The Late Child and Other Animals
Fantagraphics
Dec 16, 2014
Web Exclusive
Marguerite Van Cook's semi-autobiography The Late Child and Other Animals offers a stunningly beautiful glimpse of her life and how her early experiences and those of her mother shaped her. It's not the punk poet's first foray into graphic novels, but it is nevertheless a fresh and organic origin story enhanced by the soft watercolor art by James Romberger.
The Late Child begins with Van Cook's mother's experiences in Porstmouth, England during World War II. The title derives from Van Cook's birth due to her mother's affair, years after her husband died. A particularly moving scene illustrates her mother's case to a social welfare board on whether she would be fit to care for her child as a single mother. The panel of old white men is interchanged with giant crows picking at the woman like a worm in the soil. The imagery is powerful on its own merit, but it's merely one part of a story that is as poignant as it is charming. (www.fantagraphics.com)
Author rating: 7/10
Average reader rating: 10/10
Most Recent
- 10 Best Songs of the Week: Weyes Blood, Tamaryn, Wye Oak, Broken Social Scene, and More (News) — Broken Social Scene, Drugdealer, Flock of Dimes, HÆLOS, Jenny Lewis, Julia Jacklin, Madeline Kenney, Maps, Michael Stipe, Rain Phoenix, SASAMI, Songs of the Week, Tacocat, Tamaryn, Telekinesis, Weyes Blood, Wye Oak
- Piroshka Tackle the History of Protest, Brexit, and Phone Addiction in the Video for “What’s Next?” (News) — Elastica, Lush, Moose, Modern English, Piroshka
- Telekinesis - 24 People Hear New Song “A Place in the Sun” For the First Time in New Video (News) — Telekinesis
- Premiere: Criminal Hygiene Share Goofy Video For New Song “Dangers of Convenience” (News) — Criminal Hygiene
- 16th Annual Artist Survey: Ioanna Gika (Interview) — 16th Annual Artist Survey, Io Echo, Ioanna Gika
Comments
Submit your comment
There are no comments for this entry yet.