Sometimes I feel like books and comics have to be filled
with unhappy characters with depressing problems in order to be considered
serious adult literature by whoever decides these things. But it doesn’t have
to be like that! Yes, friends, it is possible for comics to have a buoyant
tone, a happy ending, and cute animals and still be excellent works of art and
literature. And two books I recently read, Castle
Waiting by Linda Medley and Beasts of
Burden written by Evan Dorkin, art by Jill Thompson, are excellent
examples.
Castle Waiting by
Linda Medley
What it’s about:
First published in comic form in 1997, Castle Waiting is a collection of alternate fairy tales that is
sly, original, and wonderfully feminist. The book opens with the Sleeping
Beauty story, but in this version, Beauty takes off with her prince as soon as
he wakes her, leaving the inhabitants of the castle and its surrounding town,
and the three fairies who blessed her at birth, at a loss as to what to do with
the rest of their lives. They end up founding Castle Waiting, a refuge for anyone
in need. The stories of the people (and animals) who live there, and how they
came to Castle Waiting, form the meat of the comic. The art, which is on the
cartoony side of the spectrum, is impeccable, with incredible characterization
and expression. And the light tone makes it a wonderful place to spend an
afternoon.
A little darkness can be fun too:
If you like Castle
Waiting and you want to try something a little more adult, definitely check
out Fables created by Bill
Willingham, a long-running series (still going!) about fairy tale characters
living in Manhattan.
Beasts of Burden
written by Evan Dorkin, art by Jill Thompson
What it’s about:
A group of dogs (including a pug, a beagle, and a husky),
and one cat, patrol their town, Burden Hill, protecting it from supernatural
forces. The first comic opens with three members of the team howling to summon
a wise dog—a sheepdog trained
in magic—to help their friend,
whose doghouse is haunted. As the supernatural forces in Burden Hill grow more
dangerous, the pack must work together and be brave to defend their home from
witches, zombie dogs, and evil rats. The art is warm and painterly, adding to
the general impression that these dogs are wonderful and would be your best
friends if only they were real (and you could talk to dogs).
A little darkness can be fun too:
If
you like Beasts of Burden but you
want to try something about animals that is REALLY SAD (but also with
stupendous art and writing), check out WE3
written by Grant Morrison, art by Frank Quitely, and Duncan the Wonder Dog by Adam Hines.
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