Q&A: Simon Bournel-Bosson Explores the Mysteries of Mother Nature and Familial Conflict in New Graphic Novel TRUMPETS OF DEATH

Exploring the mysterious depths of both Mother Nature and intergenerational conflict, Simon Bournel-Bosson's stunning graphic novel debut Trumpets of Death (aka Les Trompettes de la Mort) is now available from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, inviting readers into a surreal realm of complex family relationships, unveiled secrets, and a fantastical metamorphosis.

Daily Dead had the pleasure of catching up with writer and artist Simon Bournel-Bosson in a new Q&A feature to discuss the making of Trumpets of Death, including the inspiration behind the story, the film that served as a key influence, and how the lighting ambiances reflect the journey of the young main character, Antoine, whose trip to his grandparents' home in the woods leads to an otherworldly journey of self-discovery for both himself and his fractured family.

Below, you can read our full Q&A with Simon Bournel-Bosson, and we also have preview pages from Trumpets of Death that you can check out right now. To learn more about the new graphic novel, visit:

• https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/25816

Thank you for taking the time to answer questions for us, Simon, and congratulations on Trumpets of Death! When did you initially come up with the idea for this stunning graphic novel?

Simon Bournel-Bosson: I came up with the idea for this graphic novel during COVID. I'd always wanted to write a comic book. I always had good reasons not to. This period allowed me to stop hiding behind false excuses and get started. For once, I wanted to finish a project. To write a complete story. At least just to prove to myself that I was capable of it. I'm an illustrator and graphic designer by profession, I wasn't starting from scratch. But having something to tell is another matter.

During this period, I questioned myself a lot about my family, especially my grandparents. I reflected on the gap between us, this lack of understanding. I'm a city dweller and they live in the countryside. We have completely different lives. And we lived in very different times. I told myself that this generational misunderstanding could be my driving force because it's something quite universal. This desire to write a fantasy thriller came afterward. I wanted to mix the intimate with a blockbuster format. I had the intuition that reality would not be enough to tell a story.

From the first draft to the final version that readers will soon hold in their hands, approximately how long did it take you to write and illustrate Trumpets of Death?

Simon Bournel-Bosson: It took me a little over two years between the storyboard and the book's release. I did a fairly thorough first draft. There was already this strong color bias. But the drawing was much more naive. It was my basis for presenting my story to publishers.

After several months of waiting, Guillaume Griffon wanted to sign me. He gave me carte blanche. I was able to create the story I wanted with complete freedom. It was my first comic book. I had to learn by doing. I left for a few months to isolate myself in a small house in Brittany. I had a ritual where I drew all my panels one after the other every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Then I went to enjoy the surrounding nature.

There were a few hiccups. In particular, I had to redraw certain characters because my drawings evolved too much over time. This is the most demanding aspect of comics. Maintaining a style over a long period of time. I finished the final book after nine months of intense production!

This story explores familial turmoil through multiple generations, with young protagonist Antonie at the mercy of the emotional ripple effects caused by his parents and grandparents. How important was it for you to utilize magical realism to examine how unresolved conflicts can have lasting impacts throughout generations within a family?

Simon Bournel-Bosson: For me, this issue of intergenerational conflict is difficult to address with realism alone. Because it's the silence that establishes itself between the protagonists. What's left unsaid makes any communication impossible. Fantasy was a way for me to make the characters communicate precisely through something more sensory. Antoine's metamorphosis depicts his desire to grow up and free himself from his family structure.

Just through images, we can convey ideas. Words are sometimes too direct and freeze a feeling. Fantasy makes things more flexible. It leaves room for interpretation. It engages the reader more and summons their own feelings.

I absolutely love your artwork throughout Trumpets of Death, particularly the coloring, which makes it feel like I’m reading your story through the lens of a gorgeous sunset or a tranquil twilight haze. How conscious were you of transitioning the primary colors as Antoine’s journey progresses to reflect what he’s going through?

Simon Bournel-Bosson: Thank you very much. Yes, absolutely. The lighting ambiances accompany Antoine on his journey. They are not realistic. From the start, they invite us into the realm of fantasy. They reflect his emotions, but also the atmospheric ambiances. They also suggest the passing of time, or the change of scenery.

My colored ambiances are like spatial and temporal ellipses. They transport us elsewhere each time while remaining within the same story. They also have an ergonomic dimension. There is a lot of detail in the drawing. I wanted a reduced color range to separate the foreground action from the background to have a fluid and direct reading of the images. With this process, I could easily decide to guide the reader's gaze to what seemed most important to me.

Were you influenced or inspired by any other graphic novels, comics, books, or films while working on Trumpets of Death?

Simon Bournel-Bosson: The film The Bear by Jean Annaux was a great inspiration. In the film, a little bear who has lost his mother must survive the forest and predators. What surprised me when I saw it as a child was that the voice dubbing of the bear's cries was done by a human. I always felt as if a small child was inside this little bear. This voice dubbing created a strong sense of empathy for him. We could identify with him. We could put ourselves in his shoes.

Ultimately, what do you hope readers take away from Trumpets of Death?

Simon Bournel-Bosson: I would like readers to retain the feeling that this book is, above all, a kind of fable that depicts the desire for emancipation. Not necessarily following preconceived models and patterns. Questioning the sometimes burdensome legacy of our ancestors. Questioning it in the new world we live in, which presents fundamentally different challenges

With Trumpets of Death now available from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, do you have any other upcoming projects that you can tease for our readers?

Simon Bournel-Bosson: I'm currently finalizing the storyboard for my next big project, which will be published. It's a comic strip about boxing. It tells the story of a small group of boxers who train in a shed in an old lady's garden while waiting for a real gym. It's a collective story. Far from the spotlight. It's about boxing practiced downstairs. A story also driven by the energy of a collective.

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Press Release: This fall, succumb to the mystery of nature in TRUMPETS OF DEATH, a stunning and contemplative exploration of intergenerational conflict and humanity's broken bond with nature by artist Simon Bournel-Bosson. The debut graphic novel by Bournel-Bosson will be published on August 5, 2025 from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group.

One rainy night, Antoine gets dropped off at his grandparents' remote house in the middle of the woods. While his absent father searches for his mysteriously missing mother, Antoine is stuck between a doting grandmother and a grandfather openly hostile to his presence, and time crawls by while he waits to hear from his parents. But when Antoine ventures out with his grandfather to forage for mushrooms, the wrong mushroom leads to a stunning transformation for Antoine. The family’s intergenerational conflict, coupled with the mysterious forces of nature, culminate in a fearsome hunt through the forest that will resolve their differences once and for all — but at what cost?

“I thought of Trumpets of Death as a two-part mirror story—where the fantastic responds to the silences and voids that reality creates,” said cartoonist Simon Bournel-Bosson.

“Trumpets of Death strikes a perfect balance between propulsive action sequences and touching emotional moments while exploring intergenerational conflict, the dangers of regressive gender roles, and the delicate line between vulnerability and power,” said Sean Tulien, Editorial Director of Graphic Universe/Lerner. “Simon Bournel-Bosson has crafted one of the best examples of magical realism in comics, showing how nature (human and otherwise) shapes us all, for better or worse. The satisfying conclusion leaves space for interpretation and debate, urging the reader to give it a reread (or three) to further explore the beautiful, complicated world Bournel-Bosson has brought to life.”

TRUMPETS OF DEATH lands in stores on August 5, 2025 from Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group.

About the Creator

Simon Bournel-Bosson is a graphic designer and comic book artist based in France. After graduating from La Martinière in Lyon with a degree in Applied Arts, he began his career in graphic design and artistic creation. Les Trompettes de la Mort (Trumpets of Death) is his first comic book.

About the Publisher

Graphic Universe™, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, creates high-interest and nonfiction titles through supreme graphic novel artwork and story lines created by industry veterans and up-and-coming talents.

Find us on all social media platforms at @LernerBooks.

Trumpets of Death: A Graphic Novel
August 5, 2025
$31.99 Hardcover; $17.99 Paperback
Ages: 14-18
HC: 979-8-7656-4431-7
PB: 979-8-7656-4432-4
232 Pages HC • 240 pages PB • 7 x 10

To Purchase: Visit your local bookstore, order by phone at 800-328-4929, or visit us at lernerbooks.com