29 October 2003  BLANKETS: AN ILLUSTRATED NOVEL by Craig Thompson, Top Shelf, July 2003, ISBN 1-891830-43-0

"Sometimes I lie away awake at night and wonder

Where my life will lead me

Waiting to pass under Sleep's dark and silent gate."

--Jackson Browne

I continue to find the vast majority of graphic novels I read to be without heart. Or perhaps I should say that after reading BLANKETS I understand that the reason I have been a reader unmoved by graphic novels is that they have consistently failed to touch me in the manner that Craig Thompson's 600-page illustrated novel has--page after page after page.

"Sheep: A blanket begins in a faraway place

Where skies are blue and there's lots of space

The nights are cold and we sleep outside

To keep warm and toasty we grow hair on our hide

But when spring comes round the weather is warm

A thick woolly coat loses all of its charm

We're itchy and hot 'till the rancher arrives

To give us each a haircut and brighten up our lives

He grabs a big bag and he gathers the wool

And he stuffs and he crams 'till the bags are full

He throws 'em on the truck 'till it's piled up high

Then he climbs into the driver's seat and says 'Goodbye'

That's the story of Bert's blanket

That's the story of Bert's blanket

That's the story of Bert's blanket" --Sesame Street

Perhaps the size of BLANKETS is one of its big pluses. I wouldn't call the typical comic book a novel; nor do I believe that a comic book becomes worthy of the term "novel" simply because it contains mature themes, explicit images and a hardcover binding. While my wife, the English teacher, would describe what I'm saying in terms of significant character development, plot, theme, and all that literature jargon, I would simply say that a successful "real" novel gives me something to really bite into and leaves me with plenty to think about after I'm done turning the pages. With its captivating blend of text and illustrations, BLANKETS is a novel does that to perfection.

BLANKETS is the semiautobiographical tale of a boy growing up. The story--which covers (blankets?) nearly two decades--includes Craig's brother, parents, school, art, sexuality, religion and religious leaders, Church Camp, First Love, and that Love's extended family. It also contains several blankets (as in the kind you sleep beneath) as well as blankets of snow and some metaphorical blankets.

The action in the story is nicely counterbalanced with the main character's introspection about his self-evolution, interactions, relationships, and religious beliefs.

"Linus: Where's my blanket?"

But, most significantly, what Craig Thompson does to perfection in BLANKETS is to utilize this illustrated format in order to be able to reveal far more with his combination of words and images than he could possibly have done with words alone. Whether it is the drawings telling part of the story as when, for example, we view the series of illustrations in which Craig's hand nervously, anxiously, plays with the curled telephone cord as he tries to "reconnect" with Raina, or whether it is the capability to often have Craig simultaneously saying one thing while thinking another, or the opportunity for the author to transition to extensive dialogue without having to constantly resort to "He said." or "She said," or even the potential of showing Craig's and his brother's drawings rather than having to describe them, I can now really see and understand the potential of writing a novel in this format. I could easily go on and on about other highlights: the power of being able to see those looks passing between Craig and Raina, the joy of being able to watch the bedtime hijinx between the young Craig and his brother, or being able to read an entire story on the face of Raina's father when his discovery leads to contemplation of what has happened in his own life.

BLANKETS is a book that leaves me with warm, cozy memories; one you absolutely need to see (and crawl inside of) yourself.

Richie Partington

http://richiespicks.com

BudNotBuddy@aol.com