On Aug. 6, Still North Books & Bar hosted Upper Valley-based cartoonist and author Emma Hunsinger for a reading of “How It All Ends,” her debut graphic novel published the same day. The Eisner Award-nominated cartoonist received an MFA from the Center for Cartoon Studies in Hartford, Vt., and has had her cartoons featured in The New Yorker.
The event, which lasted for around an hour and a half, drew around 40 attendees to the Allen Street bookshop. In addition to the reading, Hunsinger spoke to audience members about her background as an artist, the process of making her book and what led her to create cartoons.
The event began with a short introduction by Still North assistant store manager H Rooker, followed by Hunsinger’s reading. The cartoonist and author displayed the first 20 pages of the graphic novel on a slideshow presentation as she read.
While Hunsinger narrated 13-year-old Tara — the novel’s main character — with her usual voice, she put on distinct and silly voices for jokes and exaggerated dialogue.
Once she had concluded the first 20 pages, Hunsinger shifted her slideshow presentation to her background as an artist and the creation of “How It All Ends.” She recounted distinct memories throughout her life that inspired her to draw cartoons, including joining the graphic novel club in school and drawing cartoons for a janitor.
Hunsinger added that she found the medium of graphic novels unique because “it can direct the reader’s imagination” — an element she wanted to make sure was distinct in “How It All Ends.”
Following the slideshow presentation, Hunsinger took questions from the audience. When one audience member asked how long the graphic novel took to create, Hunsinger responded with a laugh.
“A very long time,” she said.
After the question and answer segment, audience members lined up to meet Hunsinger, while others mingled with other attendees.
Ellie Liota, a cartoonist and former student of Hunsinger at the Center for Cartoon Studies, said she was excited to experience Hunsinger’s humor during the event.
“I was so excited for this because anything with Emma is going to be good because Emma is so funny,” Liota said. “She definitely did not disappoint.”
Wayne Carter, another of Hunsinger’s former students, also praised Hunsinger’s use of comedy in her slideshow presentation.
“I think Emma is the most funny person ever to do a powerpoint,” he said. “I think of her as a PowerPoint comedian. She’s doing stand-up when she does a PowerPoint. I knew I was going to laugh all throughout it.”
Hunsinger said her PowerPoint served as a way for her to “control” what people took away from her presentation, and she infused it with humor and wit. She said her passion for graphic novels came from wanting to tell stories and make people laugh.
“I think that I always loved being silly and making people laugh and making silly drawings, and just entertaining people the way that so many artists have entertained me,” she said. “It’s really inspiring and motivating. I just want to make somebody laugh, just a little bit.”
Hunsinger said she recently signed a two-book deal with her agency, Root Literary, and is excited to apply what she learned from her debut novel to her next work.
Carter emphasized the amount of time and energy that goes into creating cartoons.
“Cartooning takes a lot of time,” Carter said. “It takes a lot of effort. It takes a lot of hours sitting at your desk alone working, so being able to celebrate it with your friends when you’re done is a big deal. I’m happy to be able to be here for Emma.”
