The Art of the Graphic Memoir

November 1, 2018

Hart (director, Sequential Arts Workshop, FL; "Hutch Owen" series) shares what he's learned through teaching as well as creating his acclaimed graphic memoir Rosalie Lightning in this guide filled with prompts and practical examples that assist readers in writing, drawing, and telling their stories. Technique and style, both that of the author and other visual artists, are explored in great detail, as is the importance of attention and practice. Readers are challenged to do more than observe and are encouraged to see and study experiences and relationships in new ways. A recommended reading section offers a list of graphic memoirs and drawing books for further research. VERDICT Hart's thoughtful instruction will appeal to aspiring comics and storytellers as well as those looking to strengthen their practice. [Previewed in Jody Osicki's "Graphically Speaking," LJ 6/15/18.]{amp}mdash;Faithe Ruiz, Coll. of Central Florida, Ocala

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 24, 2018
This how-to from cartoonist Hart (Rosalie Lightning) ably sets its readers on the path to creating graphic memoirs, partly by tracing how the author made his own. Hart offers plenty of examples of other artists’ work, accompanied by practical suggestions for beginners. Most affecting, however, are Hart’s personal reflections on how the death of his young daughter affected his art practice, as he had to change his typically humorous style—“characters with big noses and big feet”—to approach the subject. He feels the resulting drawings fell short, but still hopes that the “desperation” and “struggle” expressed in them is visible to the reader. Not only does this frankness lend credence to Hart’s advice, but it comes across as a quality one might find in an actual memoir, and not just a manual to writing one. If there is one drawback it’s, ironically for a book from a visual artist, the crowded and sometimes messy visual style, which juxtaposes Hart’s instructional text against large reproductions of graphic memoir panels, themselves filled with ample text. Nonetheless, his sincere investment in the topic shines through on every page, bolstering the case that the process of writing one’s memoirs in graphic form is both artistically viable and personally rewarding. Agent: Meg Thompson, Thompson Literary Agency.