Local Artist Glen Hawkes Releases
New Children’s Graphic Novel
Story by Michael Seguin
Photography courtesy of Glen Hawkes
A frightened child lingers over a darkened abyss, sword in hand. A bowling ball dons a red cape and fights for truth and justice. A pair of squirrels perch shoulder-to-shoulder, watching the sunset. A little girl sits atop a field of dandelions, oblivious to the mounting horror closing in on her. A young explorer charts the dimensions of a monstrous footprint he finds himself sinking within.
These are just a few of the landscapes that local artist Glen Hawkes transports us to.
Glen Hawkes is something of a Renaissance Man. A lifelong artist, he has dabbled in just about every creative field—from comic books to children’s books, to sculpture. But for Glen, these habits are a bit unremarkable. After all, he’s been creating art ever since he was a child.
“I’ve been drawing my whole life,” Glen explains. “Ever since I was a little kid, this is what I’ve liked to do.”
Glen is easy to talk to and easier to like. As the interview is about to start, he laughs while complaining about his golf score. (“It’s more fun when you win,” he admits.)
But then, looking at his portfolio is like staring into a swirling vortex of creativity. And while many artists discover a form they feel at home with and build walls around such a comfort zone, Glen travels from project to project like a wanderer searching for lost treasure.
One of his longest-running endeavors is a comic first conceptualized on the schoolyard. The Misadventures of the Bowling Bowl is a superhero-themed farce about, well, a bowling ball who fights crime.
And things only get stranger from here.
Beyond comics, Glen has also dabbled with children’s books. When he and his wife were expecting their first child, Glen wrote and illustrated the children’s book, Emily and the Purple Flower.
“But then a boy came out,” Glen laughs. “Followed by two more! That eventually led to Gavin Finds a Dinosaur, Simon Hates Bedtime and The Weirdest Alphabet Book.”
Most recently, Glen has placed the finishing touches on a new children’s graphic novel: The Tales of Frank & Stein.
“My youngest, Frank, decided it was time for his book,” Glen states. “And he’s the biggest reader of the bunch! So we ended up dreaming it up together. He helped me write the script. It’s the most involved thing I’ve ever written. It’s more for older children than younger ones.”
The Tales of Frank & Stein features some truly breathtaking imagery. While the world is rendered in a pleasing cartoon style, an element of horror seeps through the panels. Frank and his cat Stein wander through hallways stuffed with long, expressionistic shadows. The two encounter all manner of menaces, from zombie cats to an old wizard.
“I’m very proud of this new project,” Glen explains. “I feel like it has more legs than anything I’ve ever written. I think older readers—even teenagers—might be able to enjoy the story. I think it has a longer shelf-life.”
While stories like The Tales of Frank & Stein and his children’s books often seem in conflict with themselves, the family-friendly imagery is offset by the promise of darkness and danger around every corner. The effect is often unsettling—but immensely entertaining.
A quick glance at Glen ’s portfolio shows a man who can occupy both worlds. For every fanged monster, there is a gorgeous painting of a white swan. For every skull-shaped island, there is a fun comic about a rabbit and a bear.
But then, Glen admits that his true interests often linger on the darker end of the spectrum.
“I enjoy doing fun animal stories,” Glen explains. “But I’m definitely more interested in the creepier end of things.”
Perhaps the best indicator of this trend is Glen ’s Creepy Creatures.
These creations truly need to be seen to be believed. They feature monsters of every shape and size, displaying all kinds of colours and emotions. Sullen blue cyclopes breathe silent sighs. Six-armed horrors clutch their bellies, looking immensely satisfied. Yellow frogs stick their tongues out at you.
“One year I made a bunch of creepy Christmas ornaments,” Glen recalls. “But then, the vendor reached out and said, ‘Can you make these without the hook?’ I don’t know how many I’ve made now! Easily over 70.”
Glen has also created a line of creepy Fright Switch Covers and Monster Pots. They feature a similar aesthetic to his Creepy Creatures—displaying a lot of leering eyes, grasping tentacles, scaled undersides, and fanged grins. These are among some of Glen’s most cherished works.
But for Glen, regardless of the style or the medium he’s working in, what remains constant is his desire to grow and expand as an artist.
“It’s kind of funny—I feel like my artwork has changed over the years, but other people think it looks exactly the same,” Glen laughs. “I feel like my style has gotten quicker and cleaner. But then, I try to change things up a lot and experiment with new things. For instance, if you keep drawing animals then you’ll be a pro at drawing animals. Switching projects so often keeps me on my toes!”
When asked to explain his varied creative interests, Glen seems almost surprised by the question.
“I go through phases,” Glen explains. “I get into sculpting for a while, then I’ll want to do another comic book. Then I’ll work on that for a while, and I’ll want to do more sculpting. My dream as a child was to be a comic book artist. But then I’ll meet some of them at conventions and think: ‘I don’t know how you could draw Batman for forty years.’ I think that would kill me! I suppose I just enjoy the variety.”
And Glen is still not content with his current range. He has recently been commissioned to illustrate a comic book about the Lancaster Bomber.
“It’s a story about a couple bombers during World War II,” Glen states. “The writer wants the story drawn in a more realistic style. But I’m a bit more on the cartoony end of things. So that should be an interesting challenge!”
When asked what advice he’d give to aspiring creatives, Glen ’s advice is characteristically humble:
“Do what you like,” Glen states. “That makes the whole thing so much easier. For instance, I use my family for a lot of inspiration. When one of my boys laughs at something I drew, then that just gives me all the more motivation. And when it doesn’t feel like work, you don’t think about how much you’re getting paid per hour!”
More of Glen’s work can be found at ghawk.ca. His latest project—The Tales of Frank & Stein—hit shelves earlier this month. His Creepy Creatures can be found at Wolf & Rebel at 2748 Seminole St.
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