Two-in-One Review: Me and Edith Head Costume design, self-esteem and the effects of divorce intersect in Sara Ryan and Steve Lieber's Me and Edith Head. And Don and Randy intersect in order to review it. Randy: Though Steve Lieber has done plenty of work for Marvel and DC, for me he'll always have that "indy cool" about him because his work first blew me away on Oni's Whiteout. Me and Edith Head is something of a return to form, a 16-page mini-comic illustrated by Lieber and written by his wife, novelist Sara Ryan. Don: This short story, originally published in Cicada magazine, boasts a universal, slice-of-life appeal. It's a delightful story of teenage alienation that's bound to connect with just about any reader one can imagine. If you get a chance to pick this mini-comic up from Lieber at the cons this year, be sure to take advantage of the opportunity. You won't regret it. Me and Edith Head written by Sara Ryan illustrated by Steve Lieber Don: Katrina Lansdale isn't happy with her life. Her parents are fighting all the time, and she doesn't fit in at school, since she doesn't give a toss about what she wears. She ends up being responsible for the school play's costuming, which turns out to be less of a mismatch than anyone might have originally thought. Randy: Me and Edith Head is a young girl's coming of age story, and it's a perfect example of the kind of comics that are impossible to sell to the direct-market "mainstream" but, paradoxically, exactly the kind of story comics could use more of to be taken seriously. This has more in common with Are You There God?, It's Me Margaret than From Hell, and it's more likely to appeal to fans of The Gilmore Girls than Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Given that the book is so short, I'm amazed at the depth of character and the strength of the plot, which is as good an example of a life-changing event as any you'll read. Ryan builds up the relationship between Katrina and the other people in her life, including her parents, her peers and her mentor/teacher figure, in relatively little space, but I felt like the relationships were realistic and nuanced nonetheless. In addition, the changes that Katrina undergoes here, becoming less introverted and more confident and also going from someone who sewed her thumb to her home economics project to someone who can create a cool outfit out of castaway clothes, seem like a natural outgrowth of the story. I'd really love to see what Ryan would do with more room to work, because she shows an impressive mastery of the short story for a comics newcomer. Don: The reason that there's such a striking depth to Katrina is simple: the reader can easily find him- or herself in her. That sense of teenage angst, of isolation, of invisibility... we've all experienced it in one way or another. And anyone who's been exposed to the process behind amateur theatre will recognize the chaos of costuming that lurks in a musty room somewhere far behind the stage. Randy: I can't recall seeing a story where I felt like Lieber was not meshing with his collaborator, so it's no surprise that his artwork is so perfect for this story either. As someone who did his share of theatre in high school, I found the details of the costume room and the stage to be absolutely perfect, and Lieber does some great work with the fashions and costumes as well. Several of the gags rely on being able to convey a fashion faux pas to an audience that may not be instinctively fashion savvy, and Lieber's pictures of purposefully bad costumes are usually worth a chuckle or two to the reader as well as to the characters. Don: Lieber's firing on all cylinders here. He's channelling Jill Thompson, Linda Medley and Charless Vess, but chiefly, it's his own unique, down-to-earth style that shines. His realistic backgrounds help bring the story to life as well. Perhaps what's most impressively visually is that if one is familiar with Lieber's work, one is struck by the versatility of his art. He's known for his darker, grittier storytelling, but here, there's a soft, more everyday tone to his work. Perhaps the key to Me and Edith Head's success is that Ryan is tapping into one moment in a person's life, a moment we all share. For me, the moment came when I discovered the school paper at university, when I realized that I could make a fulfilling living at a keyboard. I see that same epiphany and relief in Katrina here. You'll want to experience the moment as well. Trust me. For more information about Me and Edith Head , visit www.unrewarding.com. Email Randy and Don comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.