Rep. John Lewis lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on July 17, 2020. He was 80 years old.  As the nation mourned Lewis, the comic book community also mourned the loss of one of their own. The civil rights icon was also an award-winning comic book author. 

Lewis won two Eisner awards for his work on the March graphic novel trilogy. Co-authored by Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell, March is a graphic novel memoir about Congressman Lewis’ time as a young activist on the frontlines of the civil rights movement. 

In this podcast, Nate Powell reflects on his experiences illustrating the March graphic novels, tracking down source material and grappling with the pain of illustrating racial and trauma. 

Stanford W. Carpenter, PhD is a cultural anthropologist. Cianna B. Greaves is a producer on WYPR’s Midday. Together, they interview comic creators about comics, culture, and the lives of the people who create them.