Originally published Fall 2013:
If after reading a story you are left horrified, brimming with suspense, and full of laughter then you must be a fortunate victim of the writings of champion mojo storyteller Joe R. Lansdale, a man who once convinced a fan that the “Lonesome” Joe Lansdale “pens his books in blood, ‘cause ink is for wimps.”
Lansdale’s graphic novel “Dead In The West.”
Master of the short story, a writer of horror, science fiction, westerns, and mysteries, Lansdale has conquered multiple written genres and formats. He has authored over thirty novels and countless short stories. While Lansdale needs no assistance to infiltrate your imagination with anything more than his writing, his work lends itself easily to the world of graphic novels.
Located in Lansdale’s papers housed at the Wittliff Collections, are scripts, art, and correspondence related to his graphic novel contributions. With drawings by artist Timothy Truman and story by Lansdale, together they recreated Jonah Hex: Two Gun Mojo, a western-horror graphic novel about a gun slinging bounty hunter complete with zombie attacks. Lansdale’s horror novel, Dead in the West, also easily converted into a graphic novel. Neal Barrett, Jr. adapted the story for Dead in the West, and writer and illustrator Jack Jackson, who also donated a collection of his work to the Wittliff Collections, completed the artwork. Lansdale has contributed to multiple horror magazines, graphic novels and comic books such as Blood and Shadows, Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four #32, and Conan and Songs of the Dead.
Lansdale is the recipient of multiple awards including eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Edgar Award, and the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award. He has published multiple books and anthologies, and among many other things has contributed to magazines, film, and television. Lansdale’s success has launched him into popularity in many international markets, which is represented in the multiple translations of his work and international interviews that he has conducted over the years. Lansdale began donating his personal archive to the Wittliff Collections in 1992, and has since continued to generously add to his growing collection.