Dream Team Create Graphic Vision of Scotland’s Future

Entitled IDP: 2043, the story imagines a Scotland 30 years in the future and explores the impact of global warming on the country. IDP (short for internally displaced person or persons) follows the catastrophic effects of a small rise in sea levels on the country’s heavily populated low lying areas and how society reimagines itself in the face of a huge population shift in a world of scant resources.

Scottish crime writer and graphic novelist Denise Mina was story editor for IDP: 2043 and has worked with some of the brightest talents in the European graphic novel world to co-ordinate the six different chapters into a single narrative. Contributors to the project are:

• Celebrated French graphic novelist and illustrator Barroux who illustrates the chapter written by Denise Mina
• Costa Award winning Mary Talbot with artist Kate Charlesworth
• ‘Godfather of British comics’ and creator of 2000AD Pat Mills with graphic novelist Hannah Berry
• Enfant terrible of Scottish letters and author of Trainspotting Irvine Welsh with graphic artist Dan McDaid
• Graphic novelist and illustrator Adam Murphy
• Graphic novelist and illustrator Will Morris

Speaking about the project Denise Mina said, 'It has been thrilling to work with such great writers and artists. Each took the images, characters and narrative to places I couldn't even have anticipated. At its best collaboration is surprising and stimulating but this was fun too. And everyone was on time.'

The graphic novel was commissioned by the Book Festival as part of its 2013 Stripped programme of events which was supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund and explored the witty and insightful world of comics and graphic novels. The resulting book will be published by Glasgow-based Freight Books.

Book Festival Director Nick Barley said ‘Welcoming so many of the world’s top graphic novelists and artists to Charlotte Square Gardens last summer in our Stripped programme was just the start. I am thrilled that we will be able to launch our very own graphic novel at the Book Festival this year. This has been a truly collaborative effort and Denise has done an extraordinary job in pulling together the six chapters, each of which have been individually written and illustrated by some of Europe’s leading exponents of graphic novels. We are also delighted to be working with Freight as our publishing partner.’

Adrian Searle, Publisher, said ‘Freight is delighted, not only to be collaborating with the world’s largest book festival on such a prestigious project, but also to be working with such a talented collection of internationally renowned writers and artists. Graphic novels are a hugely important part of our creative culture and IDP: 2043 is proving to be a highly engaging but persuasive way of addressing crucial issues.’

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: ‘The Edinburgh International Book Festival has a global reputation for championing publishing, literature and creative writing it all its forms, and the Expo Fund’s support of the Book Festival’s exploration of this exciting and vibrant storytelling medium through the immensely successful Stripped Programme is a perfect example of this.

‘Scottish talent leads the world in the field of graphic novels and comics and I am delighted that the incredible scope of the genre and the range of talents involved is represented in this fascinating new publication.’