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Graphic novel publishers Self Made Hero, based in King’s Cross, have earned a reputation for finding new ways to use the genre to cast a light on modern storytelling. They range from the noir and thriller to social realism and political tales.
novel idea | Camden New Journal A novel idea | Camden New Journal
No Surrender was first published in 1911, the year women across the country boycotted the British census by spoiling forms with the words “I don’t count so I won’t be counted” and “no persons here, only women.” Pioneering Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison loved it, pronouncing that it “breathes the very spirit of our women’s movement” – a spirit that lives on in this new graphic novel edition. No Surrender, they felt, could be tweaked to bring Maud’s message to an audience 110 years after it was written. Finding ways to update it the story without losing its power was key, the sisters say. No Surrender is like a sister volume to The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists,” says Scarlett. “Maud was an active suffragette, writing fiction in the same era about her authentic experience of living a marginalised life. While The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists examined the arguments for and against socialism, No Surrender explores the battle for equality, how women were regarded, and the ethics of civil disobedience.”
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We have begun to think of the 1910s as ‘our era’ and relish the task of world-building in an authentic way,” says Scarlett. “Design, style and subtle social cues about relative prosperity are all part of the book’s richness. We have to think about things like lighting – electricity, gas, or candles? – and transport – motor car, horse or walking? – in different ways without getting carried away with historical detail.” No Surrender is a good book with engaging characters, exciting events and romance,” says Sophie. “What you don’t see in the graphic novel are the bits we left out – cringey dialogue, references modern readers wouldn’t understand and extraneous detail. We hope people familiar with the original will feel we’ve done it justice.” Jenny Clegg is a wonderful working-class hero,” says Sophie. “We were drawn to her vitality and turn of phrase because of our childhoods. No Surrender was written in part as a recruiting tool for the suffrage movement, and the way it explores things from the point of view of all kinds of women from all walks of life adds to the sense of unity. Jenny, Mary and Alice all have individual strengths and challenges, and there is something there to relate to.” No Surrender is sometimes funny, sometimes violent, but always exciting and authentic. It is highly regarded as an important document of the arguments for and against extending votes to women, for its witty storytelling and for an unflinching depiction of the rapid escalation of violence encountered by the women involved.
No Surrender by Scarlett and Sophie Rickard review – the long No Surrender by Scarlett and Sophie Rickard review – the long
Books like Maud’s No Surrender have survived by being discovered by a narrow set of readers – historians and activists. By moving the action from Maud’s prose to their eye catching illustrations, the sisters hope her message reaches as many as possible. Jenny Clegg is a Lancashire mill-hand with dreams of equality and freedom. Along with friends from every walk of life, she brings the fight to the Prime Minister’s door – and suffers for her cause. Written by a Suffragette from the heat of the battle, this novel is a vivid social record of a tumultuous era, told through the lives of a broad cast of powerful characters. Anyone who enjoyed The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists will find No Surrender to be a perfect sister-volume, both in the authenticity of the adaptation and the historical sensitivity, humour and warmth of Scarlett’s art.
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The sisters scored a publishing sensation in 2020, when their graphic novel adaptation of Robert Tressell’s seminal socialist novel, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, illustrated the thirst for this type of story. It was read as a call to arms, told through the story of mill worker Jenny Clegg, who lives in a northern industrial town. Our graphic novel of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists has gone down well with people who love the original, and with people who’d never heard of it before,” says Scarlett. “The graphic storytelling medium has made Tressell’s political ideas accessible to a new generation. It’s a great way to revive older books that deserve more attention.” Hailed by Emily Wilding Davison as “a book which breathes the very spirit of our Women’s Movement”, the fast paced story interweaves the lives of women from all classes working together to bring about change. Our hero Jenny is a small but fierce Lancashire textile mill worker who puts principle before everything.
No Surrender (True Stories - SelfMadeHero) eBook : Rickard No Surrender (True Stories - SelfMadeHero) eBook : Rickard
Constance Maud was at the heart of the British campaign for women’s votes. Her novel No Surrender was published at the height of that struggle and used as a persuasive tool by suffragists. Edwardian novels can be long-winded and heavy going, but in this format you get pure action. A story all about ‘Deeds not Words’ is ideal for the graphic format.” Illustrating London in 1910 required research. No Surrender has a deeply immersive world for the words to play out across. Constance Maud was at the heart of the British campaign for women’s votes. Her novel No Surrender was published at the height of that struggle and used as a persuasive tool by suffragists. Hailed by Emily Wilding-Davison as “a book which breathes the very spirit of our Women’s Movement”, the fast-paced story interweaves the lives of women from all classes working together to bring about change. Our hero Jenny is a small but fierce Lancashire textile mill worker who puts principle before everything.The pair are recent arrivals in the graphic novel world and are planning a third political tome from the same era.
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