Flung Out of Space: Inspired by the Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith: Inspired by the Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith

Flung Out of Space is a comic book that reimagines the events that inspired Patricia Highsmith to write her queer classic, The Price of Salt. It explores Highsmith's complex portrait, depicting her as a flawed artist struggling to find her voice in the 1950s. The book also examines her controversial legacy, including her problematic views and anti-Semitism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 17 March 2022
Publisher: Abrams

Flung Out of Space is a captivating fictional portrayal of bestselling author Patricia Highsmith, intricately woven with the longing that would ultimately inspire her iconic queer classic, The Price of Salt. This work serves as both a loving tribute to the seminal lesbian novel and an insightful exploration of its enigmatic author. Veteran comics creators Grace Ellis and Hannah Templer have collaborated to bring Highsmith's perspective to life, reimagining the events that sparked her creative journey to write the story that would become a cornerstone of queer literature.

The narrative unfolds as Pat, a fictional character, reluctantly embarks on a career in low-brow comics. A self-described drinker, smoker, and averse to life, Pat harbours a deep sense of dissatisfaction with her current circumstances. Her mind is brimming with images of the grand novel she could and should be writing—what would later become Strangers on a Train—a masterpiece that would later be adapted into a timeless film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951.

Concurrently, Pat grapples with profound self-loathing as a lesbian, engaging in and exiting conversion therapy, leaving a trail of shattered hearts and sexual conquests in her wake. However, amidst her tumultuous existence, one of her affairs and a chance encounter in a department store give birth to the idea that would eventually become her beloved tale of homosexual love—a groundbreaking work that offered a happy ending for its lesbian protagonists, a rarity in its time.

Flung Out of Space transcends the realm of a mere recounting of the story behind a classic queer book. It delves into the complex life of a queer artist who was undeniably flawed. The comic explores the challenges of writing comics in the 1950s, capturing the societal pressures and limitations that artists faced during that era. At the same time, it sheds light on the universal struggle of writers, regardless of the historical context, to find their unique voice and express their authentic selves through their art.

Author Grace Ellis contextualizes Patricia Highsmith as both an unintentional queer icon and a figure whose problematic views and noted anti-Semitism have solidified her controversial legacy. Highsmith's life, in many ways, mirrored her art, resulting in outcomes that were both devastating and tragic. Through Flung Out of Space, Ellis invites readers to engage with Highsmith's complex persona, exploring the nuances of her character and the enduring impact of her literary contributions to queer literature and beyond.

Weight: 796g
Dimension: 177 x 247 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781419744334