Graphic Novels for Grown-ups: Part 1

Asterios Polyp

By David Mazzucchelli

This novel tells the story of a man named Asterios Polyp who loses his home and all of his possessions when his apartment building is struck by lightning on his 50^th birthday. (Doesn't he have insurance???) He leaves home on a bus with just the money he has in his wallet. The book chronicles his trip while providing frequent flashbacks to his youth and failed marriage. Although many regard graphic novels as being designed for children and young adults, the story of Asterios Polyp’s journey of self-discovery and remorse is very decidedly grown-up.

The art in this book is fantastic. The color, style and layout are meant to add to the story, rather than just tell the story. Though color is limited and the lines of each drawing are minimal, Mazzucchelli’s drawings are just as instrumental to the narrative as the words and dialog. Perhaps the aspect of the illustrations that I enjoyed the most was the way that Mazzucchelli uses simple, abstract drawings to show personality differences; one person may be drawn in soft flourishes, another in clean, straight lines. The perfect balance of detail and minimalism makes this one of the most enjoyable graphic novels available.

This book is engaging, funny and tragic; it made me hope that the fictional Asterios Polyp would find a way to turn his life around.