MADreads

Who knows best?

June 11th, 2008 Molly - Central

I have certainly wasted my fair share of time reading tabloid magazines.  When I dip into an issue of “Hollywood’s Best and Worst Bodies” I know what to expect.  The photos may be doctored and privacy may be invaded, snarky commentary will be provided by comedians and/or celebrity stylists and the following week enraged publicists will fight back with new, better than ever photos of their wronged, misrepresented clients.   

With Hall of Best Knowledge by Ray Fenwick, an offshoot of the graphic novel that has been described as a typographical comic, I didn’t know what to expect.  Was I reading a humorous journal, a genius diatribe, the homemade zine of an egomaniacal ranter or a cleverly crafted piece of art? 

Fenwick sets up each page as its own mini lecture on a specific topic, like beauty or crying or theatre.  Each page is lavishly illustrated and commentary is provided, not unlike “Hollywood’s Best and Worst Bodies”, but I wasn’t sure what to make of it.  Who is the narrator lecturing?  How smart is he, really?  Some of the stuff is funny.  Some, perplexing.  Some, rather sad.  And you find out quite a way in that there is an actual mini-story woven throughout the pages. 

Then it all starts to come together.  And I pay more attention.  At the very end, it all makes sense.  But don’t peek at the end.  You’d be cheating yourself and the story.  Because it’s so much more fulfilling than a tabloid.  It’s positively genius.

Entry Filed under: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction