House of Women

Originally published as a series of mini-comics, House of Women is a gorgeous and thought-provoking science fiction story that I found somewhat unsettling. I think that such discomfort is a perfect response to have to a book like this, as it tackles some pretty large issues while also spinning a suspenseful yarn about space exploration. The premise of this book is that a group of female missionaries have been assigned by the Empire to a backwater planet in order to educate and study the local inhabitants while also converting them to their belief and political systems.

There are a few complications to their mission, of course. First, the last group of emissaries from the Empire mysteriously vanished, and they are searching for clues to what may have happened to them. Second, they can only work with the female creatures, as they are open to education, whereas the males are hostile and violent. Third, the planet appears to be an Edenic paradise in some ways, but there are also wild and savage features that offer some peril. Fourth, there is a mysterious male guide who offers them help from a distance, though he is from another planet and has his own (shady?) motivations for being there. Finally, the women are a varied bunch, and they all have their various reasons for their work. Some have more virtuous intentions than others, and some are more out for themselves than for supporting the group.

Overall, I have to say that this book is excellent. It is extraordinarily drawn, with beautiful black and white images that resemble woodcuts and feature clean, geometric images. The story and subplots are well-woven together, and I feel that the characters are strong and complex. And perhaps what makes this book work most is that it has a constant undercurrent of anxiety, fear, and violence just beneath the surface. This book is an exquisite work of scifi and horror that will make you jump while also making you think.

House of Women is another impressive graphic novel from the Ignatz Award winning Sophie Goldstein. She has published a couple of graphic novels prior, Darwin Carmichael is Going to Hell, a fun, myth-based webcomic collaboration with writer Jenn Jordan, and The Oven, which was also a provocative sci-fi tale. She speaks extensively about her work on HoW in this interview with the Comics Alternative.

All  of the reviews I have read heaped acclaim on this book. Publishers Weekly praised it in a starred review as "another remarkable graphic novel from a creator whose approach to SF consistently defies expectations." Laura McKinley wrote in a starred review for Library Journal that Goldstein "offers readers much to reflect on in this sexually visceral tour de force, filled with intense black-and-white imagery and exploring what it means to “civilize” people without first weighing the consequences." John Seven called it "extraordinary, smart, beautiful." Oliver Sava wrote, "It’s a gorgeous hardcover, and the elegance of its trade dress makes it stand out while informing the interior contents, which are similarly refined."

House of Women was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer a preview and more about it here. In addition to its serious, adult themes this book also features nudity, sex, and violence, so it is suggested for readers mature enough to handle such things.

The Oven

The Oven is a pretty short book, but it sure packs in a lot of interesting ideas. The plot focuses on Syd and Eric, a young couple who have left their totalitarian bubble city, where the government dictates who can and cannot have children, to live more deliberately in a utopian, desert community. There, they plan to settle down, farm, and have their own family, but the reality is way more complicated than planned.

In this future, the environment is treacherous, and the sun will literally fry you if you stay out unprotected. The couple has to learn to do things in pretty primitive fashion, from getting their food to making clothes. They meet their neighbors, a hippie Earth mama named Maggie, her husband Bear, and their slightly grating children. I think their relationship opens up a bunch of potentially interesting points about gender roles, parenting, and the socioeconomic politics of living an eco-friendly life versus being a sort of eco-tourist.

Of course there are complications, and Syd and Eric's resolve gets tested multiple ways. When I talked about this book with my graphic novel class, some of the feedback I heard was about how this book played out a bunch of expected gender situations, such as where the woman gets to deal with circumstances while the man gets to pick and choose when to be serious. I can see that point, but I still feel this book has a lot of interesting aspects that make it ripe for discussion, especially about what constitutes freedom and how it is exercised. Additionally, I was certainly impressed by the economy of the artwork and story. I felt the story just purred along, and much was established and happened in a short amount of space.

This is an impressive graphic novel from Sophie Goldstein, a recent graduate from the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont and Ignatz Award winner. She has published one graphic novel prior, Darwin Carmichael is Going to Hell, a webcomic compilation collaboration with writer Jenn Jordan. She speaks a lot more about The Oven and her career in this interview.

The Oven won two categories at the 2015 Ignatz Awards: Outstanding Graphic Novel and Outstanding Comic, so it should come as no surprise that it has received quite a bit of praise from reviewers. Laura Sneddon called it "perfectly paced" and added that "the subtleties within demand re-reading." Tom Murphy wrote, "Using an economy of narrative and graphic style, Goldstein creates a powerful story that forces readers to question their responses without offering any easy answers." Zainab Akhtar concluded that it was "another strong and complex entry into Goldstein’s oeuvre."

The Oven was published by Adhouse Books, and they offer a preview and more here. There are profanity, some nudity, and adult situations in this book, so it is recommended for readers mature enough to handle those things.