Leroy Douresseaux on UPTIGHT #4

UPTIGHT #4

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

CARTOONIST: Jordan Crane
36pp, B&W, $3.95

If the author of Uptight was named Neil Gaiman, this comic book series would be a multiple Eisner Award-winner. Indeed, the Eisner committee might even come up with new categories specifically to give Gaiman and Uptight more trophies.

After the first issue was released, Uptight would have been optioned by Hollywood, to be butchered into a stop-motion animated film or poorly conceived 3D animated film. If Vertigo were Uptight’s publisher, the Eisner-winning, comics “news” site, Comic Book Resources, would cover every issue’s release as if that were a big event.

Neil Gaiman is not the author of Uptight; cartoonist Jordan Crane is. Uptight has not received any Eisner Awards. Hollywood has not called on it. Fantagraphics Books and not Vertigo is the publisher, so the Eisner committee and CBR ignore it on principle.

Still, the comic book series Uptight is a showcase for creator, cartoonist Jordan Crane. With each issue, Crane displays his mastery of both edgy adult drama and imaginative all-ages adventure.

Uptight #4 opens with “Chapter 2: Trash Night,” the ongoing saga of Leonard “Leo” and Delores “Dee’s” troubled relationship. Upsetting dreams and a suspicious mind have Leo trying to catch Dee cheating, and the situation reaches a boiling point thanks to a raccoon.

Also, the Simon & Jack (from Crane’s The Clouds Above) fun continues in “Dark Day.” Simon’s classmate, Rosalyn Devareaux and Jack (Simon’s talking cat) find themselves trapped in the office of Principal Pernicious Codswollop, who has diabolical plans for them. Meanwhile, school custodian, Mr. Cook, enters the bowels of the school to find Simon.

I like that Jordan Crane had decided not to play the victim of infidelity/villainous partner dynamic with the story of Leo and Dee. He has stripped them bare, which forces the reader to make his or her own decisions. Of course, the readers cannot do this through a passive reading experience. Being forced to engage isn’t a bad thing, because what we are engaging is a lush graphic narrative told in beautiful greytone art.

Believing that Crane is equally good with character drama and kids’ comics may be difficult to accept, but the rollicking Simon & Jack will not only make you a believer, but also an acolyte of Crane. This is an all-ages tale because its sense of wonder and imagination will captivate all ages, and it is not too early to declare Uptight #4 one of the year’s best comics.

A

Leroy Douresseaux on UPTIGHT #3

UPTIGHT #3

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

CARTOONIST: Jordan Crane

20pp, B&W, $2.75 U.S.

In his comic book series, Uptight, cartoonist Jordan Crane offers surprising variety. Each issue has a short story or two and in early issues, Crane serialized his imaginative, sprawling graphic novel, Keeping Two. In Uptight #3, Crane turns to other things.

First is Chapter One of Crane new serialized tale of infidelity, “Vicissitude,” which focuses on mechanic and night school student Leo. Leo’s wife Delores is cheating on him. The second half of the comic book features the return of the boy Simon and his large talking cat, Jack, the stars of Crane’s graphic novel, The Clouds Above. Along with Simon’s classmate, Rosalyn, Simon and Jack discover something big, hairy, and hungry in the school lunchroom freezer.

Crane’s work is highly emotionally charged, but in a quiet way. Illustrated in a lush, enveloping greytone, Vicissitude has a Film-Noir quality that adds an air of mystery to this story of melancholy and rotting love. It is so engaging and enthralling that its ending is jarring. “Freeze Out,” the Simon and Jack tale, is fantastic. It is all-ages comic book magic. Reading it made me feel like a kid again, reading stories of adventure, fantasy, and magic for the first time on my own.

Uptight #3 is a guarantee that you’ll want to read Uptight #4.

A+

Leroy Douresseaux on UPTIGHT #1

UPTIGHT #1

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

CARTOONIST: Jordan Crane

20pp, B&W, $2.50

For over three decades, Fantagraphics Books has made a determined effort to introduce alternative comics and alternative cartoonists to readers, often in attractive and affordable comic book packages. Published back in 2006, Uptight #1 was the first issue of a new series by Jordan Crane, whose 2005 graphic novel, The Clouds Above, earned enthusiastic and sometimes glowing reviews from the likes of The New Yorker, Publisher’s Weekly, and Entertainment Weekly.

First of all, Uptight’s packaging is very nice and quiet attractive for a black and white comic book. The cover is in color, and both the inside and outside of the back covers are used for story. The paper is a soft white stock, not the glossy stuff most big publishers use for color comics, but the text and art print beautifully on it, almost as if Crane drew directly onto the paper.

Both stories are ruminations on death – sudden death, actually. The first tale, “Below the Shade of Night,” is a ghost story with a hook, which would certainly be familiar to anyone who’s seen the film, The Sixth Sense. The story isn’t so much haunting as it is tragic – a story of things left unsaid because of pride and stubbornness. So while this kind of story isn’t new, Crane’s execution gives it a fresh coat of heartache.

The second tale is actually a chapter from Crane’s next graphic novel, Keeping Two. The first chapter deals with phobias, fixations, and superstitious fears of death. Honestly, the way Crane presents how neurosis affects the bereaved hits so close to home that if you’ve lost loved ones and are still in pain over it you might blush with embarrassment. I did.

As far as his art and storytelling goes, Crane has drawn comparisons to Tim Burton and Lewis Carroll, and the elements of Crane’s compositions do resemble Burton’s art, as well as that of Windsor McCay (Little Nemo in Slumberland). In terms of the components of his art, Crane again favors McCay and also perhaps a little of David Mazzuchelli (at least to my eye).

Make no mistake, however; Jordan Crane is clearly an original voice and a cartoonist to watch for years to come.

A