The Sculptor

Reviewed by: Bernie Alie - Kennebunk Free Library, Kennebunk ME, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 11, 2015

Review

A down-on-his-luck sculptor makes a deal with death. In exchange for a lasting name, "the other David Smith" has 200 days to live. The next day, he discovers he no longer needs tools to create the sculptures he envisions. Using his hands, he can make granite splash like mud, and he gets giddy with the excitement of creating fantastical images.

Despair remains close, as he continues to face rejection from galleries, loses his home, and spends time on the streets. Glimmers of hope return when he meets Meg, and she takes him in, both physically and emotionally. Eventually, he takes his art to the streets, creating larger-than-life guerrilla sculptures using buildings and sidewalk concrete.

Monochromatic illustrations in shades of blue, black and white illuminate this tale that is part love story, part commentary on the integrity and competitiveness of the art world. Hope and despair are juxtaposed next to each other, at times in neighboring panels. Lovemaking scenes and intimate bathroom scenes reserve this title for older readers.

McCloud is known for his books, Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics and Making Comics. Here, we see the master at work. Sensitive readers and those struggling to find their way in life will relate well with David. Artists and readers familiar with McCloud's ground-breaking nonfiction will welcome his return to graphic novel fiction.

Overall Book Score: very good