Rusty Brown (Pantheon Graphic Library)

Chris Ware has done it again. This is an amazing graphical novel. I wish it was offered in digital form because it would make it easier to read repeatedly on my iPad. Without giving anything away, Chris illustrates the stories of, I believe, four main characters. The characters are all incredibly human and flawed but somehow even for the most flawed of characters, Chris captures the essence of what led to their pain. These aren't easy stories to read. There is so much pain and despair here and almost all of it unresolved. But I think that's what I love about his work. It's genuine and it makes you feel something. It makes you want to go out and live a better life. I have purchased just about all of the Acme Library books and I love Jimmy Corrigan. I think Jimmy Corrigan is still my favorite book because it feels like a much more complete journey. But books like Rusty Brown are significantly more challenging and they show an evolution in Chris's work. My criticisms of the book are minor. As mentioned, I'd love to read this on an iPad. There are several places where the detail in the images is so rich but so small and I've used my phone to take a photo and tried to zoom in to make out the very small text in some places. I'm sure this is done for effect. The text is small because it's background chatter. Or in some cases it's probably not meant to be read. But nonetheless, I'd like to zoom in. Also the book is huge and while I'd read anything Chris writes, making it more portable via digital option world be great. I do have one other criticism content-wise. Chris trusts his readers. There are times when he leaves clues about a major event in a character's life and doesn't expressly tell us what happened. But there were places where I would have loved a bit more exposition. There are a few characters where the story ends somewhat abruptly and I was sure that he was going to get back to them, but he never did. Because the book doesn't have page numbers and because of the material that the pages are made from, it's sometimes hard to tell if maybe you skipped a page that was stuck together with another page. I didn't want to miss anything and occasionally this led to a bit of frustration but a very small annoyance. The way the book ends gives us the impression that the story isn't over. But I know how long these books must be to plan and write and illustrate. But they are food for our soul and I can't wait to read the next one.

This is Chris Ware’s book, culled from the pages of Acme Novelty Library. A series which ended ten years ago, and has now been collected into this volume. What is interesting is that the story itself is not over. The very last page ends with “Intermission”. Thus the book is meant to be part one of a however-many series. I have my doubts anymore is forthcoming. Acme Novelty Library came out only once a year -if that. So it took ten years to get this far, and another ten years to collect it. So we will probably have to deal with the material presented here as the final product. Not that there’s anything wrong with the contents of Rusty Brown. If anything, the material is too good. The art is always crisp, precise, and meticulous. Perfect curves, immaculate edges. Nothing beats it. It sucks you in and forces the reader to admire each page for about half an hour. One minor detail is that the author often plays about with the size of the panels, and so a lot of the words are really tiny. Stick your eyeball a millimeter from the page tiny. That might have a negative impact on your enjoyment. The story itself rambles. I’m pretty sure the author has an idea of what happens to each of the characters throughout their entire lives, but is scattered about its presentation. In the first few segments all of the character’s lives intersect together at a Catholic school in near-rural Nebraska. After these initial stories introducing the characters, the story focuses on individual characters using that time period of the late 1970s as a pivot. Unfortunately, the titular character Rusty Brown, fades out of the action after the first story. The action then focuses on his father and his failed writing aspirations, mostly due to fear of rejection. Jordan Lint, a boy we see bullying the titular Rusty Brown and his tumultuous life. Whether he was a good or bad man remains up in the air. I have the feeling a lot was left out of the tale. Finally, we see the life - or part of it, there’s gotta be more - of Rusty’s third grade teacher, Joanna Cole, and her lonely life in snow-bound Nebraska. The stories here are good. Damn good. Mixed with equal parts nostalgia and despair. These aren’t triumphs of the human spirit, but they are undeniably human.

Incredible. Innovative. Breathtakingly beautiful. An important work of Art, Sure to be a collectors item. At $20 there is no excuse for not buying this if you are interested in art or middle American culture from 1950 to 2020. I don't write product reviews. I feel obligated to post. I am basically a Vulcan, but this book was so authentic and so tragic I almost got misty more than once. Don't take my word for it. Read the reviews in the Guardian or the New York Times.

I've heard of Chris Ware for years and did try one of his other works but hadn't gotten far in spite of the compelling art and humanness of the storytelling. I picked this up as an alternate entry point into Chris Ware's work and am very impressed. It's a combination of genuine and honest characterizations (with cringy and melancholy moments), interlocking scenes, dreamlike sequences, nostalgia (if you're a certain age I suppose), and unique, unbridled creativity. The dust jacket folds open and, as suggested on the jacket itself, you can change the cover to one of 4 configurations of your choosing. I wouldn't recommend it for kids since it's definitely got some situations that a little more mature but for anyone else it's an affecting, thought-provoking work of art that engages you on several levels. It's clear, though I haven't done it yet, that it will reward multiple readings. I've read that Chris Ware does all the art by hand and that explains why it took him several years to complete this. There are a lot of mechanical/technical drawing aspects with portions of the book looking like architectural floor plans. Even what looks like zipatone (dots typically found in older comics made with preprinted sheets) is painstakingly drawn by hand!!! (And it looks flawless!) Though the artwork is impressive conveying a lot with a deceivingly simplistic look, it's the way the story unfolds and focuses on the personal struggles of a small group of characters in a Nebraska public school that really leaves a lasting impact. Not all the characters are likable but I read an interview with Chris Ware explaining that the story started as a revenge fantasy but he decided instead to find something good in each of the characters. Amusingly, Chris Ware also includes himself as an author surrogate which for me provided an added dimension. If any of that sounds intriguing then go ahead and buy it!

At first I was disappointed that much of the book previously appeared in previous Acme Novelty Library editions. So after revisiting a few choice pages I went to the new section (Joanne Cole) -- and was knocked out by just that portion, for me the best of the group (Rusty Brown, Woody Brown, Jason Lint, et al) having an added depth/dimension and like the others is woven in. Noting the comments on the panels being too small and I can kind of agree (one panel in particular is bothering me still) but this is offset by being able to go back and see all of the stories (the book could have been a smidge bigger but I suspect it would tip over into unwieldy territory). To go along with the other stories perhaps they'll release the Joanne Cole section in a separate larger format. Again, having them all in one book -- really made this much more enjoyable. Really - just great.

If you're a fan of Chris Ware's work, you'll find endless delights in this masterpiece. But you might need a magnifying glass to read it. The book really needs to be a lot larger in both dimensions so that you can make out the words in some panels. Even the art is irritatingly cramped. Five stars for content, but three for design and layout.

First, I love Chris Ware adn i love Rusty Brown. However, I have read most of the book before in its serialized form, so I was a little sad about that, as I was hoping for newer material. I appreciate the author's apology on the back page to loyal fans like myself whoa re getting reprinted materials in part. The book was still absolutely worth it for the final segment and just to have it all in one volume. I love Rusty Brown. I too like the above reviewer wish the adult chalky/rusty hijinks had been included, and what about Putty Gray, I thought maybe id see a little more on their disturbed adulthoods, but I can see how the inclusion of their adulthoods didn't really fit with the structure of the book and would've disturbed the smoothness of the finished project and made it more like a comic book and less like a novel. perhaps the adult hijinks could've been published as a little detachable booklet with it? Man I wouldve loved that maybe a 2nd ed.? I am not sure I've read every rusty brown strip ever published,, and wouldve also appreciated a bibliography of all rusty appearances. If you haven't read any of it yet, it's a tour de force. This is much more powerful than jimmy corrigan and I think even Building Stories. This book and much of chris ware's work deeply affects me.

Chris Ware puts out another highly innovative comic, with fantastic art and coloring. Very emotional, honest and a must-have for any comicbook fan.

Einfach mal lesen, was in der Comic-Fachwelt über CW und das Buch im Netz geschrieben steht. Das kann ich nicht besser.

This is a thing of beauty- so much better than Jimmy Corrigan (I know people loved that, but this is more coherent and linear somehow despite the multiple POVs and fluctuations in time). I'm a disciple of Chris Wares 'Building Stories', which I revisit regularly- but I'd say this is just as good (at a stretch as building stories is the most genius beautiful thing afterall...). This is about the human condition- we follow several interwoven character threads back and forth in time. In usual Chris Ware style there are loads of details to keep going back and checking- beautiful frame by frame breakdowns of everyday minutae. There's that familiar feel of desolation in this book, like in his other work. We always want the superhero story, the resolution- but Ware puts things how they are, and obviously that can appear bleak at times but this is life, and here life is drawn frame by frame into an intriguing tapestry. Even the jacket of the book you could spend a day studying- this is a piece of art and a joy. If you enjoyed Jimmy Corrigan, or are just a human trying to live as best you know how- then you'll love this. The price I think is very reasonable for such a big book which must have taken an age to think up and actually draw!

Comecei a ler tem poucos dias e já me vejo totalmente preso, fascinado pela história, pelo traço e pela inovação que Chris Ware trouxe para os quadrinhos. Tudo bem, sabemos quais são suas influências. Richard McGuire provavelmente é a maior nesse quesito... Porém, Chris Ware foi além, ele supera e se supera. Em Rusty Brown é isso que acontece, uma história melancólica, cheia de personagens perdedores e/ou com problemas do passado ainda nada resolvidos... Enfim, uma obra-prima que apenas Chris Ware poderia ter realizado.

This is a masterpiece of story and image. And it is IMMENSE! If you love this kind or storytelling, get one while you can. Chris Ware is brilliant!!

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