Robert Gipe Signed Firsts: A Reference

Robert Gipe is a writer and community organizer based in Harlan County, Kentucky — one of the most storied and embattled communities in Appalachia. His novels, beginning with Trampoline (2015), combine text with hand-drawn illustrations in a format that is unique in contemporary Appalachian fiction. Gipe’s work draws on his decades of community organizing and his deep roots in the coal country of southeastern Kentucky.

Key Works

• Trampoline (2015) — debut novel, illustrated, about a teenage girl in Canard County
• Weedeater (2018) — sequel, continuing the Canard County saga
• Pop (2021) — third in the series

Market Values

• Trampoline, signed first: $25–$60
• Weedeater, signed first: $20–$40
• Pop, signed first: $20–$40

Gipe’s illustrated novels occupy a unique niche — part literary fiction, part graphic narrative, part community testimony. The hand-drawn illustrations add a visual dimension that sets his books apart from other Appalachian fiction.