Henry Chamberlain Comic Reviews

There are, of course, countless ways to bring to life an extended work in the comics medium. Bechdel has clearly found her path and fully realizes its potential. In a story so indebted to text, as well as memory, Bechdel deftly inserts maps, letters, dictionary entries, her own journal entries, even a police report. Additionally, she quotes extensively from literature, includes numerous book covers, and newspaper headlines. Bechdel was thirteen during the Watergate scandal. So, not only does James Joyce figure into the family narrative but Nixon's downfall too. And the comparisons don't stop there. The entire gay rights movement is hoisted upon Bruce Bechdel's shoulders for a moment as Bechdel considers her father's meaning. If Bechdel's probing veers off towards excessive, she seems to admit as much and navigates back to more level ground. Ultimately, Bechdel rewards the reader for joining her in her search.

The fleeting entanglements, concerns and preoccupations of a celebrated alcoholic writer. Some things are too hard to admit but they can at least be implied. Ames, like any writer worth his salt, can lay himself bare while not revealing everything. His name in the book, afterall, is slightly altered to "Jonathan A." providing poetic license. And, from this experience, Ames is all the better and wiser for it. With the drinking, there also came from it even more writing. As the rest of the Aristotle quote goes, "Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

The title of Katin's memoir refers to her struggle with faith after what she and her mother experienced. That Katin accomplishes this spiritual exploration as well as she does through comics speaks well of her talents and for the comics medium itself. We Are On Our Own proves to be another excellent example of how comics can express our deepest thoughts in highly sophisticated ways.