Jonathan Fetter-Vorm is a rarity in Montana. A former craftsman turned graphic novelist, Fetter-Vorm succeeds at both the written word and visual art. With stunning depth and attention to the nuances behind spaceflight, Fetter-Vorm takes on Apollo 11 in “Moonbound.” This conversation covers Fetter-Vorm’s own relationship to space, as well as the process of writing, revision, and the amazing discoveries made while researching for the book. Join us for a unique behind-the-scenes look at an artist at work.
To hear a conversation with Jonathan Fetter-Vorm about his graphi novel, "Moonbound: Apollo 11 and the Dream of Spaceflight," click the link above or subscribe to our podcast.
About the Book:
On a summer night in 1969, two men climbed down a ladder onto a sea of dust at the edge of an ancient dream. When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first set foot on lunar soil, the moon ceased to be a place of mystery and myth. It became a destination.
Now, on the fiftieth anniversary of that journey, Moonbound tells the monumental story of the moon and the men who went there first. With vibrant images and meticulous attention to detail, Jonathan Fetter-Vorm conjures the long history of the visionaries, stargazers, builders, and adventurers who sent Apollo 11 on its legendary voyage.
From the wisdom of the Babylonians to the intrigues of the Cold War, from the otherworldly discoveries of Galileo to the dark legacy of Nazi atrocities, from the exhilarating trajectories of astronauts—recounted in their own words—to the unsung brilliance of engineers working behind the scenes, Moonbound captures the grand arc of the Space Age in a graphic history of unprecedented scope and profound lyricism.
"The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission is given a gloriously epic and even philosophical treatment in this standout graphic history . . . Fetter-Vorm pays neat homage to a brief, shining achievement and the centuries of painstaking endeavors needed to accomplish it." —Publishers Weekly
About the Author:
Jonathan Fetter-Vorm is an author and illustrator. His first book, Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb, was selected by the American Library Association as a Great Graphic Novel for Teens in 2013. His Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War, coauthored with the historian Ari Kelman, was published in May 2015. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Slate, and Guernica. Fetter-Vorm lives with his wife in Montana.
