The library is a great place for readers to discover comics, and it’s a great place for comics readers to check out things that they want to try without spending their hard-earned cash. I’m looking at comics that I find in the New York Public Library system.
Gary Panter’s something of a legend in this field, so I felt it long past time to finally immerse myself in some of his work. Fortunately, the library had a copy of this over-sized hardcover collection, bringing together an entire epic (in only 40 pages!) of Panter’s most famous character. And man, is it over-sized. You can really dive into the huge artwork in this book, which probably has the largest pages of any comic I’ve ever read.
Without much idea of what to expect – Panter’s the “punk master of comics,” so I’ve gathered – I dove in and did my best to roll with the waves. Artistically, the book is great. Panter’s loose and scratchy, very cartoony, yet still full of solid details that ground the scenes and add palpable reality to the characters, settings and world of this Inferno. Great designs and scratchy, kinetic action fill every single panel.
Sticking mostly to six-panel grids, and entirely to a three-tier layout, Panter constructs each page around a visual motif. Sometimes, it’s as simple as a static view of the scene, with the characters moving into and across a consistent background for all six panels. Other times, a trip on a river, for example, finds Panter moving images across both panels of each tier, adding an illusion of travel and time. Using strong visual lines, Panter moves readers’ eyes around the page very effectively as well, keeping every single page lively and totally engrossing.
So yeah, Jimbo’s Inferno is a truly beautiful comic book. I just wish I understood anything that happened in it, because it was a totally baffling experience. But maybe if you take it out of the library, you can help me figure it out.
March 18th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I haven’t read inferno yet, but I have read purgatory.
On my first reading my reaction was the same as yours and I actually had to read up on the book and look at some interviews with Panter. According to Panter, Paradise (i don’t know if this applies to inferno) is more of a puzzle, or a brain teaser than a strait forward story. I found when I aproached the work from that angle I was better able to enjoy it.
I recommend Dal-Tokyo if you’re in the mood to try Panter again. I think it is a little closer to expectations (and for my money it’s some of his most beautiful work).
March 18th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Thanks, JP. I’d try re-reading it with that in mind, but of course, I’ve already had to return it to the library. (I’m trying to stay 3-4 weeks ahead on these pieces.)
From what I’ve read of Inferno, it’s Panter’s interpretation/tour of Dante’s Inferno. If I were more acutely familiar with Dante’s work - I have a loose understanding of the broad strokes, but that’s it - Panter’s may have made more sense. Or maybe not…
March 19th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
In any case, I’m enjoying these “It came from the NYPL” articles. Keep it up.