Saturday, March 18, 2023

My Comics Reading List: THE HIGH DESERT

43. THE HIGH DESERT by James Spooner (Libby app)

I just finished reading THE HIGH DESERT by James Spooner. I was a little wary when I started, as on the surface it seems like another well-intentioned poorly-executed graphic memoir. Nothing could be further from the truth. Art and story come together perfectly for this intense narrative. 
The author as a teenage punk, making his way through a year in the California high desert and high school. 

He, thankfully, never falls back on cliche or melodrama. He portrays himself as a real person throughout. I came to empathize with all the characters throughout the story, although not necessarily like them.
Another layer is the soundtrack, with song lyrics accentuating most scenes. Love this music, but even more so Spooner's historical grounding of the music.

I recommend this to all the punks out there, and anyone who had some rough teenage years.

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