Bastard

Bastard is an interesting take on the typical caper/runaway tale. It features the fall-out of a criminal plot where 52 simultaneous robberies have been  planned and perpetrated, and now the mastermind is culling some of the associates to consolidate the earnings and get rid of some of the less trustworthy crime partners.

 

 

What May (or is her name April?) and Eugene have going for them in this situation is that they look out for each other. May is in her 20s and is Eugene's mom. He is 10 but wise to the world and how to keep safe and ahead of the law and shady characters. After a few attempted double-crosses and an accident, the duo find themselves allied with a trucker named Augustus McRae who has a checkered past of his own. I am not going to share much more about the book, only to say that there are multiple complications and revelations, which make life stressful for the characters but a thrilling plot for the reader.

What really worked for me in this book was the stark and economic storytelling. The page layouts were all very clear, and the line work very clean. This tale was told in a very efficient and exciting way, and it did not seem that there was a superfluous single line or word in the whole book. Also, the characters are strongly defined and surprisingly likable. Despite their criminal inclinations, May and Eugene are easy to root for and care about. Their relationship and love for each other is pure in a way that makes them sympathetic, and I also loved just how pragmatic they could be faced with outrageous circumstances.  

This graphic novel is the creation of Max De Radiguès, a Belgian comics artist who tweets updates about his works here. His other graphic novel work includes the adolescent drama Moose (one of my favorite books of 2015) and the biography Weegee. This book was originally published as a series of mini-comics from Oily Comics, and Bastard treads similar ground to Oily's publisher Charles Forsman's TEOTFW, only with a much different tone. He speaks about his work in general in this interview with The Comics Alternative.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly concluded, "Rich in storytelling despite its deceptive simplicity of style, the surprising plot twists and character development make this a must-read." Oliver Sava wrote, "de Radiguès’ stark, understated storytelling keeps the focus on this central relationship while surrounding it with suspense and action." John Seven highlighted the love between May and Eugene and called the events in this book "the world's sweetest crime spree."

Bastard was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer a preview and more here. Because of violence and some profanity, this book is suggested for mature readers.