Title: Marble Season
Writer and Artist: Gilbert Hernandez
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| via drawn and quarterly |
Gilbert Hernandez is one of the biggest names in indie comics. Brothers Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez created the groundbreaking series Love and Rockets, first published in 1982 - groundbreaking in part because it focused on Latina characters and in part because it was initially self-published. I have yet to explore that series but this more recent semi-autobiographical graphic novel has me convinced that I should.
Set in 1960s southern California, Marble Season chronicles the adventures of childhood. Huey - the young Gilberto in fictional guise - is the second youngest in a large family. No surprise, he likes comic books. In fact, there's nothing particularly unusual about Huey's life - which is sort of the point. Marble Season is an honest glimpse of what it is to be a kid. He has friends, though not always the same ones. Some move in to the neighborhood, then move away. Others drift in and out, fueling particular interests, fulfilling certain needs.
The downside of youth is here, too. There are full-blown bullies in the neighborhood along with the petty cruelties children everywhere inflict upon one another. Huey and his brothers must be wary of sketchier friends.
The biggest changes come as they all get older. The neighborhood tomboy ditches her baseball bat and cap for a dress (though she's still far from demure). The brothers all gradually take more interest in girls.
There is some clear Peanuts influence in Marble Season. One never sees any adults, though it's clear they're important. The afore mentioned tomboy has quite a lot of Lucy in her. Hernandez was also a big fan of the Archie comics growing up and has always sought to bring a similar teenager sensibility to his work.
If you're keen for more bloghops, a couple of fun ones are coming up next week: Denise Covey's Write...Edit...Publish on Wednesday and Tony Laplume's Ode-Athon. Go check them out!
Please join us and share your own review of your best read from the past month. This month's link list is below. I'll keep it open until the end of the day. I'll post November's tomorrow. Meetings are the last Friday of each month. Next gathering is November 29th. In the United States, that's the day after Thanksgiving so it may well be a quieter month at the Coffeehouse. On the other hand, a short vacation provides a chance to catch up on reading!
I read some Love & Rockets back in the day (I may still have some of it somewhere), but I honestly don't remember it very well. It must not have stood out to me at all.
ReplyDeleteI've been curious about the series for a while. Marble Season serves as a reminder for me to keep an eye out for it.
DeleteSounds like this would be a fun read, particularly for kids. It'd be interesting to read being set in the 60s as well, though. I don't really know much about any of these types of comics. Or, well, comics in general, I guess. :)
ReplyDeleteIt must have been pretty amazing for this guy in 1982 to publish something with a main Latina character - but it would have been something that was needed then, and still needed now I'd say!
The mainstream comics industry has taken much warranted criticism for lack of diversity among its characters. Predictably, a big part of the problem is that the creators themselves are primarily white suburban males. The Hernandez brothers were and are a welcome exception.
DeleteI have yet to read a graphic novels. Hm. Maybe it's about time I did :)
ReplyDeleteI have quite a stack to work through, as these Coffeehouse posts have probably made clear. I'll share thoughts on both the good and the bad as I read them.
DeleteIt seems entirely appropriate that there have been a number of indy movies based on indy comics, because they share so much in common. I've read a little from these brothers. It sounds like this one would be a fine addition.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. In both media, the mainstream is fairly constricting. The big movie studios can't afford to take big risks so they stick with the formulae that have worked in the past. Same for DC and Marvel. It's riskier for the creator to find a different path but potentially more gratifying artistically.
DeleteLove & Rockets! Do you think that has anything to do with the New Wave band of the same name that existed at the same time? (I loved that band.)
ReplyDeleteThe band is, in fact, named for the comics! Learned that from my wife.
DeleteMr Squid, you are my go-to guy for graphic novels. Thank you for this latest one! I think I will enjoy it. "Marble Season" is a good title for the subject matter of this book.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, marbles have very little to do with the actual story. Catchy title, though, isn't it?
DeleteStrange, the Marble Season--as you present it here--makes me feel wistful.
ReplyDeleteThere is definitely a strong nostalgic tug. The world is not idealized but the simplicity of child existence is a powerful lure.
DeleteBrings to mind 'The Wonder Years.'
DeleteSure! A few years earlier in the decade and Huey's a little younger than Kevin so the world-weariness is lessened but otherwise, I think that's a solid comparison.
DeleteI like the sound of this graphic comic. It feels like it's so real, where there are many that don't. I also like the time period: 1960s. Such a tumultuous time for our country. Thanks for sharing this one.
ReplyDeleteVery real. Not a gritty real. A very simplistic one but it definitely works.
DeleteLove the book title - and the trivia here in the comments about the band name. Finding so many cool new books - This is a fun blog hop ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining us, Katie!
DeleteI'm feeling so much smarter now than I did ten minutes ago. I've already saved this book to look at later...either to order or look at when I go. Exciting!
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think!
DeleteI love the idea of real-life graphic novels. I'm a big fan of reality--in general. This is surely a great read for both the 'latin' and graphic novel shelves.
ReplyDeleteExperiencing someone else's reality is a form of escapism, after all.
DeleteI've heard superb praises sung for Love & Rockets. But like Frank Miller's Sin City, there are just so many volumes... it's intimidating to commit to, just on good hearsay alone. Maybe a one-shot like Marble Season is the perfect entre'. Thanks for letting us know about it.
ReplyDeleteSin City - I tried that one. The first book was enough for me. Mind you, it's really good, but too gruesome for me to invest in long term.
DeleteI'd be interested in looking at this. I love both coming-of-age and comics, not to mention the 60s!
ReplyDeleteI like how you always review things that are a little different. :)
Thanks. I think you can at least count on that to continue.
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