Exclusive: Noah Van Sciver Talks Rockstar Delusions With Beat it, Rufus by Fantagraphics

Noah Van Sciver is an award-winning cartoonist behind Blammo from Kilgore Books & Comics, Joseph Smith and the Mormons from Abrams ComicArts, and Fante Bukowski from Fantagraphics. In 2025, his latest story, Beat it, Rufus, described as a kindred spirit to his previous Fante Bukowski series, follows the delusional aging rocker Rufus Baxter. Comic Frontier spoke with Van Sciver about the upcoming graphic novel and has an exclusive preview of the series.

From the author of Fante Bukowski and Joseph Smith and the Mormons, a hysterical character comedy about an aging rock-god-in-his-own-mind forced to face the music.

Rufus Baxter is an aging, professionally unemployed loser, desperately — delusionally — hanging on to his 1980s hair metal fantasies of headlining arenas, despite so much evidence to the contrary (like audience members ducking when he tosses promo t-shirts at an open-mic night). The rest of his bandmates in Funky Cool died decades ago in a horrible plane crash on the cusp of their first big break. When he gets kicked out of the Denver storage unit he’s been illegally sleeping in, his only prospect is a last-second wedding gig the very next day — in Wyoming. A hop in his car, and possibly a peyote button or two, sends Baxter on a psychedelic and existential road trip through his past, and forces him to confront every bad decision he’s made along the way.

Beat It, Rufus is very much a kindred spirit with Van Sciver’s Fante Bukowski series, a comedic character study both played for laughs but also infused with a surprising gravitas that has you rooting for Rufus despite having every reason not to. Van Sciver’s comedic and graphic talents are in peak form in this original graphic novel, his follow-up to the award-winning and critically acclaimed graphic bio, Joseph Smith and the Mormons.

Who is Rufus, and how does he represent failed dreams and delusions? Clinging to the past can be a dangerous game—how does it impact him? 

Rufus Baxter started out as another version of Fante Bukowski. A struggling artist type who may not actually have any talent at all but has enough delusion to keep himself going. In the book he's a character who has reached a point in his life where he realizes that he probably won't achieve his dreams and that the world has kinda moved on without him. His past haunts him and has kept him continuously touring/rambling around for 30 years.

The story follows him as he chooses what to do next and we learn about how he became who he is through his past mistakes. What initially inspired this idea? What makes Rufus simultaneously hard to cheer for but also sympathetic?

Deep down his life is filled with tragedy, but some of that is self-inflicted. Honestly, the story is inspired by my own middle-age. I turned 40 last year and approaching that milestone made me reflect a lot on my own life and my own dream-chasing. There's a certain amount of depression that comes with getting to that age. You wonder if it is too late to change course and look for success elsewhere. Rufus is not a good guy at all. He's a complete ass and probably evil. But you you might sympathize or empathize(?!) with where he finds himself on his life's journey. Almost all of his tragedy is self-inflicted.

The book is described as a kindred spirit to Fante Bukowski; how do you see them relating? 

Well, for one thing, they take place in the same world and during the same time period as the first Fante Bukowski book. But eagle-eyed readers will find plenty of easter eggs and callbacks. For another thing, they are similar in that they are both delusional "artists" with high self opinions. Although Rufus is actually supernaturally talented as a musician. It's just that he's out of fashion.

What was it like to work with Fantagraphics again on this book? What about seeing the design? The leopard print is a really nice touch.

Fantagraphics is a comfortable home for me. I always enjoy working with them. I helped design this book myself and suggested the leopard print spine, however it was the amazing designer/cartoonist Kayla E. who brought it all together and made it real and made it work.

How exciting is it to see the book getting closer to reach the hands of readers?

Very exciting! I know my readers will love this one!