Comix Reading List #46-48: Stephen Pellnat's Upstate

46. UPSTATE 1 (Stephen Pellnat) Birdcage Bottom Books

47. UPSTATE 2 (Stephen Pellnat) Birdcage Bottom Books

48. UPSTATE 3 (Stephen Pellnat) Birdcage Bottom Books

Stephen Pellnat (1987-) attended the School of Visual Arts for four years, graduating with a Bachelor's degree of Fine Arts in 2009. According to his website some of his previous comics are KITTY OF THE DEAD, MA, and HEAVEN. All that is to prove to myself that Pellnat didn't burst into existence fully formed with UPSTATE #1, many years of toil went into the making of this remarkably well done comic series.

I love how the first issue starts off with a fast forward through main character Ryan Esser's life up until the point where she moves back home and from there everything spirals downward. I highly recommend reading all three issues together, the story is so compelling you won't want to stop with just one issue.

The art is fully formed from page one of the first issue. I did notice improvements with consistency of drawing the cast of characters by the end of the third issue, and a loosening up of the page layout as well. But the background detail, facial expressions, and just the writing itself are high points from the start.

Thanks to Colin Blanchette for introducing us to this unique cartoonist in his interview in CANON #2.