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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Everyone is searching for something and everyone is awful, and most of them don't get what they want and no one gets less awful. Ware loves to tell the story of the pathetic and terrible, and here he gets to tell a half dozen stories of such people (plus one and a half stories about nice people), in his trademark gloriously detailed clean line art. It's stunningly beautiful to look at, and the only gripe I have is that some of the text was teeny tiny and required significant squinting.
What an ambitious project. This graphical novel follows four interlinked stories broken into their own sections written/drawn in a nonlinear way. Honestly I found this difficult to read and had to put it down a couple of times but at the end I am happy that I stuck it out. The art and line work is very eye catching but the overall narrative I did not find very interesting. 3.5 out of 5
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Sexual content, Car accident
Another instant classic from Mr. F. C. Ware. Since this work was developed around and alongside his other projects, it's interesting to see how Ware has used it to develop his storytelling craft. The section on Lint was particularly stunning, both in story and technique. My only disappointment is that the next volume isn't immediately available. As ever, I shall wait patiently for it.
I don't think I have bawled as hard reading a story as I have reading the last ten or so pages of this, other than perhaps the afterword of the 25th anniversary edition of Lynda Barry's "The Good Times Are Killing Me".
The Jordan Lint chapter, reprinted from Acme Novelty Library #20 continues to be one of the most frightening horror stories I have ever read or seen, looking into the heart of narcissism and all that gets destroyed in its path.
The Jordan Lint chapter, reprinted from Acme Novelty Library #20 continues to be one of the most frightening horror stories I have ever read or seen, looking into the heart of narcissism and all that gets destroyed in its path.
For the uninitiated, Rusty Brown is a continuous series of comics, Chris Ware has been working on since 2001. This particular volume collects all the comics so far. I assume that there will be a second tome in the future.
As Chris Ware likes to experiment with the comics medium, I did not expect Rusty Brown to be a conventional story and I was right. The whole thing is divided into four parts.
The first part consists of two narratives happening at the same time. One is of the titular Rusty Brown and his soon to be friend, Chalky. Both are obsessed with superheros, although Rusty is more naive and believes that he has superpowers. This segment focuses on how Rusty and Chalky bond with each other. There’s also a subplot involving Chalky’s teenage sister, who is going through the usual trial of adolescence. The part also serves as an introduction to some characters who will reappear later on in the book.
The second part is about Rusty’s father. In typical Ware fashion, this part begins with a science fiction story about a couple and their dog relocating to another planet. It later transpires that Rusty’s father wrote the story when he was a young adult. The focus then shifts to his life until the birth of Rusty and his current position teaching at Rusty’s private school. (spoiler : it’s full of heartbreak and longing)
The third narrative is about the life and death of school bully Jason Lint. Out of the four segments, this was my personal favourite. Although the most tragic of the lot, it also gives good insight problems in youth can still be carried well into adulthood. As this story goes well into the 00’s it gives a good glimpse at what happens to the other characters in the book ( I also think that in volume two we’ll have more insight to Rusty and Chalky)
The last part is about the third grade teacher, Mrs. Cole, and her rise to assistant principal, who harbors a secret, which is revealed at the end of the book.
Themes? dozens : father/son relationships, family dynamics, feminism, changing America, racism, culture clashes, psychology, escapism. Each page can be interpreted in many different ways. Ware comes from a show, don’t tell background AND works in a medium which benefits from the exact opposite so it is up to the reader to piece everything together and figure out clues.
Then there’s the artwork. Ware’s first collection, Jimmy Corrigan was amazing but here he outdoes himself. The art styles varies from Ware’s trademark minimalism to full blown maximalist spreads, especially in the Jason narrative. Then there’s his ways of cramming details, one page has 80 panels, there’s the dust jacket which needs at least 20 minutes of your time to study it and the ornate endpapers. With Chris Ware, each graphic novel has, not only, a lot of care but details to help the reader connect narrative.
As this is a first reading, although, I stretched reading the book for as long as I possibly could, I’m sure that I missed out some details and those will occur during my second read. Saying that I think Rusty Brown is a must for fans of the comic and is probably the best thing Ware has worked on. I eagerly await the next volume.
As Chris Ware likes to experiment with the comics medium, I did not expect Rusty Brown to be a conventional story and I was right. The whole thing is divided into four parts.
The first part consists of two narratives happening at the same time. One is of the titular Rusty Brown and his soon to be friend, Chalky. Both are obsessed with superheros, although Rusty is more naive and believes that he has superpowers. This segment focuses on how Rusty and Chalky bond with each other. There’s also a subplot involving Chalky’s teenage sister, who is going through the usual trial of adolescence. The part also serves as an introduction to some characters who will reappear later on in the book.
The second part is about Rusty’s father. In typical Ware fashion, this part begins with a science fiction story about a couple and their dog relocating to another planet. It later transpires that Rusty’s father wrote the story when he was a young adult. The focus then shifts to his life until the birth of Rusty and his current position teaching at Rusty’s private school. (spoiler : it’s full of heartbreak and longing)
The third narrative is about the life and death of school bully Jason Lint. Out of the four segments, this was my personal favourite. Although the most tragic of the lot, it also gives good insight problems in youth can still be carried well into adulthood. As this story goes well into the 00’s it gives a good glimpse at what happens to the other characters in the book ( I also think that in volume two we’ll have more insight to Rusty and Chalky)
The last part is about the third grade teacher, Mrs. Cole, and her rise to assistant principal, who harbors a secret, which is revealed at the end of the book.
Themes? dozens : father/son relationships, family dynamics, feminism, changing America, racism, culture clashes, psychology, escapism. Each page can be interpreted in many different ways. Ware comes from a show, don’t tell background AND works in a medium which benefits from the exact opposite so it is up to the reader to piece everything together and figure out clues.
Then there’s the artwork. Ware’s first collection, Jimmy Corrigan was amazing but here he outdoes himself. The art styles varies from Ware’s trademark minimalism to full blown maximalist spreads, especially in the Jason narrative. Then there’s his ways of cramming details, one page has 80 panels, there’s the dust jacket which needs at least 20 minutes of your time to study it and the ornate endpapers. With Chris Ware, each graphic novel has, not only, a lot of care but details to help the reader connect narrative.
As this is a first reading, although, I stretched reading the book for as long as I possibly could, I’m sure that I missed out some details and those will occur during my second read. Saying that I think Rusty Brown is a must for fans of the comic and is probably the best thing Ware has worked on. I eagerly await the next volume.
Everybody is raving about this book, calling it a masterwork and amazing ect. ect. ect. So of course I had to read it and find out for myself.
And... I don't get it :( I appreciate the effort that clearly went into it, and the stylistic changes, and the ambition. But the order of the panels is not intuitive, the text is so small at times as to be illegible (and I'm young!), and some of the characters seemed unnecessary (the eponymous Rusty Brown, Chalky White, and his sister). And at 356 pages, it's only half the story.
I did love "The Seeing-Eye Dogs of Mars," though - that's something I'd read for fun on it's own. (I found it very interesting that the main character was also named Rusty - was this tongue-in-cheek on Ware's part? Or was his father so in love with the name he gave it to his son?)
And... I don't get it :( I appreciate the effort that clearly went into it, and the stylistic changes, and the ambition. But the order of the panels is not intuitive, the text is so small at times as to be illegible (and I'm young!), and some of the characters seemed unnecessary (the eponymous Rusty Brown, Chalky White, and his sister). And at 356 pages, it's only half the story.
I did love "The Seeing-Eye Dogs of Mars," though - that's something I'd read for fun on it's own. (I found it very interesting that the main character was also named Rusty - was this tongue-in-cheek on Ware's part? Or was his father so in love with the name he gave it to his son?)
Rusty Brown by Chris Ware is certainly a masterpiece. As a collection of the stories of six people who interact in one way or another at a school in Omaha, Nebraska, it is excellent. Ware moves from present day to the past seamlessly, varied panel sized and groupings focus from the minutia and the mundane to the larger, more important panels, giving the whole thing a flow and ebb that's akin to great storytelling and pacing in an epic novel. The stories of four students and two teachers are interesting and interlocking in some ways. Sometimes told in parallel in the now and sometimes focusing on one character's life but from past to present (to future), Ware creates a bigger universe than what's on the page.
My one complaint is that I seem to be too old to read and enjoy the tiny panels! I felt like I needed a magnifying glass sometimes. Ware's art, coloring, meticulous architectural drawings are awe inspiring, but hard to appreciate in the small panels.
Recommended for Chris Ware fans, and those who like action figures, Mars and snow.
My one complaint is that I seem to be too old to read and enjoy the tiny panels! I felt like I needed a magnifying glass sometimes. Ware's art, coloring, meticulous architectural drawings are awe inspiring, but hard to appreciate in the small panels.
Recommended for Chris Ware fans, and those who like action figures, Mars and snow.