book called it a “solid, spooky tale, with vintage-quality illustrations.” What do you think of that description?
A: I'm flattered. The ghost stories I read as a kid were the ones that stuck with me as I got older, so I'd like to try and contribute to that for the next generation.
As for the illustrations, I'm on a steady diet of Charles Schulz, EC Segar, Herge, and Gary Larson. Over the last couple of years I've started reading comics by George Herriman, George McManus, and Milton Caniff. I'm glad that comes out in the drawings.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I'm working on a follow up story for Tim and Frankie. It's still early in the development stages, but I'm excited to get to work. I'm finishing up another comic in the Young Shadow series, and a few EP releases from my recording project The Gleaming Corridor.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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