First Man: Reimagining Matthew Henson

In this single-issue graphic biography from Lerner Publishing Group (2015), writer-artist Simon Schwartz and co-writer Laura Watkinson reimagine the largely overlooked story of Matthew Henson, the African American explorer who was among the first to reach the North Pole. Schwartz’s expressive artwork and thoughtful narrative bring Henson’s vital contributions and the racial dynamics of early 20th-century exploration to vivid life. It stands as a compact, visually compelling tribute to a figure history too often sidelined.