Enter the strange world of Nepotism with creator Geoffrey Hawley and his friends and relatives.
Randy:
One of the things you'll find in the small press more than the mainstream is anthologies, not just short story collections by a variety of talent but anthologies that are driven by one talent (usually a writer, sometimes an artist) and collaborations from others. Nepotism, the throughline of which is the writing of Geoffrey Hawley, is one such project.
Don:
Hawley's writing is all about introspection and universal truths. It's challenging, and chances are the reader isn't going to follow all of the writer's points. But I thoroughly enjoyed the greater depth and openness of the material when it comes to interpretation.
Nepotism
written by Geoffrey Hawley
illustrated by Geoffrey Hawley, Russell Hawley, Janet Alexander & Marc Raab
Randy:
I'll be honest, my general inclination in comics is to seek out the entertainment value and the stories above artistic experimentation. However, while Nepotism falls more into the category of artistic expression than straightforward storytelling, Hawley and company do create an engaging book. That's due in no small part to the strength of art here, but Hawley's ideas, even when I'm not completely sure I'm grasping them fully, are definitely intriguing.
Don:
We're on the same page, to be certain, but one has to admit there's also some entertainment value to be found here. I found "Fought Over" to be particularly funny, thanks to the combination of the narration and the plot twist. The nature-documentary tone of the narrative captions gets the reader's guard down, making for a more powerful impact when the humorous -- yet remarkably telling moment of satire dealing with gender issues -- hits.
Randy:
Geoffrey Hawley shows off an impressive range here, actually. His stories run the gamut from dreamlike, silent tale that is more symbolic than anything else to a story of the prehistoric era with an ironic and funny relation to the present to an all-too-brief rumination on child abandonment. And on the flipside of the book, he tells a story of Jorge Luis Borges, an Argentine poet and writer whose influence on Hawley's work is clear in "The Question." This story of a man lost in a labyrinth, meeting his other selves, is a fine tribute to Borges but it also stands alone as perhaps the most engaging story of the bunch. I know this because my own experience with Borges's work is extremely limited, but I still had no trouble picking up on the general themes and thrust of the story.
The strong writing of this piece is accompanied by equally strong artwork. My favorite probably comes from Geoffrey Hawley himself, whose work on "The Labyrinth" calls to mind the iconic work of Scott McCloud in Understanding Comics, and features the most whimsical grim reaper this side of Neil Gaiman. But I was just as enamored of the intricate and strange art of Janet Alexander on "The Question," the realistic work of Russell Hawley on "Fought Over" and the odd but compelling art of Marc Raab on "Birthday Boy."
Don:
The Borges piece was my favorite as well, probably due to the fact that it's the longest and most in-depth piece of the book. Hawley's merging of autobiographical material and fantasy reminded me of Jay Hosler's Sandwalk Adventures, featuring discussions between Charles Darwin and a mite. The Scott McCloud influence here is undeniable, and I find I'm reminded of Hosler's visual style as well (though one could argue that's due to my conceptual comparison).
The diversity of artistic style is one of the strengths of this book. Janet Alexander's cartoony style captures the quiet, innocent and surreal tone of Hawley's story nicely, though I have to admit the purposely ambiguous tone of the piece made it difficult to really delve into the segment. Russell Hawley's richly organic and textured style was a pleasure, as was his design for prehistoric equine creatures. Finally, Raab's work -- reminiscent of Rick (Blanche Goes to Paris) Geary's work and of French cartooning I've seen in the past -- suited the sad, innocent tone of a lonely boy's nightmarish escape from his own isolation.
Randy:
Mind you, while Nepotism features strong talent, it does at times seem more like an exercise in creating comics rather than an exercise in telling stories, and will be of most interest to those with a love for the medium and experimentation as opposed to those simply seeking out fiction and entertainment. "The Question" is a sort of philosophical exploration that raises a lot more questions than it answers, at least in my mind, and both "Fought Over" and "Birthday Boy" are remarkably short. The latter, especially, makes a powerful point but does it in an almost whimsical way that undercuts the nature of the story.
Don:
"The Question" puts forward a simple notion in an unconventional way. While there's not a real plot to speak of, it sparks the reader's to combine imagination with faith and philosophy. "Fought Over" speaks volumes; I found Hawley said plenty even in so limited a space. "Birthday Boy" is obvious but effective as well. Overall, I was surprised by what I found in Nepotism -- a title which transforms a negative word into a positive one -- and I enjoyed exploring different takes on the craft of comics.
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