Review - Wilson

Wilson
by Daniel Clowes
Drawn and Quarterly

Wilson is a social misfit who isn't very nice. In the graphic novel by Daniel Clowes, the titular character Wilson, though self centered, abrasive and lacking any understanding of societal rules, is looking for something beyond his life and perhaps something that might justify his existence in the world. I know, that sounds deep. But that's the best part of the works by Daniel Clowes. They are funny with their very black humor. But they are also poignant if you want to read deeper into the story.

The book starts with Wilson commenting on people and situations around him. Talking to strangers in the coffee house about their job. Or berating people while he walks his dog Pepper. But when his father dies, Wilson is thrown for an existential look looking for love and the meaning of life. This leads to his finding his ex-wife, and the teenage daughter she put up for adoption after she was born. With surprises and plot twists that lead Wilson in unexpected ways, he remains true to his principles, however misguided they may be.

The art style Daniel Clowes uses changes from page to page. Sometimes cartoony, others times more realistic, the effect on the story is that each page is like a little vignette from Wilsons life. Each page has 6 or 7 panels. And though there is an over reaching story that ties all the pages together, the brilliance of each page keeps the reader interested.

I would definetly add this book to any public library making sure it was not in the children's or teen area. Wilson does like to swear. And he has very little filtering his mouth. So younger readers might not appreciate his as much as adults.

Review - Good-Bye

Review - Good-Bye

by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
Drawn and Quarterly

Not all manga is about magical schoolgirls, hyperactive ninja orphans, or half human/half dog demons. An example of a work that doesn't fit the mold is a book called Good-Bye by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. Originally published between 1971 and 1972, this book contains 9 stories that are set between the end of World War II and then. Though the stories are not interrelated, they are mostly about the bottom of society. Tatsumi tells small tales about prostitutes, sexually repressed loners, closeted cross dressers and other members of society many would consider fringe elements.

Tatsumi doesn't really put any moral values on his sad characters. Instead, he relates their tale without any comment, though we know that the characters often feel shame themselves. The tales end ambiguously with no clear resolution. Unlike morality tales where the bad guy has to get it in the end, the stories in Good-Bye, though often depicting reprehensible people, conclude before any clear resolution.

I guess Japan in the early seventies an interesting place. While World War II was still in peoples memory, it was far enough away in the past where young people didn't have direct memory of the war. Also, the county was about to boom economically. So these stories by Tatsumi are almost a warning not to fall into a decadent lifestyle or loose. In an interview with Tatsumi in the back of this volume, he describes his condition at the time. "As an alienated manga artist working away in a cramped room, I couldn't help but feel disconsolate."

This book is something libraries should carry, but not in the teen section. The subjects are certainly something young teens should be wary of reading. But there are many older teens and adults I've meet here in the library who are really into Japanese history and culture. These people usually have read most of the manga in the library, but haven't seen works like this before.