Blankets

[leez34]

Story, pencils, inks, and letters: Craig Thompson

GRADE: A+

Definitely one of the top 10% of comics I've read, and honestly, it's up there with Watchmen, DKR, Sandman, and the rest of the industry's most highly respected books.

Craig Thompson really lets you into his soul here in a story of his first love. It covers how a very Christian child deals with lustful thoughts, the love between brothers, the problems in long-distance relationships...things everyone thinks about but aren't often discussed. Thompson paints a beautiful, quiet portrait of an outcast child's life in Central Wisconsin (word up, C!).

I can't possibly recommend this enough. Thirty dollars is nothing compared to what you'll be getting in return. I guarantee you'll read it again and again.

[Morolian]

I agree completely with leez on this one. This book ranks up there as one of the best comics that I've read, but also as an amazing work that could not function without its beautiful synergy between art and story. Thompson, through this book, places himself among the masters of cartooning.

This is a book that I recommend to anyone who enjoys comics as an artform, even if you normally only read superheroes, but also as something to loan to people who would never pick up a comic in their life. It physically looks more like a book (due to how thick it is) and tells a mature story on level with anything in a traditonal novel. This is probably enough to get them to want to read more comics (I'd recommend Maus next).

A+

[Caramuru]

It's a wonderful book. Thompson is very honest about his feelings and he translates them into the story really well, without over-emphasizing them, making them corny or sentimental. The story itself is compelling while keeping away from becoming too dramatic and offering easy solutions or moral judgements. It's a simple story avoiding easy "traps." The whole thing rings so true to life while allowing room for stylish artwork and real eloquent "pauses." This story is so well-balanced all around between themes of maturity and innocence, love and sadness, longing and letting things go.

A+

[Mrs. Newsarama]

I have to tell you, Matt had a review copy laying around and at first I thought "Jeez that's a big book!"

I picked it up just to flip through it and 3 hours later told him if he hadn't read it yet, he better do it first thing and then interview this guy.

This book is amazing!

ShariB

[leez34]

Does anyone know how I can get in contact with Craig Thompson? A mailing address, perhaps? I really feel the need to talk to him, which I've never done before...

[Act of Thought]

I've been debating whether I want to read this and you just put me over the edge (although I will probably wait until summer when I have 3 hours of uninterupted time).

Since we have this nifty new review section I wonder if anyone would post a review of Goodbye, Chunky Rice, Craig Thompson's other long form work. Its also been on my maybe list for along time and I would like to hear some opinions.

[MatthewSmith]

Originally posted by Mrs. Newsarama
I have to tell you, Matt had a review copy laying around and at first I thought "Jeez that's a big book!"

I picked it up just to flip through it and 3 hours later told him if he hadn't read it yet, he better do it first thing and then interview this guy.

This book is amazing!

ShariB

Well, if Mrs. Newsarama likes it, I guess I should get then.

[JK Parkin]

Originally posted by leez34
Does anyone know how I can get in contact with Craig Thompson? A mailing address, perhaps? I really feel the need to talk to him, which I've never done before...

I felt the same way after reading this book. I wanted to send him an email or something and find out what happened next, if he ever saw her again, etc. It's a real testimony to the power of this book.

I don't know what I could add that hasn't been said. This is the measuring stick for graphics storytelling.

A+

[Godfather]

leez, can I borrow yours :)

[leez34]

No! I'm buying Rex Mundi - you buy Blankets. You'll be glad you did.

[Godfather]

Originally posted by leez34
No! I'm buying Rex Mundi - you buy Blankets. You'll be glad you did.

Time to go on Half.com!

[Skyldt]

thats another 30 bucks.

[MattMurdock]

I got it last December, and since then I've given it to most all of my friends, my English teacher, and just a bunch of people to read. It's just so good.

[Armoured Gideon]

A

Just got this yesterday (finally - thanks for the wait, Amazon) and it nearly had me in tears because it so vividly stirred up the memories for me of when I got together with my first love. Brilliantly understated and easy to relate to. I'm levaing this on the coffee table for those friends and family who think the X-Men cartoon encapsulates comics.

***SPOILER***

The scene in which Craig and Raina first lock eyes and timidly push back their hair was magical. I stared at that for a good while. Likewise the scene in which he says goodbye. Now thats bravery.

[Christian Otte]

I think I might lack experience with life, because while I find that it was very good with some touching moments, it's just not worthy of the hype it has received. It's a major achievement by Craig Thompson, there's no doubt about that, but it just didn't do the thing for me.

[Supreme Convoy]

Blankets is an incredible book, it's beautifully written and drawn. It's something you would want to give someone who's not into superhero, even a girlfriend might enjoy as a present. Although I enjoyed Box Office Poison, another giant book, even more Blankets is still a great read. If you have $30 to burn, burn it on Blankets.

[TheFoo]

FYI: Buy.com (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=33831590&loc=106&sp=1) has it for $20.00. I think I might get it, with a few other things...

[Michael Eidson]

Originally posted by Act of Thought
Since we have this nifty new review section I wonder if anyone would post a review of Goodbye, Chunky Rice, Craig Thompson's other long form work. Its also been on my maybe list for along time and I would like to hear some opinions. Well, it's not even in the same league as Blankets. It's a good story, a little weird, a little kooky, but still touching and poignant. Worth reading, but again, don't expect it to be of the same caliber.

July will be very exciting for Craig Thompson fans. He's teaming up with James Kochalka to do Top Shelf Conversations, described as a conversation/argument. Sounds very interesting. Then there's the soundtrack to Blankets and Carnet de Voyage, a travelogue with notes and sketches done while researching his next major GN. Yeah!

[Michael Eidson]

Originally posted by Christian Otte
I think I might lack experience with lifeRookie.

[Aquaboy]

good review. every chance i get i praise this book on this site. gorgeous artwork. period.

[abraxis]

i just fininshed reading it last night. what a great goddam book.
i don't think a comic book has ever evoked that kind of a response from me.
it really makes you wanna scream at all those fuckers that did craig wrong. take your pick, there's plenty to choose from.
and what the fuck was the deal with raina? that just knocked me over, even though craig was foreshadowing the breakup long before it actually occurred.
does anyone know if he ever talked to her again?
that part at the end when the dude painted over the drawing craig did on raina's wall...that shit got me.

[Aquaboy]

from an interview i read, craig has yet to recontact the girl who raina was based on. it's good to know that he's made some amazing closure with her and that aspect of his past/childhood.

[James W. Powell]

If anyone is interested, we're having a book club discussion on BLANKETS starting on May 16th. I'd love to have all of you join the discussion.

Click here for information. (http://www.paperbackreader.com/bookclub.htm)

[James W. Powell]

Anyone who's into this book should check out the pbr reading group discussion (http://www.paperbackreader.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1355#1355). It's now live and I think it would be great to hear more insight.

Thanks.

[punkmonkey]

Well, I just got done reading BLANKETS in one sitting!!
What an exhilarating yet depressing and beautifully illustrated book!
It's a true shame that Craig had turned his back on his faith, but it seems that his faith wasn't all that strong in the first place considering the taint that his parents and that church put on his spiritual life. Tremendously overbearing Christian parents often do much more harm than good, and that certainly seems to be the case here. As a result of all the anxiety and pain this skewed Christianity his parents presented caused him, his examination and exploration into the truths of scripture seem to be tainted with a subconscious desire to disprove and tear down anything that would affirm his faith. You can study and seek knowledge one of three ways: you either go into it looking to reaffirm what you already think you know, to find "errors" to lend credence to your doubts, or with a genuine open mind and desire to learn and examine. I think because of Craig's upbringing he went looking for "answers" that would allow him to finally turn his back once and for all on this "faith" that had caused him so much pain. And for that, his parents will have to answer.

Of course, you have to realize that there may have been plenty of "dramatic enhancements" or exaggerations, or memories altered by the passage of time and build up of emotion. I came from an abusive home and if I were to create an autobiographical book like this, my presentation of some events would appear very different from the way they actually happened. After all, do you know any teenagers who speak as poetically as Craig and Raina did?

This was an especially poignant read, because Craig and I were born the same year and there were many parallels between his story and mine. I had a very similar "first love" experience (except it happened in college instead of high school), and similar parents. The way Craig behaved at and reacted to Church Camp was like looking in a mirror -- except I never encountered such vulgarity from any of the kids at my church camps. I didn't allow the mistakes and misrepresentation of my parents and others to turn me away from Christianity. As they say, the biggest problem with Christianity is Christians. It's not the faith that's at fault, it's the followers. Because Christianity provides the seemingly easiest answers to salvation and forgiveness, it often attracts simple minds that cannot comprehend or even desire to explore the many complexities and facets of the faith. Thus, they remain ignorant and their "faith" is forever tainted in the eyes of outsiders.

I'm sure I've opened up a whole can of worms here, but BLANKETS has really caused me to think and ruminate on my past and I'm sure I'll be dwelling on it for days (the sign of a really good book, by the way). Just wanted to drop in a few of my thoughts here.

[Mott]

A+

I can't even say enough about this book. It actually inspired me to write after I put it down.

I bought it because of all of you who gave it a huge recommend on this board.

Beautiful art and story telling. It had me laughing at times, pissed off at times because of the way that he was treated and even sad at times. and I have never felt sad over a comic before after 12 years of reading.

DAmn fine read. Nothing like it. Don't buy beers for a couple of weeks if you have to save the money to buy it. well worth it.

[bigmentalross]

Originally posted by Mott
It had me laughing at times, pissed off at times because of the way that he was treated and even sad at times. and I have never felt sad over a comic before after 12 years of reading.

Maybe you've just been reading the wrong comics? :(

[Godfather]

Just checked this out from the library! :)

[punkmonkey]

Originally posted by Godfather
Just checked this out from the library! :)

That's where I got my copy from -- and isn't it great we were able to find such a gem of a comic in a library?

[Auron]

BLANKETS

“How satisfying it is to leave a mark on a blank surface. To make a map of my movement---no matter how temporary.”

This is the single best comic story I’ve ever read.

That’s a bold statement, considering I’ve probably racked up over a thousand by now. Blankets is a story of life. It’s about parents and their children, and children and their siblings. It’s about love and loss and hope and faith and obsession, and if you fail to shed a tear while reading, it’s probably a medical condition. By the time you put it down, you’ll likely be remembering bits of your own life that were previously forgotten. Something in here has happened to all of us. We’ve shared a room with a sibling. We’ve wasted time longing for something we can’t have. We’ve learned the hard way that life and love don’t always work out. But the beauty of Blankets is not that we can relate, it’s that Thompson connects the threads of his story with all those wonderful and horrible little memories. They’re the ones that don’t matter to anyone but us, the ones that we see from our own distorted point of view when we look back. There is a scene where Craig, our main character, returns to his old home for the first time in quite a while. Everything is the same, and it’s all different. When I was in early grade school, the entryway to my school was like a cave, gaping, waiting to suck me in. I left when I was nine and didn’t see that place again until I was 21. It was so small, and all the intimidation was gone. Anyone who’s been in a similar situation knows it’s hard to describe the feeling, but here it is captured perfectly.

The childhood scenes of the book are spaces between the love story. That story is so true to life that you can appreciate it, whoever you are. When Craig and Raina first meet, the emotions at play jump off the page so powerfully that I had to stop reading and just think about my own memories for a while. Craig’s longing for Raina mirrors the longing all of us have at some point for happiness through another person, and his turmoil over his faith is a reminder that if answers were easy, there wouldn’t be any point to asking questions. In a powerful metaphor, fire represents major choices made in Craig’s life, as when he turns his back on his drawings for the sake of his faith and burns them all. It shares time with the almost constant blanket of snow, covering the ground as well as memories both painful and joyous.

The people around Craig are also brilliantly represented. The way adults treat children as if they have no idea what they should think, or that they shouldn’t question authority is timeless. His relationship with his brother is well done, and acknowledges the ways people change.

Simply put, this is an achingly beautiful work of art. The poetry of life is one to which we all adhere. For anyone who’s ever lost or gained at love or life, this is a must read. If you like comics, it’s a must-read. If you don’t, it’s a must-read. You’ll be thinking about it for a long time to come.
10/10
A++ (+?)