Catch-up Post 3: Comics for Adults (Four by Gilbert Hernandez)

Gilbert Hernandez is pondering life beyond his fictional town of Palomar in these four graphic novels.   Having written several trade paperbacks focused on Luba, the hammer-wielding mayor of Palomar, these recent titles shift attention to Luba's half-sister Fritz.  I don't mind Fritz, but she isn't a character I'm particularly fascinated by, and I miss the magic realism of Palomar.

High Soft Lisp

• The story of Fritz, her multiple marriages and b-movie film career.    

Chance in Hell

•  A standalone story.  When I read it I hadn't realized that it's a fictional movie with Fritz in a small non-speaking role.  The story is bloody and inconclusive.  A small child referred to as "The Empress" lives in a garbage dump until a man takes her home to give her a better life.  We see her as a cynical, violent adolescent, then jump ahead to her adulthood.  She is inscrutable, showing little emotion or connection to any other people.  It is difficult to get attached to a character like this.  Not one of my favourites from Hernandez.

The Troublemakers

• Another film starring Fritz, this time in a major role.  A handful of con artists try to trick each other out of a pool of money.  I'm not terribly fond of stories where everyone is out to get everyone else and no one knows who is on their side and who is betraying them.  Consequently, I'm lukewarm on this title.

Speak of the Devil

•  A third comic version of an imaginary movie that I would never watch.  Voyeurism and senseless murder without enough character developmen to explain why a teenaged girl would act this way.  Perhaps if I were a fan of slasher movies I'd get more out of this.  At least the art is as beautiful as ever even if the story isn't to my taste.