Sometimes it is the simplest stories that are the most effective. A story doesn’t exactly have to be “The Lord Of The Rings” to have an emotional heart to it. With that in mind, this is Alec Longstreth’s “Basewood”.
Written & Illustrated By Alec Longstreth
Basewood is a classic amnesia story set in a fantastical forest. There is a young man trying to discover more about his mysterious past, an old hermit who lives in a treehouse with his loyal dog, a young woman who fights for what she believes in and a giant wolf-dragon who shows up in each of the five chapters of Basewood. It is a story of adventure, love, loss, friendship and growth.
“Basewood” is the story of a young man who wakes up inside a mysterious forest with no memory of who he is or how he got there. It is a story of deceptive simplicity that hides a great, emotional weight behind its simple storytelling. I’m not beating around the bush on this one here: this is a great book. Longstreth has infused the story of a man trying to find himself again with such heart that it is entirely captivating for the length of the story so much so that for a 200 page graphic novel, I powered through it one sitting unable to put it down. One might even throw the phrase “emotional rollercoaster” around when talking about “Basewood”. But when trying to put just why “Basewood” is so good into words, that’s when it gets tricky.
The apparent simplicity of “Basewood”, from both Longstreth’s writing and artwork, hides a greater emotional complexity to the work which allows for the book to be read simply while the effect it leaves on the reader stays long after the last page. The story itself could be summed up incredibly easily in a sentence or two, but it works because of the journey Longstreth takes the reader on with the characters. There are entire sections of the book where Longstreth presents a long passage of time without dialogue that, while looking gorgeous and being excellent showcases of the strength of his storytelling, allows the reader to spend time with the characters of the book. Despite the comparison to “The Lord Of The Rings” in terms of storytelling complexity, it’s possibly the most apt comparison when considering the connection the reader makes to these characters. The greatest measure of Alec Longstreth’s writing is his ability to make the reader truly care for the characters he writes.
Longstreth’s character writing may be what hooks you into “Basewood”, but it’s his gorgeous artwork that makes it even more of a joy to read. With a notable Hergé influence, Longstreth’s art is simple yet detailed in how it depicts the story. From panel to panel, the focus is on the storytelling with a lot of the story operating without dialogue and instead focuses on the actions of the characters as they survive in the woods. Longstreth’s writing is in service to his art which is so focused on story-telling that it is hard not to be completely hooked on “Basewood” from beginning to end. While the stark inks and the detailed linework sometimes leads to panels feeling crowded during the few times in the story that it snows, but it’s an effect that works. Longstreth accurately conveys how blinding snowfall can be, but sometimes it comes at the cost of panel detail. Yet, that is possibly the only complaint I could give about that art. Longstreth’s style gives the book an instantly unique look and his focus on storytelling makes the book an incredible read.
Not only that, but as his writing focuses on characterisation so does his art show a great attention to setting. The forest, the plains and even the great cliff of the story become as much characters to the story as the actual humans in it. It brings the world of the story alive and is just another reason why “Basewood” so captivating. It’s hard not to get sucked into the world Longstreth has created and it’s hard not to care about the characters that inhabit it. Longstreth’s world-building, like much of “Basewood”, holds a great depth behind a deceptively simple facade.
Ultimately, this was a book that surprised me in a lot of ways. While Alec Longstreth deftly hooks you in with with art that is full of life and character but focuses on telling a story more than anything, he very quickly pulls the curtain back and reveals an emotional depth that takes you by surprise and sucks you into the book even more. For a story so simple as the one Longstreth is telling to bring a tear to my eye shows the skill he has as a storyteller and if that doesn’t convey just how good “Basewood” is, I don’t know what will. This is the kind of comic that does what it does quietly and out of sight, but if you take the opportunity to let it tell you it’s story then you will be changed for it. This is how comics should be.
Final Verdict: 9.2 – “Basewood” is the kind of comic that should be up there with the greatest in comics for it’s simplicity in storytelling and emotional depth. It is available through Alec Longstreth’s website. A definite buy.
