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TRUE STORY, SWEAR TO GOD: 100 STORIES trade paperback
Highly Recommended (10/10)
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AiT/Planet Lar
Writer/Artist: Tom Beland
Price: $9.95 US |
Though I love Tom Beland's story of romance that defines his True Story regular series, my first introduction to his work was in the form of his mini-comics, which told stories from a variety of aspects of his life. The linking element of 99% of these stories was that they were funny, in many cases very funny, and it was that sense of humor, as much as Beland's ability to tug at the heartstrings, that made me a follower of his work. So I'm glad to see AIT/Planet Lar giving us "Beland: The Early Years" in the form of 100 Stories, which reprints 100 (I think, I didn't hand-count or anything) of Beland's mini-comic strips. Beland's strips are as approachable and polished as your average daily newspaper strip, with the key difference that it's actually funny, unlike so many strips today. 100 Stories is a book that I can recommend not just to comics fans, but to any and all people they know, as Beland's brand of approachable, day-to-day humor can snag even a casual reader and make them laugh.
100 Stories isn't just a reprint of Beland's mini-comics, of course. I'm not entirely sure I've seen all of these strips before, and while that's partially down to my rotten memory, it helps that the book is organized into chapters. I'm not sure who came up with the groupings, whether it was Beland himself or one of the folks at AIT/Planet Lar, but whoever did it was wise to do so. The thematic chapter breaks, which have such inclusive titles as "Life," "Animals," "Family" and "Food" help to make the book feel like more than just a collection of random observations, but instead like a glimpse into Beland's worldview.
The big selling point of 100 Stories, however, is different from the selling point of True Story, Swear to God in general. While Beland's honesty and infectious love for his wife are the key factors making TSSTG such a compelling read, the big selling point of 100 Stories is that it's funny. And I'm talking laugh out loud, embarrass yourself while you're reading it funny. I don't want to spoil any laughs or give everything away, even if I could, but I will say that things like a friend's mishap with a crab, the "pet coke" and Beland's recollection of various comic conventions are some of my favorites.
While 100 Stories will make you laugh, however, it isn't just a funny book. Beland's love for Lily provides him with a strong element to hang his True Story books on, but it's clear in reading the section on families that he has just as much material and affection for his family, both those who are still with him and, perhaps most notably, his mother and father, both of whom died when he was relatively young. Beland can play tragedy without making it too dark, and can often make you laugh even as he makes you cry. The story of the food stamps was a terrific example, a funny gag that sticks with me because of how a child views the world, but which has a sad story behind it.
I love True Story, Swear to God... it's one of my favorite books. But if Beland were to hold a vote amongst his readers to decide if he should continue with the regular book or restart these strips, I don't know if I could make a decision. 100 Stories offers up some of Beland's best and funniest work, and makes both a great companion piece to the Chances Are... trade paperback or a good starting point from which to experience his talents.
This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
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