Scribe acquires Stuart McMillen graphic novel
Scribe is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Town Without Television by Stuart McMillen. Known for his nonfiction web comics about social issues involving science, economics, and psychology — such as the viral hit ‘Rat Park’, describing the famous 1970s study of drug addiction — for his first book-length work, Stuart is taking a deep dive into another classic sociology study.
By 1973, television had swept the world, outpacing researchers’ efforts to measure its impact. So when Canadian psychologist Tannis MacBeth discovered a town deep in the Rocky Mountain Trench that had no access to television, she saw an astonishing opportunity and took it. Through a compelling and accessible graphic narrative, The Town Without Television will tell the full story of the never-to-be-repeated ‘before’ and ‘after’ study of the ways that TV changed an ordinary community, sharing findings that continue to be relevant today.
Senior editor David Golding says, ‘Like many people, I’ve read Stuart’s work online — including the first two chapters of The Town Without Television. His research is impeccable, his storytelling is deft, and I’m excited to be working with him on bringing this story to the page. Scribe has a proud history of publishing popular works on psychology and social science, and this is the perfect book for us to expand that history into the medium of comics.’
Stuart says, ‘I am thrilled to have signed this publishing contract with Scribe. This will be my first full-length book, and I am looking forward to bringing my comics to a new audience. I’m keen to share the story of Tannis MacBeth’s landmark experiment with readers, as well as reflecting on what her research means in the 21st century.’
Scribe will publish The Town Without Television in 2025.