Every year or two, I stumble across a book that radically expands my understanding of what a comic book is and what it can accomplish. Some books are determined to push the boundaries of the medium in new and unexpected ways. Often, attempts at innovation in the medium fail in being good stories, and pull the reader out of the story. But, when a book manages to tell a compelling, complex narrative and expand my understanding of what comics can do at the same time, it stands out head and shoulders above everything else. We’ve already covered this year’s most innovative comic, “Wild Children,” which explored the ways in which comics interact with the reader, and how they can subvert our expectations. Last year’s book, “One Soul,” by Ray Fawkes, took a different approach: it explored the ways in which comics panels interact with each other, and explored unique ways of telling stories that could only be told in our favorite medium.
The layout of the book is simple. Each page is divided into 9 panels, for a total of 18 panels for every double-page spread. The innovation begins by having these 18 panels correspond to 18 different characters of all different historical periods, cultures, classes, genders, orientations and professions. Each character gets one panel per spread, and always the same panel in chronological order. As you turn each page, you witness an equivalent moment in the lives of all 18 characters. Some die earlier than others, and as they die, their panel fades to black and life goes on for the others.
The story of “One Soul” intertwines the experiences of all 18 characters in to one continuous narrative. It consists of brief snippets of thoughts or observations from each character, strung together into a continuous stream-of-consciousness poem, a meditative reflection on the shared human experience. The characters are born, raised by their families and within their respective cultures. Some fall in love, some go to war, all of them experience their own particular triumphs or miseries. Some live to old age, reflecting on their lives as they watch their children have lives of their own. Eventually, they all die, and as they die, their portion of the narrative becomes a reflection on life, punctuated constantly by a search for meaning in all of the pain, loss and struggle it entails. At the moment the last surviving character dies of old age, she looks back on her life and gives thanks for it all, and the book finds peace with life in the end.
Much like comics, poetry is an underappreciated medium, misunderstood and mocked in mainstream media by those who do not appreciate its merits. This has not always been the case. Once upon a time, poetry was the most important medium known to man. All of the knowledge and experiences of entire cultures were recorded in epic poems, entire cultural histories memorized and recited by the most talented and revered members of society as a means to pass that knowledge on to each successive generation. Poetry may indeed be the oldest art form known to man, except perhaps music. It is that timelessness that makes poetry perfect for “One Soul,” which itself connects many generations of people together in an epic narrative of its own.
“One Soul” is simultaneously an exultation of the beauty and wonder of life, and an expose of all the pain and suffering that comes with it. It is a love letter to God’s creation and a condemnation of his seeming lack of compassion. It’s a book about soul-searching, and what it finds are threads that connect us all together into one shared experience. Reading the book can be a powerful, spiritual experience, and one that encourages the reader to do a little soul-searching of their own.
While “One Soul” is meant to be read in the traditional left-to-right, top-to-bottom order, I have discovered that once the main story has been absorbed, it can be interesting to experiment with how you read the book. You can try reading the book by following one individual at a time from start to finish, or even by allowing your eye to wander around each page as it sees fit. It’s the kind of book that begs to be re-read to absorb every detail, and each reading can become its own unique experience.
It’s not a book I would recommend to everybody. If you’re looking for buddy stories and bad guys getting punched, you won’t find any of that here. It is a masterpiece of innovation, but it is by no means an easy read. If you consider yourself a true fan of the medium, a poet or philosopher, a spiritualists or just a curious, dedicated reader, this is a book you must take a look at. It comes in a beautiful hardcover volume published by Oni Press, with a gorgeous paneled cover designed by Matt Kindt that would make an excellent addition to your shelf.
