Lost At Sea (Graphic Novel)

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The general idea of Lost At Sea

I am a big fan of Scott Pilgrim.  I really was blown away by the film.  The film led me to the popular graphic novels written by Bryan Lee O'Malley.  The 6 novels were even more astonishing.  The way O'Mally was able to incorporate so many '90s references while creating an epic love story out of mundane settings was so unique and masterful.  So I've been paying attention to O'Malley and any other work he has.  I bought 'Lost at Sea' as a Christmas gift for a friend, knowing I would be able to borrow it eventually.  Well the time came and I made the call.  While sitting in Dallas Fort Worth Airport during a last minute business trip, I was able to read this whole book in one sitting.  This was the highlight during my one day in Dallas.  

'Lost at Sea' follows Raleigh as she is on a road trip from California to Canada.  On board with her are some classmates from her high school days - Stephanie, Dave and Ian.  They were never really close in high school but random chance and a random phone call brought these four together.  The book follows Raleigh as she sits in the back seat, watching the scenery go by while she dissects every minute of her life.  She randomly introduces parts of her life in no particular order, as if Tarantino were cutting the movie about her.  We learn about how she has no soul and how she may have lost it.  Raleigh explains how cats are following her everywhere she goes and that she has no clue way.  All of these snippets are the small parts of the book but help explain the big point.

Good - I really enjoyed this book, though in not the way I expected.  As mentioned above, I read this book with Scott Pilgrim in mind.  With that said, this book is devoid of the over the top jokes and ridiculous situations from Scott Pilgrim.  Instead, we are treated with slice-of-life sincerity from the eyes of an unsure teenager.  Raleigh cracks jokes that get the whole car roaring, but we sit there with her trying to figure out what's so funny.  'Lost At Sea' presents a moment in Raleigh's life, a key moment.  She doesn't necessarily turn into an adult by the end of the novel, but she finds her way.  She finds a way to deal with the insane, mundane nature of life.  She learns things aren't as bad as they are. This book really brings back that time in your life that you weren't sure about anything, even who you were. The emotion that is conveyed is both subtle and palatable.  O'Malley did an amazing job making the reader feel everything Raleigh was going through, from turmoil to triumph. 

Check out Lost At Sea on Wikipedia

Bad - I couldn't find anything wrong with this book.  The art is cute and fun, especially the attention to detail in terms of the fashions of the characters.  The length I felt was appropriate to the subject.  Everything about 'Lost At Sea' was spot on here. 

Overall -  This book is a solid read for anyone and everyone.  For Scott Pilgrim fans, its a nice change of pace from the outlandishness O'Malley infused into his first series.  For readers clueless about Scott, you are still in for a heartfelt journey with Raleigh.  For anyone whose every felt unsure or lost, 'Lost At Sea' is a great reminder that in the end, everything will be okay. 

Review: Marvels (GN)

After reading Kingdom Come,  I was very eager to read the Marvel equivalent.  Marvels was the answer to that.  I had originally bought this for my friend as a Christmas gift.  He finally let me borrow it and it as worth the wait.
Marvels follows Phil Sheldon, a young man in the beginning his life and career as a photographer.  He is faced with the choice of leaving to cover WWII.  Unexpectedly, he decides to stay in NYC, following a hunch that greater things are to be seen in his home town.  Soon he finds himself witnessing the Torch escaping the cement prison he is entombed in.  Later on, a battle engulfs the city between the Torch and Namor, the Sub-Mariner. Phil begins to see how quickly the public can turn its opinion so quickly.  The books goes on as Phil is there to witness first hand the rise of the mutant menace, the attack of Galactus, and the new era of heroes.
Likes - First off, the art is done by Alex Ross.  If you aren't excited, read more comics!
The story was really fascinating.  For once, we see the world  of Marvel through the eyes of a man, an everyday man, Phil Sheldon.  We see him as we see everyone else at the beginning.  During the unveiling of the Torch, he falls into wonder, awe, and fear.  Later on, the Torch proves himself to be a champion of justice and a creature of virtue.  Soon, mutants begin coming to light.  This was the best part of the story.  Phil plays into the fear of mutants, the normal reaction at the time.  In the same day, events both professional and personal persuade Phil to see things in a different light.  Phil is us, showing us how easy it is to follow the mob and showing us the logic that we all need to follow.  Following Phil is as exciting as seeing Spider-Man foil any caper.  Phil grows so much, you can't help root for him.

Dislikes - I can't really point anything out that I didn't dislike.  This was a solid piece of work.

Overall - This was an amazing introspection into the Marvel Universe. A great read, especially for long time Marvel fans.  You see first hand what life would be like living in a world of "Marvels".  More so, we see Phil grow as a person.  From overcoming his fear of the Marvels, to understanding the reality of mutants, to recognizing that failure even comes to a super hero.  Marvels not only provides a slice of life in an amazing era, it also shows us a man becoming the person he needs to be.  That is the biggest thing you can take away from reading this graphic novel.