By mixing panels with and without text, Porcellino creates a poetic alternation of words and silences that effectively draws the reader into Thoreau’s point of view.
Colfer and Donkin don’t shy away from the cost of these journeys and some children will find the story upsetting. But this is a book for adults too. These stories must be heard.
Johnson’s multipronged approach not only demystifies a much-maligned and misunderstood practice; it also makes for enjoyable, accessible reading.
Their humanity is nicely balanced against the story's shocking elements. Son of Hitler may have its slow spots, but few war stories are this much fun.
This book may offer the "irony and tragedy and other grown-up-type modes of expression" Chabon called for, but it could use more variety.
This frothy book isn't just an attempt to lighten up a serious topic. It's also a surprisingly subtle exploration of how we deal with the weight of both breasts and cancer.
His second book, which Zadie Smith has called “a masterpiece”, is, appropriately, twice as good. And given that Drnaso is only 29 this year, it offers a rather formidable calculus by which to anticipate the trajectory of his artistic development.
“All the Answers” is a marvelous example of how transcendent the graphic novel form can be. It is a heartfelt gift from son to father, a thoughtful and wryly funny story conveyed in both word and image because that is, quite simply, the best possible way to tell the tale.
Her writing is unpretentious, occasionally goofy and manifestly replete with love for her fellow humans. Her art is full of love, too; her rich, swooping line seems to cradle the reader's eye.
As the writer Ed Park suggests in his introduction, to call Reynolds’s comics black and white isn’t quite to do them justice; they’re more like black and white and black – and it’s in that extra layer of darkness that his genius may be found.
Fortunately, his overall sense of urgency is so potent that the book as a whole is like a juggernaut. Real life, it turns out, makes for a great story.
Alagbé uses his sparse palette to deliver a potent message about how race is portrayed in Western comics.
The sentiment rings false from a writer who's testified so fervently that the essence of romance is effervescent sublimity. That quality is missing from this book. Unfortunately, even in marriage, some things shouldn't be shared.
A finale packed with plot turns feels like the setup for a new story, rather than an open ending. It’s unquestionably rousing, but readers may anticipate a follow-up.
As someone once said, her great gift is that she can turn paper into flesh. Very few cartoonists are able to convey so wide a range of emotions while also keeping their drawings so fluid, so wild – and she has charm and wit to spare.
The tropes, however, feel trite, such as an opening subplot in which businessmen feed humans to monsters for sport. In the end, the familiarity of the plot elements undercuts the tension created by the brilliant illustrations and complex, well-voiced characters.
Stories that celebrate storytelling are nothing new, but Out of Nothing shows they can still feel as fresh as a daisy.
There is much rejoicing at the overflowing classroom coffers—and the goal for Gus is realized. A heartwarming call and response.
The Lie as a whole begs to be passed on in the same way. Its themes may appear simple, but its emotions linger — even if we've felt them before.
Furmark makes the most of this narrative tension: at moments, her comic has the flavour of a thriller. But she’s also a wonderfully lyrical cartoonist.