About the Lon Chaney Speaks Graphic Novel

A stunning graphic debut: the life of the legendary silent-film actor Lon Chaney (the original Phantom of the Opera and Hunchback of Notre Dame), as imagined by an artist whose work recalls the style and skill of early-era New Yorker cartoonists. From the artist: ''No one will ever love me!' I believe it was this near-universal fear that makes Lon Chaney's characters continue to resonate with us today. On their surface, most of them are distinctly unlikeable: they are monsters, outcasts, criminals. But through his unique magic, Chaney makes them empathetic. He pioneered the craft of makeup artist long before that term ever existed, and he used his expertise to hide himself from public view if nobody loved him?' PART OF THE PANTHEON GRAPHIC LIBRARY AN EXCITING NEW TALENT: Pat Dorian's work is instantly charming and accessible, and this is his first book-length publication. In 2016 he won the MoCCA Festival Award of Excellence for his first mini-comic on the life and work of Lon Chaney, which has now become this book. BASED ON TRUE EVENTS: While not a conventional biography, all the facts are there, and they are fascinating. For example: Chaney honed his craft of communicating silently with his face from the time he was a small child because both of his parents were deaf. FASCINATING CHARACTERS: The Hunchback of Notre Dame made Chaney a star, and The Phantom of the Opera made him a superstar. The scene where he is unmasked remains one of the most iconic in the history of cinema. (And yes, Chaney did the makeup himself.) THE MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES: Many believe that refusing to bare his face was a clever marketing ploy by Chaney to further entice his fans, but Dorian believes it was more likely an act of self-preservation. This is born out in Dorian's remarkable telling of Chaney's story.