Nod Away

Nod Away is a complicated book, a cerebral science fiction story with strong characters, a well-defined universe, and lots of intriguing plot threads. There are two parallel narratives. The first focuses on Dr. Melody McCabe, a scientist newly arrived to the International Space Station Integrity to work on a project where a wormhole will be opened up.

In this future time, many people are connected to a new type of social network, nicknamed Streaming, via a surgically implanted patch. It is interesting to see how the world here is an extrapolation of ours, where media and technology have a huge impact on how people interact and are socialized. Dr. McCabe is an outlier of sorts, as she is biologically incompatible with the Streaming technology and so is not connected. Much of this book sheds insight into how she becomes acclimated to life in space, and it is an awkward and bumpy experience, to say the least.

The second storyline seems related to the first, though I am not clear on how yet. It follows a solitary figure traversing a barren, rocky landscape on some seemingly uninhabited planet.

The book ends on a huge turn of events that left me bewildered but also eager for more. At first, I did not know that this was the first book in a series, and I went back and poured over it to try to make sense of everything. I found it exciting to explore the intricacies of this book, and I have formulated a bunch of theories about how things might relate. But I will just have to hang tight to see where things go, because this book is the first of a proposed seven, and Cotter is at work at a Nod Away Volume 2. I am excited to where everything is going and how it will connect in the future.

Nod Away is the creation of Joshua W. Cotter, author of the prior series/graphic novel Skyscrapers of the Midwest. He also created Driven By Lemons, a book containing an interesting mix of comics, sketches, and prose. He spoke about his work on Nod Away in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about the book comment on its strong character work and attention to detail in both story and art. The fine folks at Comics Alternative wrote, "Part of the beauty of Nod Away us that it paints a narrative picture best observed from a broader context, while at the same time the fine detail of Cotter’s art compels us to investigate its many intricacies." Zach Hollwedel summed it up as "A lingering, at times dense, page-turner of a science-fiction achievement." John Seven commented that "with each unexpected moment, the actions of the characters, because he has given such care to them, remain true and consistent, becoming the anchor in the wild ride."

Nod Away was published by Fantagraphics, and they have a preview and more available here.

Nod Away features some sexual scenes, violence, and occasional profanity, and it is suggested for readers mature enough to handle those things.

Skyscrapers of the Midwest

I read a lot about comics and comic books, and one blog I consistently read is Comics Should Be Good, which features a lot of different viewpoints about many types of comics. I recall the head blogger there, Brian Cronin, writing about this series with a curious title a bunch of years back now, and I am finally getting to read it for myself. If you want to see what he has written in addition to what I am going to say, you can see him extolling the virtues of it here, here, here, here, and here.

This book contains a collection of mini-comics and comic books about an adolescent drawn as an  anthropomorphized cat, his younger brother, and the imaginative adventures they find themselves in. Now, I know this sounds all kinds of light and cheery, but this scene is not an imaginary magical dreamworld, though it does have some fantasy elements, like giant robots that sort of look like ROM. Although this book is clearly some form of memoir it is not really all that nostalgic either. It is evocative and powerful, bringing back many of the strong emotions of youth in brutal, yet empathic ways. Reading this book, it was difficult for me not to recall similar situations I found myself in when I was a kid, some painful and some humorous. For example, these three pages are from the sequence early on in the book, a birthday with a wonderful and horrible gift.

Although he loves the gift, the reality of his age and his social standing end up crushing any enjoyment, which is highlighted by juxtaposed sequences where we see his little brother having a great time just playing with the box the backpack came in. This entire opening narrative is available in the preview link below, and I suggest you go read it. What I admire most about this opening, and the book as a whole is how it is clearly realistic and truthful about the realities of growing up. Lots of people struggle with their families, loss, love, religion, and fitting in when they are younger. Not everyone grows up popular and accepted, and the pain and nuances of emotion in this book are both palpable and powerful. Not to say I found this book depressing, but it does what Marianne Moore wrote the best poetry does, namely depicting "imaginary gardens with real toads in them."

This was Joshua W. Cotter's debut comic, and the artwork certainly reflects his growth in that area over the course of the book. I admired the rawness and sketchiness of his lines as well as how he deftly tells stories and creates emotional impacts. He also created Driven By Lemons, a book containing an interesting mix of comics, sketches, and prose. He speaks more about his life, art, and work on Skyscrapers in this interview.

Reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. Comic Book Resources' Timothy Callahan remarked that "Cotter has created something true and meaningful about the experience of growing up, and it's a powerful story." Brian Heater called it "that rare critical mass of dynamic art and storytelling" and went on that "Cotter manages to capture the wonders and horrors of childhood, which are perhaps far more entwined than we’d wish to remember." Andrew Wheeler simply called it "a hidden gem of modern comics."

A preview and more about Skyscrapers of the Midwest can be found here from Adhouse Books.

This review wraps up Adhouse Month for me. I hope that you enjoyed my look at a publisher of diverse and wonderful books from a wide range of creators. Go check out their catalog, because I only scratched the surface of their output.