Noah Van Sciver Illuminates Lincoln's Dark Years With "The Hypo"
Thu, September 13th, 2012 at 8:59am PDT  Comic Books Ryan
Ingram, Guest Contributor  The Abraham Lincoln at the center of
Noah Van Sciver's graphic novel, "The Hypo," isn't exactly the
Lincoln canonized in legend and pop-culture -- and not just
because this Lincoln visits a brothel and swings a sword in a
duel to the death. Van Sciver, also known for his one-man indie
anthology "Blammo" and slice-of-life journal strips, shines a
light on a dark territory of Lincoln's past, telling a story
that's historically accurate as well as personal.  The Lincoln
introduced in "The Hypo" is a debt-ridden, depressed, 28-year
old lawyer on the verge of breaking up with his fiancé. From
there, young Lincoln settles into Springfield, befriends ladies'
man Joshua Speed, courts Mary Todd -- and splits up with her --
and eventually suffers a horrible mental breakdown, dubbed "The
Hypo."  Van Sciver spoke with CBR News about the research and
process behind a new st