RaveComicsVerse\"Maybe it’s the sunset colors. Maybe it’s the Ghibli-esque artwork. Or maybe it’s the enduring story of young love. Whatever it is, On a Sunbeam is the most devastatingly beautiful comic I have ever read ... Why have I become so emotional over such a relatively happy story of young love and space adventure? While on the surface, the comic is happy, the quality of the narrative, the artwork, and the bittersweet moments between lovers old and young, is overwhelmingly lovely. Walden’s work reminds readers that comics — elusive as the medium may be — is a striking art form that can capture the depth and power of human emotion. Additionally, Walden’s dedication to telling stories about young queer people should not be undervalued.\
Craig Thompson
RaveComicsVerseOrnate sketches of buildings blend with beautiful portraits throughout this book. In the mix are humorous caricatures of Thompson as he struggles through book signings, illness, and homesickness. Despite Thompson’s many anxieties about being too introverted, the comic feels fully immersive. Rather than a recitation of facts, Carnet de Voyage lets readers see the world through a tourist’s eyes, fully capturing the many overwhelming details. Thompson assumes a degree of familiarity with his readers, foregoing any personal backstory with the assumption that you, like him, are here for the journey at hand. Indeed,Carnet de Voyage’s strength comes in the balance—between images and text, and between Thompson’s internal and external worlds ... Carnet de Voyage demonstrates that the idea of love and the realities are not always the same ... Thompson’s sincerity shines through and he sweetly goes on loving the world even when frozen with anxiety and sadness. In these moments, Thompson and his work are the most human and poignant.
