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Exclusive First Look at Stephan Franck’s ‘Palomino’ Volume 2

The critically acclaimed neo-noir graphic novel, set in 1981 Los Angeles country music clubs, continues with Volumes 2 and 3, now available to back on Kickstarter.

Acclaimed cartoonist and veteran animator Stephan Franck (Despicable MeThe Iron GiantWhat If...?) has returned to his comic series “Palomino,” a neo-noir graphic novel set in the lost culture of Los Angeles’ country music clubs. Franck and his Dark Planet Comics label have turned to Kickstarter to crowdfund Volumes 2 and 3 of the series  originally launched on Kickstarter in 2020 with the support of nearly 700 backers.

Check out an exclusive first look at Volume 2 of Franck’s “Palomino” now:

Set in Los Angeles in the year 1981, “Palomino” speaks to Los Angeles' weird and forgotten history with heavy doses of music and mystery, where Farrah Fawcett hair reigns supreme, Ronald Reagan is beginning his first term as President, and LA’s hottest music spot is North Hollywood's historic Palomino Club. In Volume 2, former Burbank PD detective turned PI Eddie Lang dives deeper into the murder case of a former TV actress and quickly finds himself uncovering too many deadly truths. Meanwhile, his old-soul teenage daughter Lisette just might be even more hard-boiled than her father. Lisette’s frustrated by her father’s refusal to reopen her mother’s cold case and she decides to begin her own investigation. What could possibly go wrong.

Of his work in both animation and comics, Franck described to AWN, “I fell in love with the art forms of animation and comics at a very young age. Some of my earliest memories include using the living room coffee table as a light box to animate Tintin’s rocket taking off. So to me, the two art forms were always intertwined. That’s why I am so happy that the animation industry is finally allowing us to tell the kind of stories that it wouldn’t have 10 years ago–and most importantly, to do it without the intermediation of old “animation tropes”. But for all the kinship between the two art forms, in practice, they each bring me something unique. Animation is about collaboration. It’s an incredible opportunity to collaborate and learn from amazing artists and storytellers. Everything I’ve learned about art and storytelling, I’ve learned by osmosis working with animation artists. And it’s a chance to create a spectacle that is truly magic and universal. It’s honestly incredible. But in comics–especially the way I do it–there is an authorship that I couldn't get anywhere else. There is an intimacy with the characters and the story that is unparalleled. There’s no hiding place. It’s raw and true. I love it.”

Check out the project page for “Palomino” Volumes 2 and 3, now live on Kickstarter.

Laurén Alexa's picture

Cybersecurity specialist by day, investigative journalist by night.