Frequently asked questions about how we created A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, how to get in touch with anyone involved, where to download images, and more.

Media Contact
Larry Smith, news@smithmag.net
Download Images
Watch a video on the making of A.D.
Download a PDF condensed version of A.D.

Is A.D. true?
Yes. The characters are real, the dialogue is taken from direct quotes, the depictions of the inside of their homes are what the inside of their homes look like, down to the DVDs on their shelves and collars on their dogs.

How long will A.D. run?
A.D. debuted in January 2007, and concluded in August 2008.

How often are new chapters published?
New chapters of A.D. were published each month until its conclusion.

How did SMITH Magazine and Josh Neufeld get together?
Storytelling site SMITH Magazine wanted to tell the story of Katrina from the perspective of a range of real people who lived through it. After reading American Splendor artist Josh Neufeld’s blog and subsequent book about his time volunteering on the Gulf Coast, Katrina Came Calling, SMITH editor Larry Smith got in touch with Neufeld. Together, they conceived what would become A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge.

How did you find the characters?
Old-fashioned legwork. Via friends (and friends of friends), who live or lived in New Orleans, talking to people who ran nonprofits and other local organizations, hearing different accounts on the radio or reading them on the Internet—lots of asking and looking around. After coming up with a list of possible people for the project, Neufeld and Smith went to the region to meet each potential character in person. Ultimately, six people emerged as the main “characters” in A.D. One of them, Leo, was a reader of Neufeld’s blog (and, as fate would have it, had always dreamed of being a character in a comic).

It’s called a “webcomic”—do you think Katrina is funny?
Not at all. SMITH Magazine tells stories in many different ways, and “webcomics” are simply another style of storytelling.

The graphic novel—from Art Spiegelman’s Maus to Joe Sacco’s Safe Area Gorazde to Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis—has a long and proud tradition of tackling some of the most important historical events of our time. SMITH felt that this form would be an interesting way to tell the stories of the lives of a cross-section of people who survived Katrina—and something very different from what else has been done to date.

I noticed hyperlinks below some of the panels—what’s going on there?
Because A.D. depicts real people, places, and events, it’s possible to link relevant items in scenes we depict here, which we believe amplifies the reader experience. When Leo and Michelle are driving out of the city, for example, the reader can click on a link to view a YouTube video of the evacuation.

What other bells and whistles does A.D. include?
A.D. also includes a blog and a Hurricane Katrina resource list, as well as video and audio interviews with the characters that Josh Neufeld and Larry Smith personally conducted during two visits to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2007.

Can I download images?
Yes. We’ve made a number of panels available for download here. If there’s another panel you’d like to reproduce, let us know and we should be able to accommodate you.

Are the characters in A.D. available for interview?
Most of the people featured in A.D. are happy to talk with the media. Just let us know whom you’d like to speak with.

Have all the characters returned to New Orleans?
Keep reading to find out.

Didn’t SMITH Magazine publish that webcomic sensation Shooting War?
SMITH previously produced the smash hit Shooting War, which was later expanded and published as a full-length graphic novel by Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner Books). Media coverage of Shooting War can be found on the Shooting War Press Page.

Will A.D. be available in book form?
Yes, it’s now out as an expanded book from Pantheon. You can buy it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at your local bookstore. Here’s a story about A.D. that ran in the New York Times upon the book’s release.

I’m doing a story on A.D. How can I get in touch with the creators and the characters?
Contact: Larry Smith news@smithmag.net