Fran

Today, the last stop on my Comixology Unlimited tour (for now).

Why I chose it: I have been reading Jim Woodring's comics for decades now. They are all extremely well rendered, dreamy, surprisingly complex, philosophical, and full of life. Weathercraft, Frank, and all his other works are well checking out. How could I not read this latest book of his?

An excerpt:

 

The Bottom Line: This book is simply fantastic. It is a wordless adventure that follows Fran and Frank's relationship, which is complicated when they find a gizmo that projects past experiences as a movie. Frank is enamored with it, and Fran hates it. After she wrecks the device, Frank loses his mind in anger, and she sets off on her own. Everything that follows can be read as a search for forgiveness or some larger allegory about love, relationships, and finding one's identity/place in the world. I loved this book, cannot recommend it enough, and really need to find and read its prequel/sequel The Congress of Animals.

Don't just take my word for it: Joe McCulloch wrote a great meditation about how this book comments on love, identity, and cycles. Derek Royal called it "a very enjoyable and approachable book." Henry Chamberlain wrote that this book only adds to the fact that "Jim Woodring is one of our greatest cartoonists."

Fran was published by Fantagraphics, and they have a preview and much more available here.

Thank you for checking in on me this week as I wrote about my borrowing habits of late. I will review more of these books in the future.