RaveSolrad[A] sprawling examination of disparate pop culture threads [...] but only in service of its larger aim. And trust me when I say that \'larger aim\' is a very large one indeed ... Murphy’s not out to shame the residents of present-day Portland, nor the readership in general, so much as to make people aware of the fact that history is written in blood, and that far too many debts remain unpaid. To that end, then, this is a localized, microcosmic representation of a larger history — that of the United States itself and, indeed, all \'frontier\' countries in general ... Surprisingly, though, there’s nothing dry, academic, or even especially \'preachy\' about it. Murphy’s prose is unwaveringly fluid, disarmingly intimate, and, at times, even borders on the poetic ... an utterly remarkable work. I suppose it would have to be in order to successfully incorporate everyone from William Burroughs to the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Kurt Cobain to Keanu Reeves to Cliven Bundy to former KKK Grand Wizard Tom Metzger to Gus Van Sant to, yes, even Geraldo fucking Rivera ... Murphy makes much more than a case for the idea that the currently depressing and alarming white nationalist resurgence is no mere blip on history’s radar screen. They also make a strong case for this being the most affecting, inspired, and important comics release of 2021 to date.
Vivian Chong
PositiveSolradHer delicate and expressive illustration of Chong’s story strikes precisely the right tone throughout, whether she’s delineating triumph, tragedy, or all those many points in between. Her challenges inform her artwork, absolutely, but she never allows them to leap to the forefront, opting instead to draw from them the perspective she needs to visually translate Chong’s words from a place of understanding rather than mere sympathy ... That being said, while she details the events of her life with remarkable clarity, her take on her own interpersonal relationships is a bit more distant and sometimes fails to strike a chord. In and of itself, this isn’t that huge a problem early on, but as she travels the road to emotional wellness and leans more heavily into her \'freedom in forgiveness\' thesis, there’s less for the reader to really empathize with ... her commitment to creative exploration as a means toward the same end lands with much more impact and frankly seems to be where her passion lies ... my minor quibbles with it seem just that — minor. And I suppose they are, but given the sheer amount of heart and effort that went into Dancing After TEN, to give it anything less than a thorough-going analysis would be less than Chong and Webber deserve ... I have no qualms in prescribing this to anyone who’s either been through a traumatic and life-altering medical experience, or who simply wants to learn about what it takes not only to survive one, but to thrive afterward.
Tian Veasna, Trans. by Helge Dasche
PositiveSolrad[A] cautionary tale that likely couldn’t come at a more appropriate time given the radical authoritarian leanings of prominent world leaders in Brazil, the Philippines, the UK and, most infamously, right here in the US ... Year of the Rabbit can also, in absolute fairness, be a bit of a confusing story. Historical fealty is important here, even crucial, but the sheer scope of the slaughter that went on is so staggering that it can be tough to keep track of who was who when we start learning about characters we’ve met, largely in passing, ending up dead, or at least rumored to be so ... I’m somewhat less enamored with certain aspects of Veasna’s skills as an illustrator, although, when one considers the art in general, it’s still the case that there’s far more good than there is bad. His muted pastel color choices are pitch-perfect when it comes to setting the tone of vibrant lives slowly being drained of that very vibrancy, and I find his simple figure drawings both instantly appealing and communicative ... Honestly, though, it’s such an accomplished work on the whole that I feel like a little bit of a jerk for even bringing this quibble up, but nevertheless, it’s not only a recurring issue, it’s one that’s pretty damn hard to miss ... Still, Veasna makes up for this small flaw with some really innovative little touches that add power and personality to the project such as the introductory pages for each chapter showing some sort of illustrated \'artifact\' of the times ... [A] deeply harrowing, deeply human, and deeply important recounting of the story of their lives.
