The graphic novel wasn’t perfect, but I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to talk about the art. I read it a second time this weekend to properly admire and absorb it. Last year I read Sas Milledge’s Mamo and really liked it, so I had high hopes, and she did not disappoint. Sas is incredible with using angles, colors, lighting, and paneling to set the tone and atmosphere, as well as giving little indicators of what might have been lost in translation. I’m very passionate about visual storytelling, so here are some things I noticed as an appreciation post to them :) A good comic artist is really intentional, you’ll see many more beautiful and clever decisions over the pages. These are just a few.
The glossy pages made it difficult to get good pics but I tried👍
This wide view sets the scope of the moment. The boys are small and dominated by the landscape. It lets you know that this is important, the catalyst for what’s to come. Things that are far bigger than them.
The epi pen gets a nice bit of focus amongst the trash.
We can’t see Neeve’s real eyes, but we can see their reflection in the scrying bowl. It shows you she’s looking into another world, not her own. It also makes the scene a bit creepy.
The next important scene will take place at Nino’s.
Gansey’s talking about investments, something Adam feels like he is to him. We get them alone in a panel, with “nowhere” indicating how Adam feels trapped in their friendship and in Henrietta.
Was just happy to see Ronan’s driving tickets. I’ve always loved that detail.
Note Adam’s too-short secondhand pants next to Gansey’s.
Adam talks about amplification, and for a brief moment Blue appears in the background.
Blue turns to find Adam after Nino’s and we get a view of both of their bikes. This is the moment she thinks Adam isn’t the typical Raven Boy. They have something in common.
Gansey’s shadow dominates this panel and illustrates the nature of their relationship, in which Gansey takes the assured, caretaker role.
Noah in doorways. He also isn’t casting a shadow in the first one (unlike Gansey above). Though I’m not sure if that was intentional because he does have a shadow in the following panels. I like to think it’s a discreet hint at what he is.
All three of them pick a page of cups—this is a common occurence when Blue is present, not just with Gansey. Though I don’t know much about tarot so it’s possible the page of cups really is relevant to Whelk.
Whelk grows more alarming, and we get a shot of Maura’s hand over the page of cups. She’s a mother. This is when she considers her daughter’s safety, and in the next panel she tells Whelk to leave.
These carefree, happy kids contrast the abusive environment of Adam’s home.
We see both of their cars, but Gansey’s fancy one is dwarfed by the rusty pickup. I think it gives a weight to what Robert Parrish represents. But in the next panel, we also get to see him in the rearview, left behind.
Calla being curious about Ronan from the moment he steps inside.
When Gansey asks Blue to pick, she is taller than him. He’s subjecting himself to her. In the second, she’s below him. That’s Gansey taking fate into his own hands.
We don’t see Chainsaw but we get a display of Ronan’s wicked tattoo, plus his headphones. It makes it seem like the noise, and chaos, is coming from him.
Another little detail I was happy to see, Ronan and Noah building that ramp to do stupid shit with :)
Another rearview panel I found interesting. It does feel like a defining moment. And it isn’t lost on me that these two ultimately end as two mirrors, with Gansey losing his life when faced with Blue, the stronger of the two.
Noah quietly disappearing from the panels, and Gansey wondering where he went when he supposedly hadn’t left. Also extended the first photo because of how cool the panels are. They’re really all part of one larger image; you can see the trees continuing beyond the lines.
And here we have Noah getting cut off from the rest as they find his Mustang.
Here we’re already seeing Gansey reaching out to comfort Blue with Adam in the same panel. Adam has done something irreversible. Things are changing.
