‘The Journey’, by Paco Roca
A key issue that is almost certain to become Paco Roca’s defining hallmark is his ongoing crusade in favor of memory, and how memory builds a narrative that is sometimes personal and sometimes collective. For those of us who are always hungry for novelty, trapped in the quest for surprise and constant innovation, our instincts tell us, at first glance, that there is nothing of the sort to be found here. But that is a mirage.
In ‘The Journey’ we come up against an intimate and very personal story, even though Roca had already offered plenty of meat in earlier installments. In ‘Back to Eden’, reconstructing his mother’s childhood, in ‘Memories of a Man in Pajamas’ with his day-to-day life told in a humorous key, or in ‘The House’, dealing with his father’s death. This new work is a graphic novel centered on romantic relationships, anchored in memories and everyday conversations. The plot focuses on Fran, its protagonist, and how he traverses the initial pain of the breakup. With memory as an ally, he gradually moves toward acceptance, to finally rebuild his life. 8.3.
‘Outline’, by Michèle Fischels
One of the keys to understanding this first work by the German illustrator isn’t the immediate emotion. The silences, both of the characters and of the environments, leave a final, strangely disconcerting aftertaste that can give the sense of having understood nothing. Yet, once the reading is absorbed, the narration reflects an internal disorientation that connects directly with the transition from youth to adulthood. Its three protagonists experience this stage as they finish high school, with friendships evolving in their behavior with first loves and the inevitable beginner mistakes.
With a slow pace, incomplete drawing, a sketchy style as suggested by its title, and a muted autumnal color palette, the underlying tension is palpable. Everything is ready to explode unexpectedly at the slightest spark, mirroring that uncertainty so typical of adolescence, which threatens to ruin the false calm that silences convey deceitfully. 7.5.
‘Charity and Sylvia’, by Tillie Walden
Tillie Walden narrates the true story of a lesbian romance from the early 19th century in rural, Puritan Vermont. Today, well into the 21st century and facing the rollback of established rights or attempts at demonization, her account astonishes in two ways: first, for the high level of acceptance for the era despite a rough start; and second, for debunking the theory that LGBTQ+ diversity is a modern passing trend.
Setting aside Walden’s ability to convey complex emotions through simplicity, as she has demonstrated in ‘Piruetas’ or ‘Are You Listening?’, her research through letters, diaries and poems leaves a deep empathy for all the characters. 8.
‘Sweet Trash’, by Kayla E.
Kayla E.’s traumatic childhood, born in Texas but with Mexican roots, was marked by poverty, her family’s religious fanaticism, and her brother’s sexual abuse. Through a candid drawing and basic, low-chroma colors, the author introspectively explores domestic abuse, the surrounding silence in the supposed safe environment, and the lasting impact on her identity.
If such a stark synopsis and a drawing in gentle tones don’t short-circuit the reader’s brain, it’s because the dialogues and narration overflow with a dark, brave, and bold humor, sustained by an overwhelming dignity. The work echoes the famous line by Leopoldo María Panero in the legendary documentary ‘The Disenchantment’ (Jaime Chávarri, 1976), which has just reached its 50th anniversary: “Humor is the last resort against total despair, the only way not to go completely crazy in a world that is already that way.” 7.8.
