ZODIAC is a superb example of comics making: seamlessly weaving stories of the Chinese Zodiac with artist and activist Ai Weiwei’s memoir and Chinese history. Comix Experience’s Graphic Novel of the Month Club was thrilled to pick the book as our February 2024 selection, and conduct interviews with the principles!

Video conversation with Comix Experience owner Brian Hibbs and Ai Weiwei about ZODIAC. This is followed by a conversation with Gianluca Costantini and Elettra Stamboulis about the making of the book.

Do you prefer to listen to a Podcast version, rather than watch video? Find that below! And please subscribe — we conduct two interviews every month!

 

Would you like to own a copy of this exciting book? You can purchase one from us here! A very limited number of copies handsigned by Ai Weiwei are still available while supplies last: just follow this link!

As a child living in exile during the Cultural Revolution, Ai Weiwei often found himself with nothing to read but government-approved comic books. Although they were restricted by the confines of political propaganda, Ai Weiwei was struck by the artists' ability to express their thoughts on art and humanity through graphic storytelling. Now, decades later, Ai Weiwei and Italian comic artist Gianluca Costantini present Zodiac, Ai Weiwei's first graphic memoir. Inspired by the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac and their associated human characteristics, Ai Weiwei masterfully interweaves ancient Chinese folklore with stories of his life, family, and career. The narrative shifts back and forth through the years-at once in the past, present, and future-mirroring memory and our relationship to time. As readers delve deeper into the beautifully illustrated pages of Zodiac, they will find not only a personal history of Ai Weiwei and an examination of the sociopolitical climate in which he makes his art, but a philosophical exploration of what it means to find oneself through art and freedom of expression.

Did you like these conversations? We invite you to join our GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE MONTH CLUB, which is what allows us to conduct these interviews!

Every month, Comix Experience's staff uses our passion and decades of knowledge to choose the best brand new graphic novel of the month! As a member of the club, each month you receive these great benefits:

  • Our curated pick for the best NEW graphic novel of the month
    -    The books are always stand-alone experiences, or the first volume of exciting new series. 
    -Have this month’s selection? Freely swap it from our huge store inventory.

  • Fun collectibles related to each month's selection, including exclusive signed bookplates

  • Monthly creator interviews discussing the joys and terrors of comic making!
    -     These are in-person when possible, but always nationally live-streamed.

Comix Experience is dedicated to the medium of comics as a whole, featuring a wide variety of genres in club selections by a diverse breadth of creators exposing us to a myriad of points-of-view. We have a Kids club, too!

You can follow this link for more details and information, or use the buttons below to sign up now!