Comic Review: Frogcatchers

Frogcatchers

Gallery 13

Writer & Artist: Jeff Lemire

SPOILER FREE.

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Jeff Lemire has once again delivered another slice of graphic novel brilliance. For years now Lemire has firmly established himself as one of the most versatile writers/artists in the comics industry; masterfully working on everything ranging from superhero stories at both Marvel and DC to his own independently-created projects via much smaller publishers. FROGCATCHERS is one of these projects.

I won’t say much about the plot (or anything at all for that matter) because that would reveal too much and this is a story that would be best going into as blind as possible. Instead, in this short review, I will focus on its artistic merits and the general aura that is found throughout.

At only 112 pages, Frogcatchers is a pretty fast read that can be finished in only one sitting. But for such a short length however, the material leaves a strong impression. To start, the majority of the pages are drawn in an unrefined, simplistic manner that resembles preliminary sketches instead of fully realized artwork. Even the dialogue forgoes traditional comic lettering and instead chooses a style that could be best described as rushed pencil notes; without a single care for straight lines.  All of these traits give the story a very distinct dreamlike flow; as if everything is coming together quickly on the spot instead of being meticulously pre-planned. Some readers might find this aspect disappointing if they are looking for more “life” in the pages but I think this decision rightfully matches the type of story being told. But again, I can’t expand on this more to avoid spoiling anything. Most of the first act features only a sparse amount of dialogue as well, leaving us with just this imagery to pull us forward. Like our lead character, we are meant to be confused until everything becomes clear later on.

Of all the other releases by Lemire, the one I would most closely associate this with is ROYAL CITY (Image Comics). They are both very similar in their ethereal aesthetic and share a gradual build-up to a strong emotional punch. I also couldn’t help thinking of Gabriel Bá and Fábian Moon’s critically-acclaimed DAYTRIPPER (Vertigo) as well.

Please do yourself a favor and pick up this book. If you are already an established fan of Lemire it should already be no question, and if you have never read any of his previous works — you’re in for a treat.