Not Funnies By Charles McGrath Published: July 11, 2004 Correction Appended You can t !in!

oint it e"actly, but there #as a $o$ent #hen !eo!le $ore or less sto!!ed readin% !oetry and turned instead to no&els, #hich 'ust a (e# %enerations earlier had been considered entertain$ent suitable only (or idle ladies o( uncertain $orals) *he chan%e had surely ta+en hold by the heyday o( ,ic+ens and *ennyson, #hich #as the last ti$e a !oet and a no&elist #ent head to head on the best-seller list) .o$eday the no&el, too, #ill %o into decline -- i( it hasn t already -- and #ill beco$e, li+e !oetry, a %enre treasured and created by 'ust a relati&e (e#) *his #on t ha!!en in our li(eti$e, but it s not too soon to #onder #hat the ne"t ne# thin%, the ne# literary (or$, $i%ht be) /t $i%ht be co$ic boo+s) .eriously) Co$ic boo+s are #hat no&els used to be -- an accessible, &ernacular (or$ #ith $ass a!!eal -- and i( the hi%hbro#s are ri%ht, they re a (or$ !er(ectly suited to our du$bed-do#n culture and collecti&e attention de(icit) Co$ics are also en'oyin% a renaissance and a ne#(ound res!ectability ri%ht no#) /n (act, the (astest-%ro#in% section o( your local boo+store these days is a!t to be the one de&oted to co$ics and so-called %ra!hic no&els) /t is the o&ercro#ded s!ace #ay in the bac+ -- ne"t to sci-(i !robably, or bet#een Ne# 0%e and hobbies -- and unless your store is sta((ed by so$eone unusually de&oted, this section is li+ely to be a $ess) Peanuts antholo%ies, and (at, catalo%-si1e collections o( Gar(ield and Broo$ 2ilda) .hel( loads o( $an%a -- those Ja!anese co$ic boo+s that (eature slender, #ide-eyed teena%e %irls #ho see$ to ha&e a s!ecial (ondness (or sailor suits) .u!erheroes, o( course, still churned out in install$ents by the busy (actories at Mar&el and ,)C) 0lso, ne#er sci-(i and (antasy series li+e Y: *he 3ast Man, about literally the last $an on earth 4the rest died in a !la%ue5, #ho is no# !ursued by a band o( +iller lesbians) You can i%nore all this stu(( -- thou%h it s #orth notin% that $an%a sells li+e cra1y, es!ecially a$on% #o$en) 6hat you re loo+in% (or is shel&ed u!side do#n and side#ays so$eti$es -co$ic boo+s o( another sort, substantial sin%le &olu$es 4as o!!osed to the slender series install$ents5, o(ten in hard co&er, #ith titles that sound 'ust li+e the titles o( real boo+s: Palestine, Perse!olis, Blan+ets 4this one ti!s in at 782 !a%es, #hich $ust $a+e it the lon%est sin%le-&olu$e co$ic boo+ e&er5, ,a&id Chelsea in 3o&e, .u$$er Blonde, *he Beauty .u!!ly ,istrict, *he Boule&ard o( Bro+en ,rea$s) .o$e o( these boo+s ha&e titles that ha&e beco$e (a$iliar (ro$ recent $o&ies: Ghost 6orld, 0$erican .!lendor, 9oad to Perdition) :thers, li+e Chris 6are s Ji$$y Corri%an: *he .$artest ;id on <arth 4un!a%ed, but a %ood inch and a =uarter thic+5 and ,aniel Clo#es s ,a&id Borin%, ha&e achie&ed cult status on $any ca$!uses) *hese are the %ra!hic no&els -- the e=ui&alent o( literary no&els in the $ainstrea$ !ublishin% #orld -- and they are be%innin% to be ta+en seriously by the critical establish$ent) Ji$$y Corri%an e&en #on the 2001 Guardian Pri1e (or best (irst boo+, a !ri1e that in other years has %one to authors li+e >adie .$ith, Jonathan .a(ran Foer and Phili! Goure&itch) *he notion o( tellin% stories #ith !ictures %oes bac+ to the ca&e$en) Co$ic-boo+ scholars $a+e a bi% deal o( 9odol!he *?!((er, a 1@th-century .#iss artist #ho dre# stories in the (or$ o( satiric !ictures #ith ca!tions underneath) You could also $a+e a case that 2o%arth s 2arlot s Pro%ress and its se=uel, 0 9a+e s Pro%ress, #ere %ra!hic no&els o( a sort -- stories narrated in se=uential !anels) But des!ite these lo(ty antecedents, the co$ic-boo+ (or$ until recently has been unable to shed a certain aura o( !ul!iness, cheesiness and se$i-literacy) /n (act, that is #hat a lot o( cartoon artists $ost lo&e about their %enre) *here #as a $inor (lo#erin% o( serious co$ic boo+s in the $id-80 s, #ith the al$ost si$ultaneous a!!earance o( 0rt .!ie%el$an s %roundbrea+in% Maus A o( the 3o&e and 9oc+ets series, by t#o Cali(ornia brothers, Gilbert and Jai$e 2ernande1A and o( t#o

e"ce!tionally s$art and a$bitious su!erhero-based boo+s, 6atch$en, by 0lan Moore and ,a&e Gibbons, and Bat$an: *he ,ar+ ;ni%ht 9eturns, by Fran+ Miller) Ne#s!a!ers and $a%a1ines ran articles #ith &irtually the sa$e headline: CrashB >a!B Po#B Co$ics 0ren t Just (or ;ids 0ny$oreB But the $o&e$ent (ailed to ta+e hold, in lar%e !art because there #eren t enou%h other boo+s on the sa$e le&el) *he di((erence this ti$e is that there is so$ethin% li+e a critical $ass o( artists, youn% and old, unco&erin% ne# !ossibilities in this once-$ar%inal (or$, and a ne# %eneration o( readers, !erha!s, #ho ha&e %ro#n u! starin% at cartoon i$a%es on their co$!uter screens and in their &ideo %a$es, not to $ention the sa&&y librarians and teachers #ho no# cater to their interests and short attention s!ans) *he !ublicity that has s!illed o&er (ro$ $o&ies li+e Ghost 6orld, ori%inally a %ra!hic no&el by ,an Clo#es, has certainly not hurt) 0nd there is $uch better distribution o( hi%h-end co$ics no#, than+s in !art to t#o enter!risin% !ublishers, ,ra#n and Cuarterly in Montreal and Fanta%ra!hics Boo+s in .eattle, #hich ha&e $ana%ed to %et their #ares into traditional boo+stores, not 'ust the co$ics s!ecialty sho!s) .o$e o( the better+no#n %ra!hic no&els are !ublished not by co$ics co$!anies at all but by $ainstrea$ !ublishin% houses -- by Pantheon, in !articular -- and ha&e !ut u! $ainstrea$ sales nu$bers) Perse!olis, (or e"a$!le, Mar'ane .atra!i s char$in%, !oi%nant story, dra#n in s$all blac+and-#hite !anels that e&o+e Persian $iniatures, about a youn% %irl %ro#in% u! in /ran and her (a$ily s su((erin% (ollo#in% the 1@D@ /sla$ic re&olution, has sold 470,000 co!ies #orld#ide so (arA Ji$$y Corri%an sold 100,000 in hardbac+, and the ne#ly released !a!erbac+ is also $o&in% bris+ly) *hese are not to! best-seller (i%ures, e"actly, but they are sales that any !ublisher #ould be ha!!y #ith, and se&eral are no# tryin% to ho! on the %ra!hic-no&el band#a%on) Mean#hile, Mc.#eeney s Cuarterly, a +ey baro$eter o( the literary cli$ate, es!ecially a$on% the youn% and hi!, has de&oted its entire ne# issue to co$ics and %ra!hic no&els, and the contents are &irtually a state-o(-the-art antholo%y, edited and desi%ned by Chris 6are) ,a&e <%%ers, the editor o( Mc.#eeney s, told $e, / $ 'ust tryin% to sho# ho# hard it is to do this stu(( #ell and to %i&e it a little di%nity) *he ter$ %ra!hic no&el is actually a $isno$er) .atra!i s Perse!olis boo+s 4another install$ent is due this su$$er5 are non(iction, and so, (or that $atter, is Maus, once you acce!t the conceit that hu$an bein%s are !layed, so to s!ea+, by cats, do%s, $ice and (ro%s) *he ne#est boo+ by Chester Bro#n 4#ho dre# the co&er (or this issue o( *he *i$es Ma%a1ine5 is a (ull-scale, 200-!lus-!a%e co$ic-boo+ bio%ra!hy 4#hich too+ (i&e years to research and dra#5 o( 3ouis 9iel, #ho in Bro#n s nati&e Canada occu!ies rou%hly the !osition that John Bro#n does here) Nor are all these boo+s necessarily %ra!hic in the sense o( bein% realistic or e"!licit) 46hen / $entioned to a (riend that / #as #or+in% on an article about %ra!hic no&els, he said, ho!e(ully, You $ean !ornE 5 Many !ractitioners o( the (or$ !re(er the ter$ co$i", #ith that nostal%ic " re(errin% to the a%e o( the under%round co$ics, #hich #ere sold in head sho!s alon% #ith bon%s and ci%arette !a!ers) .cott Mc3oud, the author o( a &ery hel!(ul %uide 4in co$ic-boo+ (or$5 called Fnderstandin% Co$ics, !re(ers the sli%htly !retentious ter$ se=uential art) 0lan Moore, creator o( *he 3ea%ue o( <"traordinary Gentle$en, li+es bi% e"!ensi&e co$ic boo+ A .!ie%el$an is !artial to co$ic boo+ that needs a boo+$ar+) But (or #ant o( a uni&ersally a%reed-on alternati&e, the %ra!hic-no&el ta% has stuc+, and it recei&ed so$ethin% li+e o((icial sanction a year and a hal( a%o #hen .!ie%el$an and Chris :li&eros, the !ublisher o( ,ra#n and Cuarterly, !ersuaded the boo+-industry co$$ittee that decides on sub'ect headin%s to ado!t a %ra!hic-no&el cate%ory #ith se&eral subsections: %ra!hic no&elGliterature, %ra!hic no&elGhu$or, %ra!hic no&elGscience (iction and so on) 0(ter#ard, .!ie%el$an turned to :li&eros and said, / thin+ #e &e 'ust created the state o( /srael -- one %reat bi% boundary dis!ute in one little corner o( the boo+sho! %lobe)

*he center o( this dis!ute -- the co$ic boo+ #ith a brain -- is a so$e#hat arbitrary and sub'ecti&e !lace, not unli+e !orno%ra!hy in Justice .te#art s (a$ous (or$ulation 4you reco%ni1e it #hen you see it5) But a (e# %eneralities $ay be ha1arded) First o( all, the %ra!hic no&el is not 'ust li+e the old Classics /llustrated series, an illustrated &ersion o( so$ethin% else) /t is its o#n thin%: an inte%rated #hole, o( #ords and i$a%es both, #here the !ictures don t 'ust de!ict the storyA they re !art o( the tellin%) /n certain #ays, %ra!hic no&els are an al$ost !ri$iti&e $ediu$ and re=uire a hu%e a$ount o( $anual labor: dra#in%, in+in%, colorin% and letterin%, $ost o( it done by hand 4thou%h a (e# artists ha&e be%un to e"!eri$ent #ith co$!uter dra#in%5) /t s as i( a traditional no&elist too+ his !rintout and then had to co!y it o&er, #ord by #ord, li+e a =uill-#ieldin% $on+ in a $edie&al $onastery) For so$e %ra!hic no&elists, 'ust (our or (i&e !anels is a %ood day s #or+, and e&en a $odest-si1e boo+ can ta+e years to co$!lete) 3i+e a lot o( %ra!hic no&elists, Mar'ane .atra!i be%ins #ith a !rose scri!t and then be%ins to s+etch it out, li%htly and loosely, in !encil) 6hen / &e done that, then in $y brain $y boo+ is (inished, she said (ro$ Paris, #here she li&es no#) *he !roble$ is that only / +no# #hat it loo+s li+e) For you to see it, then / ha&e to drud%e) /t s a &ery, &ery lon% !rocess) .uch labor de$ands a certain obsessional !ersonality and so$eti$es results in obsessional storytellin%) 6hat all %ra!hic no&elists as!ire to, ho#e&er -- #hether they start #ith #ords or #ith an i$a%e or t#o -- is a sense o( $otion, o( action un(oldin% in the blan+ s!aces bet#een their sto!-action (ra$es) *hey s!end a lot o( ti$e thin+in% about ho# the !anels are arran%ed and the nu$ber o( !anels it ta+es 4or doesn t5 to de!ict a %i&en a$ount o( narrati&e) Most o( these e((ects are $eant to #or+ on us, the readers, al$ost subconsciously, but they re=uire a certain e((ort nonetheless) You ha&e to be able to read and loo+ at the sa$e ti$e, a tric+ not easily $astered, es!ecially i( you re so$eone #ho is used to readin% (ast) Gra!hic no&els, or the %ood ones any#ay, are &irtually uns+i$$able) 0nd until you %et the han% o( their !articular rhyth$ and #ay o( storytellin%, they $ay re=uire $ore, not less, concentration than traditional boo+s) *he %ra!hic no&el -- unli+e the $ore traditional !art o( the co$ic-boo+ uni&erse no# bein% celebrated by (iction #riters li+e Michael Chabon and Jonathan 3ethe$ -- is a !lace #here su!erheroes ha&e (or the $ost !art been banished or #here, as in Ji$$y Corri%an and ,a&id Borin%, they e"ist only as #ist(ul e$ble$s o( a lost childhood) *here is also little o( that in-your-(ace, cine$atic dra#in% style de&elo!ed by .tan 3ee, Jac+ ;irby and other !ioneers o( the action co$ic) Most o( the better %ra!hic no&elists consciously stri&e (or a si$!le, !ared-do#n style and a&oid tric+y an%les and !ers!ecti&es) *he %ra!hic no&el is a $an s #orld, by and lar%e, thou%h there are se&eral i$!ortant (e$ale artists 4not 'ust .atra!i, but also 3ynda Barry, Julie ,oucet and ,ebbie ,rechsler5) 0nd to a considerable e"tent it is a !lace o( lon%in%, loss, se"ual (rustration, loneliness and alienation -a landsca!e &ery si$ilar, in other #ords, to that o( so $uch !rose (iction) 0 nu$ber o( %ra!hic no&els are set in a +ind o( nostal%ialand, li+e Ben ;atchor s $ythic, ti$e-#ar!ed 3o#er <ast .ide or the $id-70 s s$all-to#n Canada o( the artist #ho %oes by the na$e .eth 4his real na$e is Gre%ory Gallant5) Many $ore are set in the slac+er #orld -- the s+an+y 6ashin%ton 2ei%hts nei%hborhood o( ,oucet s My Ne# Yor+ ,iary, the co((eesho! Portland and <ast Hilla%e sublet o( ,a&id Chelsea in 3o&e, the diners, card sho!s and a!art$ent co$!le"es o( 0drian *o$ine s 6est Coast -- #here !eo!le are al#ays hoo+in% u! and brea+in% u! and (eelin% both shy and lousy) /t s the !ictorial e=ui&alent o( Nic+ 2ornby s 2i%h Fidelity) 0 considerable !ercenta%e o( the ne# %ra!hic no&els are (ran+ly autobio%ra!hical) *hey are about !eo!le #ho are, or #ho are tryin% to be, %ra!hic no&elists, and they all (ollo#, or i$!licitly re(er to, a +ind o( ur-narrati&e, #hich u!on e"a$ination !ro&es to be, #ith s$all &ariations, the real-li(e story o( al$ost e&eryone #ho %oes into this line o( #or+)

0s $ost %ra!hic no&elists the$sel&es #ill %ladly tell you, you ha&e to be a bit o( a #eirdo to #ant to !urse this odd and solitary art (or$) Julie ,oucet, one o( the $ost !ro$isin% o( the youn%er %ra!hic no&elists, (ound the li(e so hard that she (lat out =uit) /t #as +illin% $e, she said o&er the !hone (ro$ her studio in Montreal) *ryin% to $a+e a li&in% (ro$ it -- / could ne&er sto!, ne&er ha&e a brea+) / #as doin% it all the ti$e) For those #ho do stic+ #ith it, the career o( the %ra!hic no&elist can see$ less a choice than a co$!ulsion) *he !rocess o( beco$in% one %oes so$ethin% li+e this: First there s a con&ersion $o$ent, #hich ha!!ens at a re$ar+ably youn% a%e, usually #hen the artist is still in %ra$$ar school) *o !ut it si$!ly, he (alls in lo&e #ith a co$ic stri! -- (airly o(ten it s Peanuts -- and then #ith co$ics in %eneral) .oon he s co!yin% the$, and then he s %eneratin% his o#n) /n hi%h school, #here this artist, a nerd, $ost li+ely, and an outcast, is unreco%ni1ed (or the talent he is, cartoonin% beco$es a re(u%e, a #ay to #or+ out re&en%e (antasies and occasionally e&en a $odest clai$ to (a$e) More o( the sa$e in colle%e or art school -- i( he e&en bothers #ith (or$al trainin%) Cartoonin% is no# an obsession, a &isual diary in #hich the artist records e&ery detail o( his !ersonal li(e, #ith a s!ecial e$!hasis on his se"ual (antasies and his usually e"cessi&e $asturbation, and then at so$e !oint, i( he is luc+y, he (i%ures out ho# to turn all this ra%e and de!ression and th#arted ener%y, all those !a%es and !a%es o( s+etches and dra#in%s, into storytellin%, into a !ortrait o( the artist as a youn% $an) *he beni%n &ersion o( this !ro%ress is Chester Bro#n s s#eet and innocent-see$in% no&els Playboy and / Ne&er 3i+ed You A the dar+, sel(-loathin%, !orn-addicted and !arodic &ersion is Joe Matt s Poor Bastard, #hich #as recently o!tioned by 2B:) /( so$e o( this sounds (a$iliar, it is because it is also the story o( 9) Cru$b, so $e$orably laid out in *erry >#i%o(( s 1@@4 docu$entary, #herein #e learn that Cru$b %re# u! not 'ust in your basic unha!!y (a$ily but in a s!ectacularly dys(unctional one, and that as a child he #as se"ually aroused by Bu%s Bunny) Cru$b do$inates the brie( history o( the %ra!hic no&el the #ay Ci$abue do$inates Hasari s (irst &olu$e o( 3i&es o( the 0rtists -- as both an inesca!able stylistic in(luence and a +ind o( $oral e"e$!lar) 4Cru$b is no# I0 and li&es in the south o( France)5 0l$ost e&ery as!irin% %ra!hic no&elist no# %oes throu%h a Cru$b !eriod, and so$e ne&er entirely out%ro# it: the cross-hatched line and bare li%ht bulbsA the bi% (eet, +nobby +nees, hairy le%s and #his+ery (acesA the bi% breasts and e&en bi%%er behindsA the (lyin% dro!s o( !ers!iration 4and other bodily (luids5) /t s a style as reco%ni1able in its #ay, and as !o#er(ul, as Goya s or Brue%hel s) <=ually !o#er(ul is Cru$b s e"a$!le as so$eone #ho ta+es co$ics seriously as a (or$ o( sel(-e"!ression and is una(raid to !our e&erythin% o( hi$sel( into the$) 6ithout Cru$b, / really, honestly, thin+ co$ics #ould ha&e co$e to an end, Chris 6are says) / thin+ #e all ha&e his &oice in our $inds: You really #ant to do thatE 0re you sure you really #ant to do thatE *he other o&er#hel$in% (i%ure is 0rt .!ie%el$an, #ho to the co$ics #orld is a Michelan%elo and a Medici both, an in(luential artist #ho is also an i$!resario and an enabler o( others) 0s one !ublisher told $e, 0rt is 'ust as i$!ortant as he thin+s he is) 2e, too, (its the Cru$b !aradi%$: childhood (ascination #ith co$ics 4in his case #ith /nside Mad, a !a!erbac+ Mad Ma%a1ine antholo%y that he !ersuaded his $other to buy (or hi$ #hen he #as D5, !recocious de&elo!$ent 4as a teena%er he #as dra#in% (or his #ee+ly !a!er in 9e%o Par+, Cueens, and !ublishin% his o#n $a%a1ine, BlasJ5 and dee! i$$ersion in the history and lore o( co$ics) 2e had another asset: a case o( uncorrectable a$bylo!ia, or la1y eye, that $a+es i( di((icult (or hi$ to see in three di$ensions) 4 .o cartoons really did see$ real to $e, he says) Maybe $ore real) 5 0(ter dro!!in% out o( .FNY Bin%ha$ton, he #ent to #or+ (or the *o!!s bubble%u$ co$!any, o( all !laces, #hich had a s$all art and desi%n de!art$ent) /( you are a !arent

o( a certain a%e -- or the o((s!rin% o( such a !arent -- you ha&e 0rt .!ie%el$an to than+ (or 6ac+y Pac+s and the Garba%e Pail ;ids) :(( and on, .!ie%el$an #as #ith *o!!s (or 20 years, but all the #hile he #as #or+in% on his o#n co$ics) 2e #ent throu%h the obli%atory Cru$b !hase and then, under the in(luence o( so$e obscure e"!eri$ental (il$$a+ers, (ound hi$sel( $ore and $ore interested in (or$al and technical issues) 2is stri! 0ce 2ole, Mid%et ,etecti&e #as a noir detecti&e !arody deliberately desi%ned to unra&elA ,on t Get 0round Much 0ny$ore #as a one-!a%e !iece in #hich al$ost nothin% ha!!ens) 0t this !oint, .!ie%el$an says, he #as on a !ath that led to beco$in% a %allery artist) /nstead, he chan%ed direction and set about tryin% to tell a story) *he result #as the Pulit1er Pri1e-#innin% Maus, ori%inally a three-!a%e stri! in a co$ics antholo%y called Funny 0$inals 4sic5 but ulti$ately a t#o-&olu$e story about .!ie%el$an s relationshi! #ith his (ather and his (ather s e"!eriences at 0usch#it1) Maus dra#s on a lot o( .!ie%el$an s structural e"!eri$ents and incor!orates a nu$ber o( subtle desi%n ele$ents, li+e ha&in% the shado# o( a s#asti+a (all al$ost undetectably across a !a%e, but its %reat inno&ation -- un$atched and !ossibly un$atchable -- #as in its co$bination o( style and sub'ect) .o$eho# the old cartoon &ocabulary -- the (a$iliar i$a%ery o( cats and $ice -- $ade the 2olocaust bearable and a!!roachable, stran%e and yet (a$iliar) /t #ould be al$ost i$!ossible to o&erstate the in(luence o( Maus a$on% other artists) Mar'ane .atra!i, (or e"a$!le, says that it #as Maus that o!ened her eyes to the !ossibilities o( the %ra!hic no&el -- that in e((ect created her as an artist -- and the sa$e is true (or $any others) /nstall$ents o( Maus be%an a!!earin% in the early 80 s in a $a%a1ine o#ned and !ublished by .!ie%el$an) *his #as 9a#, #hich he (ounded in 1@80 #ith his #i(e, FranKoise Mouly 4#ho is no# the art editor o( *he Ne# Yor+er5, and #hich is his other %reat %i(t to %ra!hic no&elists) 9a# #as ori%inally $eant to be a one-ti$er, a sho#case (or all the art that, #ith the colla!se o( under%round co$ics a (e# years earlier 4o#in% $ostly to a le%al crac+do#n on stores sellin% dru% !ara!hernalia5, had no other outlet) *he (irst issue sold out, and subse=uent issues +e!t risin% !hoeni"li+e, .!ie%el$an says) 6e (inally decided to $a+e it a biannual, because #e #eren t sure #hether that $eant t#ice a year or e&ery other year) 9a# ca$e out until 1@@1, !ublished (ro$ .!ie%el$an s studio, a lo(t in .o2o that is also a +ind o( ha!ha1ard $useu$ o( co$ic-stri! history and $e$orabilia, and it hel!ed re&i&e the careers o( so$e older artists, &eterans o( the under%round !eriod, and sho#cased the #or+ o( $any $ore ne# ones, $ost o( #ho$ (ound their callin% and their ins!iration (ro$ studyin% its !a%es) .!ie%el$an, 7I, has been such an a$bassador (or co$ics o&er the years -- lecturin%, !ro$otin%, #ritin% articles -- that to so$e e"tent his o#n !roducti&ity has su((ered) 2is (irst solo co$ic boo+ since Maus, called /n the .hado# o( No *o#ers, co$es out in .e!te$ber, and (or $uch o( the s!rin% he #as ha!!ily #or+in% on the !roo(s in his cluttered and s$o+e-ha1ed studio) 43i+e the old-ti$e co$ic-stri! artists, .!ie%el$an is an una!olo%etic chain s$o+er, a %enuine t#o-!ac+-a-day $an)5 /n the .hado# is a collection o( broadsides he be%an !ublishin% a(ter the attac+ on the 6orld *rade Center, 'ust bloc+s a#ay (ro$ #here he li&es) *he broadsides are desi%ned in the (ashion o( old ne#s!a!er (unny !a%es, and they incor!orate so$e o( that old (unny-!a%e storytellin%) 46hen .!ie%el$an #ants to sho# hi$sel( and FranKoise =uarrelin%, (or e"a$!le, he dra#s it in the style o( a Ma%%ie and Ji%%s stri!A there are also allusions to the ;at1en'a$$er ;ids, ;ra1y ;at and 2a!!y 2ooli%an)5 0n unhin%ed .!ie%el$an is a $a'or character -- !aranoid, unsha&en, a butt al#ays in his $outh -- and e&entually he su((ers a +ind o( ner&ous brea+do#n, con&inced that the #orld is about to end any $inute) Many o( these broadsides #ere so !olitically char%ed and so stridently o!!osed to the Bush ad$inistration that $ainstrea$ 0$erican !a!ers #ere reluctant to !rint the$A they a!!eared $ostly in <n%land and in Ger$any) .!ie%el$an has !ut the$ all to%ether no# in a bi% albu$-

si1e boo+, alon% #ith se&eral (ull-si1e re!roductions o( old co$ic-su!!le$ent !a%es, and the result, he says he ho!es, is a +ind o( !ali$!sest in #hich the layers re(lect and co$$ent on each other, in #hich #orld history and !ersonal history collide) *he boo+ is also, ine&itably, a #or+in% dia%ra$ o( .!ie%el$an s o#n (e&erish, hy!eracti&e i$a%ination -- a !lace in #hich co$ics and reality, !resent and !ast, are all but indistin%uishable) 2e #or+s on t#o des+s, side by side, one 1@th-century, as he li+es to say, and one 21st) *he (irst is an old-(ashioned dra(tin% table, and the second is a co$!uterA in bet#een, there is a scanner) 2e can s+etch so$ethin% by hand and then re(ine it on the screen, or do it the other #ay around) By the ti$e he is (inished #ith a !iece, he says, he can no lon%er tell the di((erence bet#een #hat is co$!uteri1ed and #hat has been done by hand) By %eneral a%ree$ent, Chris 6are, LI, and ,aniel Clo#es, 4L, are .!ie%el$an s t#o $ost i$!ortant disco&eries) Clo#es, #ho (its the classic !ro(ile 4bro+en ho$e, co$ics obsession, (riendless, dateless adolescence5, is the author o(, a$on% other #or+s, ,a&id Borin%, an unsu$$ari1able no&el in #hich a d#eebish %uy s (etish (or bi%-botto$ed #o$en leads to his bein% shot t#ice, and the better-+no#n Ghost 6orld, about t#o !un+ish hi%h-school %irls tryin% to clin% to (riendshi! e&en as the onset o( se" and adult res!onsibility see$s to dri&e the$ a!art) Ghost 6orld the %ra!hic no&el is e&en better than Ghost 6orld the $o&ie) *he dialo%ue 4the best !arts o( #hich are un!rintable here5 has a .alin%eres=ue !oi%nancy, and the art#or+ is #ashed in a bluish-%reen tint that su%%ests a *H on the blin+ -- e"actly ri%ht (or these li&es in #hich $uch o( the color has been drained by a cri!!lin% irony and hy!er sel(-a#areness) 6are 4abandoned by (ather, snubbed by class$ates, disco&ered co$ics in %rand$other s base$ent5 is best +no#n (or Ji$$y Corri%an, easily the $ost beauti(ul and $ost co$!licated o( all the ne# %ra!hic no&els) *he story o( a sad-sac+ LI-year-old Chica%oan 4 a lonely, e$otionally i$!aired hu$an casta#ay, as he calls hi$sel(5 #ho is brie(ly reunited #ith a (ather he has ne&er seen be(ore, Ji$$y Corri%an is laid out in #ide, delicately colored !a%es in #hich the !anels are so$eti$es lar%e and !ainterly and so$eti$es rese$ble circuit dia%ra$s) *here are drea$ se=uences, (lashbac+s 4es!ecially to the Chica%o 18@L Colu$bian <"!osition and the do$ed !a&ilions5, and e&en ho$e-asse$bly !ro'ects -- $odels o( a (ar$house and an old-(ashioned 1oetro!e to be cut out and !asted to%ether) .o$e !a%es are cra$$ed #ith in(or$ationA in others, nothin% ha!!ens e"ce!t the !assa%e o( ti$e, =uietly !unctuated by a little cou%h or a si%h) 6are li&es #ith his #i(e, a teacher, 'ust outside Chica%o in a s$all stucco house that is itsel( a little Corri%anes=ue) *here is a tiny u!stairs studio o&erloo+in% the yardA in other roo$s, there are a !iano, so$e ban'os, an old-(ashioned Hictrola and a collection o( <dison cylinder recordin%s) 46are is an old-$usic enthusiast, and in his s!are ti$e he edits and !roduces a $a%a1ine called *he 9a%-*i$e <!he$eralist)5 / #ent there to see hi$ recently, and as it ha!!ens, the artist +no#n as .eth #as &isitin% (or the #ee+end (ro$ Guel!h, :ntario) *hey both rese$bled their characters a little) 6are is a taller, handso$er &ersion o( the bulletheaded Ji$$y Corri%an) .eth, 41, loo+s li+e a 1ootier &ersion o( the (edora-#earin% !rota%onist o( his no&el /t s a Good 3i(e, /( You ,on t 6ea+en, about a youn% $an obsessed #ith old Ne# Yor+er cartoons) 2is hair is brilliantined and s#e!t bac+A his %lasses are old(ashioned blac+ horn ri$s) <&en thou%h it #as a #ar$ .aturday in May, he #as #earin% a suit and tie, and #hen #e #ent out (or a late lunch, he !ut on a to!coat, (edora and a !air o( leather %lo&es) *hey #ere s!endin% the day doin% #hat %ra!hic no&elists a!!arently al#ays do #hene&er they %et to%ether -- tal+in% about %ra!hic no&els) 6are, e&en thou%h he is $ore success(ul and estee$ed than 'ust about any o( his !eers 4his #or+ has been sho#n at the 6hitney Biennial, and he is the sub'ect o( a scholarly $ono%ra!h co$in% (ro$ Yale Fni&ersity Press this (all5, occasionally sounded li+e .a$uel Bec+ett s idea o( a %ra!hic no&elist) *his is 'ust an

incredibly ine((icient #ay to tell a story, he said, and he e"!lained that earlier in the #ee+ he had been #or+in% on a stri! in #hich he had decided there could be no narration) /t in&ol&ed $aybe 8 to 10 seconds o( actual narrati&e ti$e, he said) But it too+ $e three days to do it, o( 12 hours a day) 0nd / $ thin+in% any #riter #ould %o throu%h this !assa%e in ei%ht $inutes o( #or+) 0nd / thin+: 6hy a$ / doin% thisE /s the !ayo(( to ha&e the illusion o( so$ethin% actually ha!!enin% be(ore your eyes really #orth itE / (ind it s a constant stru%%le and a source o( %reat !ain (or $e, es!ecially the last day #hen / $ in+in% the stri!) / thin+, 6hy, #hy a$ / doin% thisE 6hole years %o by no# that / can barely account (or) / $ not e&en bein% (acetious) .eth nodded and returned to an earlier the$e o( his -- the idea that cartoonin% is so$ethin% the artist %ets tric+ed into) / thin+ the i$!ulse to cartoonin% co$es as a co$!ensation #hen you re youn% (or the (act that you re unha!!y, he e"!lained) .o you start cartoonin% to create a (antasy #orld) *hat i$!ulse is #hat $a+es you dra#, and (or $e it $ade $e dra# enou%h that by the ti$e / #as in $y 20 s, / #as tric+ed into bein% a cartoonist) /t #as too late then to start anythin% else) But $aybe because they #ere only tal+in%, not #or+in%, they didn t see$ all that %lu$, and they #ent on enthusiastically about the sub'ect that see$s to !reoccu!y all %ra!hic no&elists -their rhyth$, or the #ay their !anels #or+ on the !a%e) /t s li+e $usic, 6are said) 2e e"!lained that #hen he is #or+in%, he (irst does =uic+ s+etches o( #hat each !anel should be li+e) / ne&er thin+ o( it as #ords, he said) /t s indi&idual !ictures, and it (eels li+e a $e$ory) 6hen / thin+ about it, it re!lays itsel( in $y $ind o&er and o&er, al$ost li+e a little $elody or so$ethin%) 0s / $ #or+in% on it, / ll read throu%h the stri! hundreds o( ti$es) /t s li+e / $ #ritin% a !iece o( $usic, and / ll +ee! !layin% it o&er and o&er in $y head) 0nd / ll reali1e that that didn t sound ri%ht or that didn t (eel ri%ht or that s insincere or that $o&e$ent see$s sta%ed or acted so$eho#) .o / ll ha&e to add or subdi&ide or do so$ethin%) 0nd then all o( a sudden, it #ill clic+, and it #ill see$ li+e a real thin% ha!!enin%) /t s the $ediu$ #e re stuc+ #ith, .eth said, e&en i( it see$s a co$!letely ina!!ro!riate $ediu$ to ha&e chosen to tell a serious story) 2e thou%ht (or a second and added, *hou%h it s !robably a less #ildly ina!!ro!riate $ediu$ than it #as 10 years a%o -- by #hich he $eant that no#, at least, it s !ossible (or a %ra!hic no&elist to $a+e a li&in%) Joe .acco s na$e ca$e u! #hile / #as in Chica%o, and .eth said: 2e s de(initely an oddball cartoonist, because he has &ery e"cellent social s+ills) 2e %oes out into the #orld and deals #ith !eo!le) /n (act, o( all the cartoonists / +no#, #hen / $ around Joe / %et the least i$!ression that he read all this 'un+ as a +id) 2e see$s relati&ely (ree (ro$ all that %enre $aterial) *his is only !artly true) .acco, #ho is no# 4L and in !erson $uch better loo+in% than the %ee+y %uy #ith the bi% li!s and the blan+ eyes #ho is his co$ic-boo+ stand-in, #as born on Malta and s!ent the early !art o( his childhood in 0ustralia) 2e #allo#ed in !lenty o( co$ics there, and #hen he $o&ed to this country at the a%e o( 12, he beca$e an instant con&ert to Mad $a%a1ine) 3ater, he #ent throu%h a serious Cru$b !hase, dra#in% stri!s li+e :li&er 3i$!din%le s .earch (or 3o&e, #hich is !retty $uch su$$ed u! by its title) For a #hile, .acco e&en dre# ro$ance co$ics) But in hi%h school and a%ain in colle%e 4the Fni&ersity o( :re%on at <u%ene5, he #as !o!ular, #ell ad'usted and a %ood student) 2is !assion in those days #as 'ournalis$, and he settled on cartoonin% only a(ter (ailin% to (ind a decent 'ob doin% anythin% else) /n the $id-80 s, he #or+ed brie(ly as a re!orter (or *he Co$ics Journal, a $a%a1ine that co&ers the co$ics #orld, and that e"!erience e$boldened hi$ to sho# the editor, Gary Groth, an e!ic Hietna$ co$ic he had been #or+in% on) Gary !retty $uch destroyed $y ho!es (or it, .acco says no#) 0t that !oint, / decided / should learn ho# to #rite a one-!a%e story) <&entually he

had enou%h o( the$ (or a co$ic boo+, and they #ere !ublished by Fanta%ra!hics in a si"install$ent series called Yahoo) .acco s real brea+throu%h ca$e in 1@88, #hen he acco$!anied so$e (riends o( his, a roc+ band called the Miracle 6or+ers, on a <uro!ean tour) /n so$e #ays, / started beha&in% 'ournalistically a%ain, he recalls) / be%an ta+in% notes and #ritin% do#n e&ery #ord !eo!le said) /n the Co$!any o( 3on% 2air, a 'ournal o( the tri! in co$ics (or$ that a!!eared as !art o( the Yahoo series in 1@8@, $ar+ed the (irst a!!earance o( the (a$iliar bi%-li!!ed .acco (i%ure 4thou%h in this &ersion he still has shoulder-len%th loc+s, not the bu11 cut that turns u! later5, #ho is so$eti$es ta+in% !art in the action but $ore o(ten 'ust obser&in% it, and o( the (a$iliar .acco $ethod, #hich is to use a cartoon style to docu$ent so$ethin% that actually ha!!ened) 2e re(ined this techni=ue #ith More 6o$en, More Children, More Cuic+ly, a story told (ro$ his $other s !oint o( &ie# about the /talian and Ger$an bo$bin% raids on Malta durin% 6orld 6ar // that re=uired hi$ to inter&ie# her and to recreate historical settin%s and e&ents) Palestine, .acco s account o( se&eral tri!s he $ade to Palestinian to#ns and re(u%ee ca$!s in the 6est Ban+, #as #hat (irst brou%ht hi$ a #ider audience and serious attention in 1@@7) But his $aster!iece is .a(e 0rea Gora1de, #hich ca$e out in 2000 and recounts (our tri!s .acco $ade to Gora1de, a F)N)-desi%nated sa(e area durin% the Bosnian #ar, #here the $ainly Musli$ !o!ulation endured three and a hal( years o( sie%e by the Bosnian .erbs) .acco 4#ho has done 'ournalistic co$ics (or this $a%a1ine5 clai$s not to ha&e a conscious styleA his #or+, he says, is a co$bination o( +no#led%e and li$itation) But his !a%es ha&e beco$e less and less cartoonish o&er the years -- to the !oint #here they no# &er%e on a +ind o( realis$, es!ecially #hen de!ictin% interiors and street scenes) *his is !artly accidental 4.acco studied $echanical dra#in% in school and says that he dra#s buildin%s and &ehicles $ore easily than !eo!le5 and !artly the result o( a re!ortorial !assion (or accuracy) Most %ra!hic no&elists +ee! s+etchboo+sA .acco ta+es !hoto%ra!hs and ta!e-records his inter&ie#s) 2is #or+ subtly e$!loys certain co$ic-boo+ con&entions -- (or e"a$!le, in sho#in% e$otion 4(acial e"!ressions are o(ten sli%htly e"a%%erated5 or in structurin% a narrati&e) 4/n a cha!ter o( .a(e 0rea Gora1de describin% a character s arduous tre+ throu%h a (orest, he deliberately dra#s the (i%ure #al+in% le(t -- a%ainst the traditional (lo# o( a co$ics !a%e -- to create a sense o( slo#ness and di((iculty)5 0t the sa$e ti$e, there s a docu$entary =uality to boo+s li+e Palestine and .a(e 0rea Gora1de that is o(ten $ore e((ecti&e and a((ectin% than real docu$entary) 2is scenes ne&er see$ sta%y, the #ay (il$ed recreations so o(ten do, and his !eo!le, &er%in% e&er so sli%htly on caricature, ha&e an i$$ediacy that tal+in% heads on a screen seldo$ achie&e) .acco ty!ically s!ends #ee+s inde"in% and cross-re(erencin% his notes and then #rites out an entire story be(ore startin% to dra#) / thin+ you ha&e to do it that #ay (or non(iction, he says) You ha&e to be syste$atic) You can ha&e a (ictional character %ro# on the !a%e and +ind o( lead you around, but that #on t #or+ (or #hat / $ doin%) / #ant to be a #indo# on so$ethin%) .acco is currently #or+in% on another Palestinian !ro'ect, a boo+ about the to#n o( 9a(ah, #hich he e"!ects #ill ta+e se&eral years to (inish, but he thin+s about so$eday returnin% to $ade-u! stories) / $ not sure / ll be able to +ee! doin% this, he said) 0ll the tra&elin%, all that e"tra #or+) *here #as a !oint a cou!le o( years a%o, 'ust a(ter Gora1de ca$e out, #hen i( it hadn t done #ell, / thin+ / $i%ht ha&e (olded) You can t eat on 'ust %ood re&ie#s) 0nd no# / so$eti$es as+ $ysel(, 6hen / $ I0, do / still #ant to be trai!sin% around re(u%ee ca$!sE :ne solution to the drud%ery o( cartoonin% is to %et others to do it (or you) Co$!anies li+e Mar&el and ,)C) essentially !roduce co$ics on an asse$bly line: one !erson thin+s u! the story, so$eone else dra#s it, another in+s it, yet another colors it and so on) Most %ra!hic no&elists tend to be dis$issi&e o( such !roducts, but a cou!le o( !eo!le ha&e e$er%ed (ro$

the (actory syste$ and attained so$ethin% li+e auteur status -- as #riters #hose co$ics are #orth !ayin% attention to no $atter #ho dra#s the$) Neil Gai$an, creator o( the enor$ously success(ul .and$an series, is one such (i%ureA another is 0lan Moore, creator o( 6atch$en, Fro$ 2ell 4a story about Jac+ the 9i!!er5 and *he 3ea%ue o( <"traordinary Gentle$en) Moore, #ho is 70, loo+s li+e a co$ic-boo+ character) 2e has a lon% beard, shoulder-len%th hair and li+es to dress in blac+) 2e also dabbles a little in the occult) Moore li&es alone in Northa$!ton, <n%land, #here he #as born and %re# u!, and is a (a$ous recluse) / $ a stran%er to the other end o( the li&in% roo$, he li+es to say) Moore actually dra#s !er(ectly #ell) 42is early stri!s, li+e 9oscoe Mosco#, a detecti&e !arody, are $ore than !assable Cru$b +noc+o((s)5 But in the early 80 s, #hen he #as a youn% $an stru%%lin% to su!!ort hi$sel(, a #i(e and a baby, he reali1ed that he couldn t dra# (ast enou%h to +ee! u! #ith his deadlines) 2e decided to beco$e a #riter instead and be%an sendin% out scri!ts on s!ec) Fro$ the be%innin%, Moore s scri!ts #ere e"traordinarily detailed, not 'ust !lot su$$aries but !anel-by-!anel blue!rints, and this $ade the artist s 'ob $uch easier) 2ere, (or e"a$!le, is the scri!t (or 'ust a sin%le !anel (ro$ an un!ublished #or+ called Belly o( Cloud : /N *2/. F/9.* .M033 P0N<3 :N *2< B:**:M */<9 6< C20NG< 0NG3<. .: *20* 6< 20H< P09* :F *2< 2<0, 0N, .2:F3,<9. :F *2< 0NG<3 /N *2< B:**:M 9/G2* F:9<G9:FN,, F0C/NG .3/G2*3Y 060Y F9:M F. *:609,. *2< N<09 3<F* B0C;G9:FN, 0. .2< *0;<. *2< C/G09<**< F9:M 2<9 M:F*2 0N, <M203<. B3F< .M:;<) ) ) ) 3::;/NG B<Y:N, 2<9 6< C0N .<< *2< Y:FNG M0N 0. 2< ./*. *2<9< /N 2/. P:.*-C:/*033Y :P<N .2/9*, .M:;/NG 2/. :6N C/G09<**< 0N, JF.* G0>/NG 0* 2<9 6/*2 0 3::; :F .*9/C;<N P/*Y ,06N/NG /N 2/. <Y<.) Moore is a tireless researcherA #hen he too+ o&er the $oribund .#a$! *hin% series (ro$ ,)C) in the early 80 s, he read botany boo+s, listened to Ca'un $usic and studied the %eo%ra!hy and ecolo%y o( the 3ouisiana bayous) :( all the %ra!hic no&elists, in (act, Moore $ay ha&e the !urest and $ost in&enti&e literary i$a%ination) 2e also #rites !oetry and has !ublished a no&el 4the old-(ashioned +ind, #ithout !ictures5) 2is 3ea%ue o( <"traordinary Gentle$en, #hich is (ar $ore interestin% than you #ould e&er %uess (ro$ the $o&ie, is an e"tre$ely cle&er literary !astiche o( Hictorian <n%land in #hich all the characters 4e&en the !ri$e $inister, Planta%enet Palliser5 are ta+en (ro$ other Hictorian no&els -- Bra$ .to+er s ,racula, 2)G) 6ells s /n&isible Man, .te&enson s ,r) Je+yll and Mr) 2yde and Jules Herne s 20,000 3ea%ues Fnder the .ea, to na$e 'ust the $ost ob&ious) 9i%ht no#, he is #or+in% on a !orno%ra!hic %ra!hic no&el, 3ost Girls, in #hich the $ain characters are the 0lice o( *hrou%h the 3oo+in% Glass, no# +no#n as 3ady Fairchild and a laudanu$addicted lesbianA the sli%htly re!ressed Mrs) 2arold Potter, nee 6endy ,arlin%, (ro$ Peter Pan A and the randy ,orothy Gale, (ro$ *he 6i1ard o( :1) Moore #as +ic+ed out o( school at 1D (or usin% and sellin% 3.,) /t #as a (air co!, he says no#, $eanin% that he deser&ed to be e"!elled) *he head$aster called $e a $oral health ha1ard, and he #as !robably ri%ht) But the head$aster also too+ ste!s to $a+e sure he couldn t %et into any other school, and Moore, #ho says he is still e$bittered by the entire educational syste$, beca$e a (ierce and a$bitious autodidact) Part o( his education #as co$ic boo+s, at (irst blac+-and-#hite <n%lish ones 4#hich he says #ere 'ust so$ethin% #e had, li+e ric+ets 5 until, in the early I0 s, at an o!en-air $ar+et, he ca$e across (ull-color 0$erican co$ics) / related to the$ &ery stron%ly, he says) *hey #ere about 0$erica, #hich see$ed to $e to be li+e the (uture, li+e science (iction) <&en #ithout those (antastic characters, the #hole country see$ed to $e an e"otic landsca!e, li+e the <$erald City, and those co$ics li(ted $e ri%ht out o( the streets / %re# u! in)

2e added: 6e all li&e, you +no#, on a +ind o( (ictional !lanet -- the !lace #e ha&e #ith us e&er since #e started listenin% to stories) 6e s!end a lot o( ti$e in these i$a%inary #orlds, and #e %et to +no# the$ better than the real locations #e !ass on the street e&ery day) / thin+ they !lay a $ore i$!ortant !art in our sha!in% o( the #orld than #e reali1e) 2itler, (or e"a$!le -- #e +no# he read a lot o( Bul#er-3ytton) :sa$a bin 3aden used to read =uite a lot o( 6estern science (iction) *hat s #hy co$ics (eel i$!ortant to $e) *hey re i$$ense (un as a %a$e, but there s also so$ethin% $ore serious %oin% on) 2o# %ood are %ra!hic no&els, reallyE 0re these truly #hat our %reat-%randchildren #ill be readin%, instead o( boo+s #ithout !icturesE 2ard to say) .o$e o( the$ are $uch better than others, ob&iously, but this is true o( boo+s o( any +ind) 0nd the (or$ is better-suited to certain the$es and +inds o( e"!ression than others) :ne thin% the %ra!hic no&el can do !articularly #ell, (or e"a$!le, is de!ict the !assa%e o( ti$e, slo# or (ast or both at once -- so$ethin% the traditional no&el can a!!ro"i$ate only #ith e$!ty s!ace) *he %ra!hic no&el can $a+e the (a$iliar loo+ ne#) *he autobio%ra!hical hero o( Crai% *ho$!son s Blan+ets, a %uilt-ridden teena%er (allin% in lo&e (or the (irst ti$e, #ould be insu((erably !redictable in a !rose narrati&eA here, he has an innocent s#eetness) *he %ra!hic no&el is also %ood at de!ictin% blan+ness and ano$ie) *his is a stren%th o( ,aniel Clo#es s, and also o( L0-year-old 0drian *o$ine, #ho $ay, incidentally, be the best !rose #riter o( the bunch) 42e beca$e an <n%lish $a'or at the Fni&ersity o( Cali(ornia, Ber+eley, because the art de!art$ent had no use (or re!resentation, let alone co$ics)5 2is youn% !eo!le, (allin% in and out o( relationshi!s, !araly1ed by shyness and sel(-consciousness, $i%ht be unendurable i( de!icted in !rose alone) 6hy #ould #e careE But in *o$ine s !recisely rendered dra#in%s 4#hich o#e so$ethin% to Clo#es, so$ethin% to the 2ernande1 brothers and $aybe e&en a tiny debt to the !ainter 0le" ;at15 they ta+e on a certain di%nity and indi&iduality) *he %ra!hic no&el is %reat (or stories o( s!oo+iness and !aranoia, as in ,a&id Ma11ucchelli s %ra!hic ada!tation o( Paul 0uster s no&ella, City o( Glass, #here the !anels the$sel&es beco$e con(inin% and claustro!hobic, or in Charles Burns s cree!y Blac+ 2ole, a story about a !la%ue s!read by se"ually acti&e teena%ers) 4 Blac+ 2ole is still un(inished, and so$e %ra!hic artists tal+ about it the #ay !eo!le tal+ed about Flysses bac+ #hen it #as a!!earin% in install$ents)5 0nd o( course, dra#in% as it does on the lon% tradition o( co$ic and satiric art, the %ra!hic no&el can be &ery (unny) /n (act, the %enre s %reatest stren%th and %reatest #ea+ness is that no $atter ho# (ar the %ra!hic no&el &er%es to#ard realis$, its basic idio$ is al#ays a little, #ell, cartoonish) .acco s e"a$!le not#ithstandin%, this is a $ediu$ !robably not #ell suited to lyricis$ or stron% e$otion, and 4a%ain, .acco e"ce!ted5 the &ery best %ra!hic no&els don t ta+e the$sel&es entirely seriously) *hey a!!eal to that childish !art o( oursel&es that deli%hts in caricature, and they rely on the $a%ic, (a$iliar but al#ays a little startlin%, that reliably turns so$e lines, dots and s=ui%%les into a (ace or a (i%ure) /t s a tric+ o( sorts, but one that ne&er #ears out)