Another School Yearbook Story
Although autobiographical comix fall in and out of favor, I’ve always found them deeply fascinating. Perhaps, this is because I’m shamelessly nosey about other people’s lives, and creators of autobiographical comics books are often not at all shy about sharing – sometimes even too much information.
Too much information isn’t the case with these middle school Yearbook Stories: It’s a wonder to see how each artist fleshes out Staros’ narratives–delivered as recollections/monologues for the most part, with limited dialogue–and it just makes these stories jump out and grab you by the throat–heartbreakingly or laughably real instead of sitting static on the page.
There are two stories in my elementary school Yearbook Stories. Staros weaves two miniature tales, small vignettes, they’re melancholic, self-effacing but ultimately hopeful tales of awkward youth. Cleverly bound in a faux yearbook cover (it’s the little touches), interspersed with actual photos of Staros in his youth and handily illustrated by Bo Hampton and Rich Tommaso, American Splendor style, with the artist free to interpret and flesh out Staros’ words and bring his characters to rendered life. The first, “The Willful Death of a Stereotype” is a poignant look at a gawky young Staros’ attempt to win his class presidency against a “popular kid,” with a truly shocking twist ending, with understated and delightful storybook style art (which for some reason reminds me of Hank Ketcham’s Dennis the Menace from Hampton).
The second, “The Worst Gig I Ever Had” is an uproarious story of the things a young garage band has to do to get gigs. Tommaso’s angular, American gothic/grotesque grossout artwork fits the tale perfectly, giving it sharp edges and a crude cartoonishness reminiscent of the likes of Angry Youth Comics or Beavis and Butthead, but with a heart of gold. An engrossing, quick, self-contained read. For a mere four smackers? Gold.
