Welcome to the week everyone! Despite the implications of the title this post is not full of course language or violent imagery…sorry to disappoint. Instead it is about a couple of worthwhile graphic novels I enjoyed over the weekend, a few sincere ‘thank-you’s’, and a hint at the prize packs for the Tiny Stories contest.

Read on.

(all images copyright Barnaby Ward)

Sixteen Miles to Merricks and Other Stories ~Barnaby Ward

–published 2008
–208 pages, Frogchildren Studios
–3.75/5 stars (art: 5/5 stars)

If you haven’t heard of Barnaby Ward or seen his lush ink work then you are certainly not alone. If it were not for the monthly temptation-inducing comic book catalog Previews, I might not have discovered him either. A few months back Previews printed an enticing image with a chance to view the first twelve pages of the title story in this collection as well as some of the art and I was instantly drawn in. The story hooked me, but it was the art that sent me over the moon. You can preview both here.

It is Ward’s line work and use of color that made an instant connection with me. There is a quality to his line that reminds me of artists like Edward Gorey and Dame Darcy, both of whom I am big fans of. There is an ever so slight sinister quality to many of his images that make them especially enjoyable during this haunting time of the year.

All of Ward’s short stories in this collection are a bit abstract, perhaps somewhat acid-trippy at times. The first story less so than the other shorter works. The title story is the best of the lot and it is actually very good. It is a claustrophobic, nightmarish tale of underground passages, locked doors, and impending doom. The ending to this story is a bit more concrete yet still leaves you thinking about multiple interpretations of what you just saw unfold. Dreams within dreams all unveiled with fantastically structured panels that really drive the mood of the story.

Again, it is Ward’s artwork that is most impressive. If this was purchased simply as a nice sized art book that alone makes it worth the cover price. Ward’s women are a nice cross between innocent girl-next-door and smoldering temptress. They remind me of very stylistic fashion design art and his works of art, with women posed with complex machinery or eerie animal life are among my favorite. You can see more of his art on his website here. I look forward to visiting his blog on a regular basis to see what new works spring from his skewed imagination.

Sixteen Miles to Merricks is just creepy enough that I am considering it a R.I.P. III Challenge read!

Janes in Love ~Cecil Castellucci, Jim Rugg

–published 2008
–176 pages, Minx Books
–4.75/5 stars (art: 5/5 stars)

Last September I posted a review of the first graphic novel in this series, The Plain Janes, and highly recommended picking it up. It is a story of a girl who hooks up with a diverse group of outsiders who share all share the same first name, Jane, after she is forced to move to a small town after a bomb goes off in Metro City leaving her hospitalized and her mother in a state of near psychotic panic and depression. The graphic novel deals with themes of danger and uncertainty on top of the normal teen angst of moving to a new school, making new friends, and treading the murky waters of relationships. Tying the entire tale together is the theme of the healing power of art.

The Janes form the group P.L.A.I.N.–People Loving Art in Neighborhoods–to perform clandestine, non-harmful art attacks around their town, each project with its own message or theme. These art attacks thrill most of the townsfolk and anger a few others with the first graphic novel ending nicely and yet setting things up for a sequel. This follow up volume, Janes in Love, is one I have been looking forward to since I first heard about it.

The story picks up not long after the events of the first book and continues to build on the same things. The main Jane of the story continues to struggle with her feelings about a certain boy in the school, she continues to learn about life and about art through her correspondence with another victim of the bombing that was hurt much worse than she was, and themes of friendship and freedom of expression and using ones talents to positively effect the neighborhood are all present and handled very well. Cecil Castellucci proves that she has the writing chops to be an effective story teller in this medium. For me personally she has filled a gap left by Chynna Clugston Major and her series Blue Monday which hasn’t seen a new story arc for years. Both of these teen-focused books find a nice balance of lightheartedness and seriousness with fantastic art that makes them highly re-readable.

A big draw to this book for me is the artwork of Jim Rugg. I have been a fan from back when his comic Street Angel was out on shelves and it is great to see him doing more work in this medium. Rugg girls are maddeningly cute and his boys are hip and handsome and yet he manages to draw both sexes in ways that give characters their own unique look. As you read through the Jane books you realize that he is an artist whose characters don’t all look like they were cut from the same cloth and it makes each character have their own personality apart from the prose portion of the story. I really love his work. Below is an early panel in this graphic novel that gives you an idea of the kind of art attacks that the Janes carry out.

Interestingly enough I stumbled across a review that included some heated conversation about property rights and graffiti and vandalism. The Janes always perform easily cleaned up, non-permanent art attacks and yet there were valid points on both sides of the fence on this issue that served to remind me just how powerful the comic book medium can be at conveying though-provoking messages.

This is a series I highly recommend for everyone. It is all ages friendly and so would be appropriate for pre-teens on up. It has very clear messages about being strong, being yourself, and pursuing your passions. Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg have created a series that would make a perfect gift for young women and yet are fun, interesting works for older adults of both sexes.

Last night I came across this song by a new favorite musician, Missy Higgins, and the message reminded me a lot of the message in both Janes graphic novels. It is all about taking control of your own life and realizing you can do so. Here is the lyric that particularly reminded me of this story:

But the search ends here
Where the night is totally clear
And your heart is fierce
So now you finally know
That you control where you go
You can steer

Check out the video:

_________________________

Before I close I wanted to personally thank two people.

First, Eva of A Striped Armchair has revived her You Make My Monday! Awards and she awarded yours truly, along with Chris of Stuff as Dreams and Nymeth of Things Mean a Lot, for a Monday award. She wrote very wonderful, head-swelling stuff about all three of us. I am not only honored to read such wonderful stuff about myself (It really was very sweet) but am also honored to be in such great company. Pop over here to read what Eva had to say. Thank you so very much Eva!

Secondly, I want to thank Nicki of Fyrefly Books for hosting the Review? Haiku! contest that I posted about the other day. Not only was in incredibly fun to do, but I won the random drawing for a $20 Amazon gift certificate!!! Yay me!!!! Seriously, I was so thrilled to get that email yesterday that I felt like dancing a jig around the office! Not sure what I will purchase with it but rest assured it will be used for something I will treasure.

Have a wonderful day everyone. Keep those Tiny Stories coming! You may have noticed an Edward Gorey lunch box in the opening picture of this post. I went to a comic book convention this weekend and happened to snag two of these beauties for a very incredible price and both will be filled with goodies (tempting image to come soon, I promise) for prizes for the Tiny Stories contest. I have decided to do two winners for that contest. One will be awarded based on the judging and one will be awarded by random drawing. What are you waiting for? Give it a shot!!!