Blankets by Craig Thompson

Comic books have come a long way, but I'm not sure I ever thought they would come to this: 592-page graphic novels that are both compelling reads and artistic gems. I probably wouldn't buy them for myself, but I'm open to reading more for their unique contribution to the literary world.

The story is semi-autobiographical, utilizing the author's first name and (presumedly) those of his brother and other family members. Apparently, Thompson's childhood experience with Christianity was a fairly legalistic one, complete with trite cliches, shallow teaching, and "do as I say, not as I do" behavior. This had a big effect on Thompson's youth, and it manifested itself as he grew older, despite his desire to walk with God as best he knew.

As with many of us, who we're around (particularly in our teen years) tends to influence us for better or for worse. Craig's problem wasn't so much that he was around the wrong people; it was that he wasn't really around anyone; thus, his actions, thoughts, and behaviors went relatively unchecked and unexamined.

That is, until he meets Raina. Because of her, Craig begins to re-evaluate his existence, taking into consideration anew his abilities (obviously, he has quite a gift for illustration), and beginning to ask bigger questions about why and what to do with who he is. In the midst of this new awakening, he falls in love, wrestles with his lust, and works through more of his insecurities that have accumulated over the years.

The thing I liked most about Blankets was its painful honesty and powerful storytelling (having the narrative wrapped up in brilliant illustrations really is a helpful way to make a message come to life). The characters are interesting, the storyline believeable, and the questions raised real and hard to answer. Best (and worst) of all (like everyone else, I like a good ending), the book doesn't wrap up in a nice, neat little package, but instead ends rather agnostically, but still with enough hope that with another round of evaluation, Craig will come to see and embrace truth again.

Perhaps my only real critique about Thompson's work is that I would have called the book something else. While I understand how it got called Blankets, it didn't seem the best connecting point. But as a whole (and as my first illustrated novel/comic - whichever), Thompson's efforts served as a good introduction to an interesting (and powerful) genre.