Book Review - Where I'm Coming From by Barbara Brandon-Croft

-

Who is underrepresented in the world of daily comics? We can all name the big ones: Peanuts, Garfield, Far From Home, Cathy, For Better or For Worse, that one about the caveman. With few exceptions (The Boondocks / Dykes to Watch Out For), the world of comics is largely cisgendered, and most certainly white. Enter Barbara Brandon-Croft.

But... Wait... What? She entered the scene in 1989? I, and I guess many other people, missed out on this triumphant comic. Entering syndication in 1991, Where I'm Coming From follows the lives of nine different black women. In this compilation, you get the major highlights from the series, while also getting the history of the text, its evolution and its worries. It's the way compilations ought to be made. Give readers context and history and never before seen glimpses! From rejection letters, to worries about the comic's unconventional drawings, this release gives new readers and returning readers something fresh.

What's amazing is the comics relevancy. While there are no doubt some references that feel products of the time (Bush the 1st and Bush the 2nd), the issues they're talking about feel more relevant than ever before. Issues with police brutality, abortion, and critical race theory are not only talked about; they're explored. It's quite stunning considering this is done in a format that wouldn't amount to more than a handful of frames.

Each of the nine women are charming and distinct. Whether it's sharp-tongued Cheryl or the sort-of anti-feminist Sonya, these women bring you into a world that is both eye-opening but also familiar. While they no doubt talk politics, they also spend their days talking about work or gossiping about whomever. It feels like you're in their living room, and that's the magic of Where I'm Coming From. The audience here is universal. But it's also not afraid to pull non-black females out and say, "but also, consider this." It's an achievement of the highest class. 

Good comics provide amusement. Great comics provoke thought. Where I'm Coming From does both. It's timeless. Essential, And maybe one of the most important comics of the last thirty years.

Where I'm Coming From by Barbara Brandon-Croft
Release Date: February 7, 2023
MSRP: $29.99

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

-
Image
I get it. I really do. Barbara Kingsolver's modern envisioning of David Copperfield comes in the form Demon Copperhead. Like David Copperfield , Demon Copperhead takes a look at orphans and the services that are provided and fail them. David Copperfield isn't the only inspiration, this book will give many vibes similar to Beth Mercy's Dopesick as well. That is to say, this is bleak. And it's never not bleak.  Demon is born into poverty, and we see that poverty play out in the most grim of ways. Overdoses, uncaring foster parents, and exploitive child work practices all become mere backdrops. What first becomes harsh and shocking, soon numbs your senses. Kingsolver builds the most disturbing images and then somehow beats you down by showing you something equally grotesque. Characters make bad decision after bad decision, heroes will fail you, and our main character Demon is on the receiving end of all of it. It's overwhelming. And fascinating. For the first 300 pag
Read more

Audible Review - Dykes to Watch Our For

-
Image
From 1983 to 2008, Alison Bechdel's suburban sapphists gave us the foundations of much of our queer representation. Will & Grace, The L Word and Queer as Folk can all attribute their foundations to Bechdel's comic strip. In 2020, The Essential Dykes to Watch Our For was released, and became my own personal obsession. Since then rumors swirled about a Netflix show, but as of 2023, nothing.  Thankfully, this June (for Pride month) Audible released Dykes to Watch Our For, reenvisioned into 20 minute sitcom-like episodes. The translation feels impossible. How does a comic, an almost strictly visual medium, translate to an audio only sans any visuals? The answer: effortlessly. Through both sharp written scripts and outstanding voice acting, Dykes to Watch Out For comes alive. Each character you know and love, whether it's Mo, Lois, Clarice, or the many others, sound exactly as you would imagine. Performances feel emphatic and funny. Meanwhile, the narrator is none other tha
Read more

Book Review - Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

-
Image
Yellowface is my kind of read. It has everything I want. Good writing. Great characters. And a page turning plot. It's also, at times, laugh out loud funny, and it is never--even in it's less than perfect second half--boring for a moment.  The story revolves June Hayward, an author who has achieved virtually no success, and her friendly acquaintance Athena Liu, a literary bestselling tour-de-force author. When an unfortunately (and entirely insane) accidental death occurs to Athena while they are celebrating in Athena's apartment, June steals her manuscript. Our protagonist, June Hayward, then goes on to rewrite and sell Athena's work as her own. Of course, this all spirals out of control as June's paranoia and twitter's unrelenting trolls drag this brand new bestselling author.  At the heart of the story is plagiarism, but this story also raises the questions of who gets to tell what story. Does June have the right to tell the story of Chinese immigrants, even
Read more