“I get very nervous when the library world is all atwitter over a graphic novel. 9 times out of 10, it’s something that has a very prose-y narrative and usually confronts some sort of issue of difference. Someone living life as a deaf, gay, conjoined twin with a very serious synaesthetic disorder. Something like that.
I’m not shitting on those types of writers or their books. Some of those books are great. Some of them are not. But what I notice is that certain review outlets tend to strongly favor something for existing far outside the world of capes and tights. A comic that doesn’t feature a costume or a secret identity automatically gets a couple extra points from certain reviewers who consider themselves above that sort of playfulness. I’m guessing these people are very good at using words like inasmuch.
The main problem with those reviewers, they tend to judge things differently than I would. For me, the question is “Is this a good comic?”
I always go back to Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home on this one. I just didn’t find it stimulating to my imagination or curiosity, and it left me feeling a bit cold. But it was an Important book, so it got a lot of great reviews and whatnot. Maybe I’m in the vast minority here, but I just didn’t derive any enjoyment from it.
That’s why I was hesitant to start The Encyclopedia of Early Earth. If library review outlets are excited about something, ugh this is sad to say, I almost find myself proportionally less excited.
In this case, THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS WERE RIGHT! They did it! We finally agree! I don’t think this will be a lasting peace. I still have nightmares of being tied to a table and having Nancy Pearl cut me open and pull out my innards while I yell “Freedom” or more likely “Excelsior!” But for now, we’ve found common ground.
This is a really great book. A great read. It reminded me of the kind of stories you used to hear when you were young, the different stories about how the earth came to be, how the seasons changed. Another reason to hate science, by the way. Thunder was a lot more exciting when Thor was involved. And I wouldn’t mind my weather app showing a Ymir’s beard icon when a cold front was blowing in.
At the same time, it’s not boring bullshit either. It doesn’t have a lot of, “Many moons ago…” The writing style, the way the characters talk, it’s a great balance of modern and timeless. The bird god, he’s goddamn hilarious.
On seeing the Tower of Babel: “This is HUBRIS! You know how I feel about hubris.”
Also, a hilarious scene where the Bird God’s son lets it slip that the Bird God’s daughter has been dating a mortal:
“By the way, Kiddo has been shacking up with a human and she’s going to make him into a God.”
[extremely furious bird god face accented by many, many action lines]
This is one of those great graphic novels that I think anyone can enjoy on a number of different levels. Pick it up. Nancy Pearl be damned!
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