Page 45 Review by Stephen
Luke Healy is... constantly climbing out of windows.
Luke's also an acclaimed fabricator of comicbook fiction (see former Page 45 Comicbook Of The Month THE CON ARTISTS). Although here, it should be noted, he is a FABRICATION of comicbook fiction whose self-confidence and self-esteem have taken a pummelling along with his faith in the general nature of things.
Following an unsuccessful counselling session, our lad Luke makes his identical twin's engagement party where he's confronted with the spectacle of a) his twin Teddy's happiness and romantic success, b) his twin's future husband ("Is his family rich?"), c) his brother asking someone OTHER than Luke to be his best man. Cue hours of online shame-scrolling, real-world stalking and a rash rush-order of those godawful self-help books which only serve to boost their author's finances while exacerbating their victims' self-consciousness.
Thankfully Luke has a minor infestation of mice who attempt a much-needed intervention. Although, hilariously, it transpires that Luke's self-help meditation tapes are recorded by his brother. "I like hearing your voice telling me I could be better."
Five years later: Luke invites his Mam to a remote Wye Valley hotel where a murder mystery he's written is about to be performed as part of a corporate team-building exercise. There may also have been a murder. The police guarding the cordonned-off elevator are an absolute scream.
The second half's career developments I'll hint at only through interior art.. .
It's all so deliciously mischievous, confident and courageous. Highly inventive and very VERY funny. If you love Tomine's self-flagellatory LONELINESS OF THE LONG-DISTANCE CARTOONIST, then give this a grin.
For more messing around with the authorial (never mind non-authorial) voice, please see two highly unreliable narrators in THE SECOND FAKE DEATH OF EDDIE CAMPBELL and THE ART OF CHARLIE CHAN HOCK CHYE. Absolute genius, the pair of them.
The publisher writes:
'Hilarious ... there's no one else quite like him working today.' RACHEL COOKE, Observer Graphic Novel of the month'Full of unexpected laughs; at once both absurd and sincere.' SOPHIE YANOW, author of The Contradictions'A joy to read.'RAFEL FRUMKIN, author of ConfidenceThe funniest, most moving and expansive graphic novel yet from the acclaimed author of The Con Artists and Americana. 'Who is Luke Healy?'For over ten years, a graphic novelist called Luke Healy has invested all of his self-esteem into his career.
Then, almost overnight, just as his brother is getting married, both seem to vanish. Spiralling and lacking purpose, he searches for identity - in self-help books, replacement jobs and human connection - and visits cheesy British hotels and abandoned Greek islands. Set against the backdrop of a dangerously changing global climate, with melting ice-caps and flooding cities, Self-Esteem and the End of the World spans two decades of tragicomic self-discovery until the unlikely prospect of a Hollywood revival of Luke's work comes into view - but what might be the cost?'One of the finest cartoonists working today.' James Sturm
