Daniel Clowes unpacks mother/daughter dynamics in ‘Monica’

Graphic novelist Daniel Clowes’ last visit to The Treatment was more than 20 years ago for the film adaptation of his book Ghost World. In the intervening two decades, the PEN America Literary Award winner has published the graphic novel Patience and written screenplays — including Art School Confidential. His latest project is the graphic novel Monica, a series of narratives about a mother and daughter’s relationship or lack thereof. Clowes tells The Treatment about the importance of eyes in his work and why he always draws them last. He talks about the differences between illustrated characters that seem alive and those that look like cartoons. And he explains why he envisions the characters in his graphic novel as part of the same acting troupe. 

More: Daniel Clowes: The Treatment (2001)