Harper Syres
Robert Brandt, who teaches film study at CT State Manchester, holds a copy of "Clown Motel," his recently published horror graphic novel.
Who knew that inside the film-obsessed mind of CT State Manchester professor Robert Brandt is also a published author? In 2024, Brant, who lives in Mansfield, published the graphic novel “Clown Motel.”
“Clown Motel” is a horror graphic novel for adult fans of the horror genre. The first part is currently out. He expects the next part to come out in December of this year; the story will eventually have a total of six chapters.
Brandt gave a summary of his novel.
“A small group of recently graduated college students make their way across America,” said Brandt, “visiting the most outrageous and macabre sites this country has to offer. They run head on into the world-famous clown motel, where they open the gate to hell.”
Brandt has been a full-time professor at CT State Manchester for 11 years, teaching screenwriting, film study, and occasionally video production classes. He has a bachelor’s degree in film production and film studies, as well as a Master of Art and Media Studies and a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting. Brandt is also a former CT State Community College student.
Brandt said he has been writing for years, having written several screenplays. “Clown Motel” was written as a screenplay before crafting the story into a graphic novel. Brandt is a lifelong fan of horror and clowns, which can be seen by the sign above his door reading, “The only thing to fear is fear itself, and clowns,” a quote from the “Star Trek: Voyager” TV show.
The inspiration for “Clown Motel” began in 2012, when a friend sent him a Facebook post about a real clown motel in Nevada, with clown-themed rooms in the middle of a desert. Brandt said he does not have a favorite clown-horror themed movie or book, but that inspired him to make it himself. From there, he wrote the screenplay in 2015, then over the pandemic began working with the artist, Cal Davis, to bring the story to life through a graphic novel. Brandt and Davis met at art school. Davis has previous experience as an illustrator for graphic novels and children’s books. They spent hours on a Discord chat together creating “Clown Motel,” said Brandt.
Brandt joins several of his colleagues and fellow teachers at CT State Manchester who are also authors. Debbie Herman, director of the Raymond F. Damato Library at Manchester, said the library supports authors from the Manchester community.
“One [way] is obviously purchasing their works for the collection,” she said, adding that the library also hosts faculty author talks.
“Clown Motel” is not yet available at the library but Herman said she plans to add it to the catalogue. The library has a section for Manchester authors, which can be found by taking a left at the Circulation Desk and on a short bookshelf labeled “Manchester Campus Authors.”
“Clown Motel” is self-published and currently available digitally through Amazon for $5. Look forward to the next installment of “Clown Motel” by Professor Brandt.