Yesterday I finished reading my first graphic novel. I'd heard of these, through nieces and references on the old Roseanne program. I'm not an authority; but I'm told one should not refer to them as comics. As if comics were shameful or somehow less worthy of the reader's time.
This book was mentioned on a facebook page I peruse and, since I know and respect the page writer, I decided to read the book. I easily reserved a copy at my local library. I was surprised. The book was good. Not a lot of excess verbiage and the illustrations were quite powerful. The plot specifically focuses on the middle and high school years of Jeffrey Dahmer. The author was about the same age as Dahmer at the time, and so his insights are colored by that perspective. But that is all to the good. As he traces Dahmer's behavior the author poignantly asks, "Where were the adults?" Indeed. Aren't we all sick of hearing/reading after yet another catastrophe involving young folk that the adults saw no signs? Just what the fuck were they doing anyway?
My familiarity with comics (and I see nothing wrong with lumping graphic novels into that genre) is limited to my own youthful fascination with superheroes. Superman was my 'go to' guy. I've written elsewhere about how I never had an older brother and always wanted one. Anyway, my possessing even a smidge of Superman lore allowed me to win a beer and pizza dinner for myself and my then boyfriend when I was first an undergrad. The question: Name Superman's mermaid girlfriend.
Oh, I also had a roommate whose boyfriend was a bit of a stoner and tried to get me to fall in love with r crumb. It didn't take as I had far too much homework that semester. Altho it seems Mr. Backderf was profoundly influenced. His art bears a striking resemblance.
Anyway, this book did what I believe all good writing should do. It made me want to learn more about the topic. If exploring the mind of a budding serial killer and his parents and the boys he went to school with intrigues you; then by all means seek out My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf.
It might even make you wonder about public schooling in this ever so great country of ours.
My familiarity with comics (and I see nothing wrong with lumping graphic novels into that genre) is limited to my own youthful fascination with superheroes. Superman was my 'go to' guy. I've written elsewhere about how I never had an older brother and always wanted one. Anyway, my possessing even a smidge of Superman lore allowed me to win a beer and pizza dinner for myself and my then boyfriend when I was first an undergrad. The question: Name Superman's mermaid girlfriend.
Oh, I also had a roommate whose boyfriend was a bit of a stoner and tried to get me to fall in love with r crumb. It didn't take as I had far too much homework that semester. Altho it seems Mr. Backderf was profoundly influenced. His art bears a striking resemblance.
It might even make you wonder about public schooling in this ever so great country of ours.
Ooh, I don't know the mermaid's name, but I bet it begins with an L.
ReplyDeleteI will request Dahmer from the library. I highly recommend two other graphic novels - Fun Home and Persepolis. Both are great, fascinating works.