The above frame, one of my favorite from Daniel Clowes' David Boring, sums up very nicely the tone of the piece. The eponymous David Boring is very much alone in this life, as he deals with sexual frustration and the end of the world, and seeks both his father and the perfect girl.
With David Boring, Daniel Clowes utilizes the graphic novel at its best: not as a novel illustrated with pictures, or as pictures captioned with words, but a story told both in writing and drawing, the narrative not complete if either element were missing. It's also quite good -- touching, funny, at times even suspenseful -- and you should probably get on reading it right now.
Thanks for recommendation! Strangely enough I've never heard of David Boring until now, I enjoyed Ghost world comic+movie a few years ago, so I guess I better give it a go ( :
ReplyDeleteHarvey Pekar is great, ever read him? He actually just died. One of my top 10 fav books is "Bob and Harv's Comics 1996".
I actually dressed up as Harvey Pekar for Halloween last year (well, more like Paul Giamatti's version of Harvey Pekar), and am now vowing to never again dress up as someone nonfictional (that I like), for fear of killing them.
ReplyDeleteI've read the American Splendor anthologies but I haven't actually read any of his other work, and I should probably get around to that...
(Bob and Harv's Comics is a collection of his and Crumb's collaborations?)
Can you maybe dress up as Ben Stiller this year?
ReplyDeleteIt has already been suggested (by me)!
ReplyDeleteBut now that he's produced Richard Ayoade's first feature, I don't know if I can hope for his demise anymore...
must. still. hate. but. love. for. Iowah. Day. too. strong.
Yep, Crumb did the illustrations and Pekar the writing for that 1996 comic. Actually its the only one I could get my hands on at the library, liked it even more than the movie. Its a best of I'm told.
ReplyDeleteYeah, maybe there was some bad carma going on dressing up as Pekar ( : More likely cancer. Pekar reminds me a little of the cult novel "A Confederacy of Dunces " by John Kennedy Toole.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Confederacy_of_Dunces
Speaking of Robert Crumb. I saw the movie about him: Crumb (1994), which is in "1001 movies TSB you die". Really good introduction to his work and life, I thought.
I will have to pick up A Confederacy of Dunces the next time I go to the library, and FINALLY watch Crumb (I don't even know how many times I've rented that and for some reason not ended up watching it).
ReplyDeleteI just read Blankets, by Craig Thompson, and it is kind of freakishly long (almost 600 pages) - making it almost more a graphic tome than novel - but it's really good. and sad. and worthy of reading in one sitting (one very long sitting).
I quite enjoyed Blankets, by Craig Thompson a year or so ago, good, but not one of my favourites. The story I found to be lacking something, not sure what. But the atmosphere/visuals made it worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can read "A Confederacy of Dunces in one sitting (unless you are a speed reader!). I prefer to read a chapter now and again.