JWC 2019
By JWC
The Grown-Up Game
Joel is unexpectedly given custody of a son he has never met. As a result, he has to decide when and how to integrate past choices into his current reality.
This book is a series of one shots that are tied together by theme really. Even that is tenuous to me but it's not something that should be dwell upon. Each one is like a little life lesson and the overall way that we see everything within these pages really is a slice of life which is exactly what Jay had in mind. So from the thought process through the execution what we get here is a very nicely done story that connects with the reader and leaves that lingering effect. What lingers is the fact that you can't get it out of your head and instead it stays with you in the best manner possible which makes this one of those rare treats.
I think the way that this is structured is incredibly well done. This doesn't really have a traditional start, middle and end to the story it begins in the midst of something and from the conversation that we see it's clearly evident what is happening. There is something to be said about the dialogue and the artwork being so in sync with each other. The attitude of the folks we see is so clearly evident and it just enhances the mood, tone and feel of what the story is about. The story & plot development here seems rather simple and to do something so simple you need to do it impeccably and that's just what is done here.
Once the reveal happens and we see the changes to Lorelai and Joel's life that is going to happen we begin to see what this is all about. I am super impressed and awed by the sheer simplicity of what I see and knowing that this kind of work is extremely difficult to pull this well. The character development is exquisitely done and seeing Joel and the way he is at the beginning and then Regina who calls him out as only a partner in life can well it does make a whole world of sense and only reaffirms that relationships are give and take. That includes the relationships you have with your children as well and if you shut them out then you are doing them such a disservice and they'll grow up with problems you and they won't be able to overcome.
The interiors here are extremely well done. While it feels like it could be something we see on PBS along the lines of Caillou to Arthur. Also the fact that we see so much utilisation of backgrounds here it really allows their home to come to life, enhance the moments and really bring a nice sense of size and scope to the book. Also seeing Lorelai's tattoo's was another huge bonus and the sophistication of them, alongside the unexpectedness of how we see them and such is beautifully done. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a strong eye for storytelling. The way we see the colour work here is really nicely done. The shades and hues we see through the way light sources are utilised to show shading and shadows really completes this. There are so many subtle things in the work that we take for granted but stand out nonetheless.
There are few books that you read that not only leave an impression on you because of the level of quality work that we see but also because the story is strong, powerful and emotional as well. That the story will linger in your mind is sensational and it just finds a way to resonate with each reader in different ways. Stunning in it's simplicity and stupendously done this is a series you need to discover and you can at http://jwcstory.com/