About the Author

Dylan Horrocks lives in New Zealand with his wife and two sons. He is the author of the award-winning graphic novel Hicksville and the comic book series Pickle and Atlas, and has also written for DC Comics and Vertigo, including Hunter: the Age of Magic and Batgirl.

Reviews

...Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen shows that when the loop of creation to appreciation is complete--and better still if the creative energy spins out on its own unpredictable orbit--that the relationship between audience and artist carries its own sort of eldritch power.--Evan Narcisse "Kotaku"

...[A] story that's fun, but ultimately reaffirms the importance of fantasy and escape in our lives. Sam Zabel is funny and thoughtful, moving and beautiful, and much like Horrocks' first book, is a thoughtful meditation on the comics form.--Alex Dueben "Comic Book Resources"

...[H]aving a book like this again reminds me as to why Horrocks is one of the most important cartoonists currently working in comics: his work is honest and often painful, permeating with a sense of heart and warmth and love for the medium that isn't always so visible in the work of his contemporaries ... Sam Zabel almost seems like a blueprint as to how we can take the stereotypical escapism overdone in the comics and turn them once again into something of true, earnest value...--Matthew Meylikhov "Multiversity Comics"

Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen is a coming-of-age story for the fantasies of our past and a joyful bear hug for the storytellers of our future. An effortless, magical read from front to back.--Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics, The Sculptor)

Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen is, like Hicksville, a meta-comic, a story about what it means to construct and share fictions made out of panels, captions, pictures and words; like Hicksville, it presents a secret history of what comics could or should have been. ... Sam Zabel is, mostly, a thoughtful delight, a celebration of Horrocks's chosen medium, with powerful supporting characters helpfully present to save the day...--Stephen Burt "Rain Taxi"

Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen... is amazing and wonderful. As in Hicksville, the theme here involves fantasy, but with a more mature treatment, one reflective of today's comic reader. ... The images are astounding. ... Horrocks really understands the visual language of comics and how much can be done with it. ...I found Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen incredibly inspiring. ... Only someone who knows and loves the comic medium could criticize it this deeply and accurately.--Johanna Draper Carlson "Comics Worth Reading"

Horrocks' intelligence and crisp, colorful Tintin-esque art combine in an offbeat, incisive, and entertaining critique of classic comic tropes.--Ray Olson "Booklist"

It may sound very cerebral, but the energy and excitement of the storytelling makes Sam's artistically enlightening experience a thrilling adventure for the reader. ...[T]his graphic novel looks at how erotic imagery produced through the male gaze has evolved over the past century, but it never lets the intellectual elements get in the way of the fun. And this book is a LOT of fun... Sam Zabel And The Magic Pen may contain nudity and (not particularly graphic) sexual content, but it's a great title for teen readers, offering valuable insights about the process of creation and the artist's ability to challenge or reinforce social ideals.--Oliver Sava "The A.V. Club"

Rampant self-doubt and other real-world obstacles so often encountered by creative types temper the vintage sci-fi weirdness in Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen. ...[I]n artful page layouts and a well-built framework for his observations, Horrocks' deep love for comics is... apparent in Sam Zabel.--Dominic Umile "Washington City Paper"

This book is necessary for anyone paralyzed even a bit by the creative/spiritual confusion of the digital age. Horrocks explores the role and responsibility of storytelling, juggling genres, fiddling with the mechanics of the comics form, and reclaiming the sense of magic that once reigned the medium -- a playfulness contagious for the reader. Like his Hicksville, a must have in every library.--Craig Thompson (Blankets, Habibi)