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Nelson
Nelson is a 250-page collaboration between 54 of the UK’s most exciting comic creators. It is an unprecedented experiment to create one complete story – a collective graphic novel.
London, 1968. A daughter is born to Jim and Rita Baker. Her name is Nel. This is her story, told in yearly snapshots. Each chapter records the events of a single day, weaving one continuous ribbon of pictures and text that takes us on a 43- year journey from Nel Baker’s birth to 2011.
Based on an original idea by Rob Davis and co-edited by Davis and Woodrow Phoenix, Nelson celebrates the incredible diversity of talent in British comics today. Creators known for their editorial and national newspaper strips unite with those from humour comics such as the Beano, The Dandy, and MAD Magazine joining a wealth of talent from children’s books, indie publishing and webcomics, with the science fiction and superhero worlds of 2000AD, Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse.
Part exquisite corpse and part relay race, Nelson spans decades of British history and a myriad of stylistic approaches in telling the story of one woman’s life by 54 creators, in 54 episodes, detailing 54 days. The result is a surprising and compellingly readable book that is sad, funny, moving, poignant, ridiculous, heartfelt, and real. This is a story like none you have seen before.
--- Taken from Blank State Books website
London, 1968. A daughter is born to Jim and Rita Baker. Her name is Nel. This is her story, told in yearly snapshots. Each chapter records the events of a single day, weaving one continuous ribbon of pictures and text that takes us on a 43- year journey from Nel Baker’s birth to 2011.
Based on an original idea by Rob Davis and co-edited by Davis and Woodrow Phoenix, Nelson celebrates the incredible diversity of talent in British comics today. Creators known for their editorial and national newspaper strips unite with those from humour comics such as the Beano, The Dandy, and MAD Magazine joining a wealth of talent from children’s books, indie publishing and webcomics, with the science fiction and superhero worlds of 2000AD, Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse.
Part exquisite corpse and part relay race, Nelson spans decades of British history and a myriad of stylistic approaches in telling the story of one woman’s life by 54 creators, in 54 episodes, detailing 54 days. The result is a surprising and compellingly readable book that is sad, funny, moving, poignant, ridiculous, heartfelt, and real. This is a story like none you have seen before.
--- Taken from Blank State Books website
230 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
3 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 28, 2018
Nelson is a very original idea by Rob Davis and Woodrow Phoenix. It narrates the story of Nel Baker, a girl born at the end of the '60s in London. Each chapter is one day of every year in her life up until 2010, illustrated by a different artist each time (all of them british and some huge names in the cast).
This a first rate opportunity to check out the styles of 40+ different creators and the album takes a whole other meaning when we learn in the epilogue that each artist put bits and bites of his own life and personal experiences to Nel's biography.
Anthologies are not my cup of tea cause I hate jumping from one illustrating style to the next. In this case I was fascinated as much as I was furstrated by it, finding the whole project very clever and beautifilly narrated and presented to the reader. Give it a try.
This a first rate opportunity to check out the styles of 40+ different creators and the album takes a whole other meaning when we learn in the epilogue that each artist put bits and bites of his own life and personal experiences to Nel's biography.
Anthologies are not my cup of tea cause I hate jumping from one illustrating style to the next. In this case I was fascinated as much as I was furstrated by it, finding the whole project very clever and beautifilly narrated and presented to the reader. Give it a try.
Read
June 23, 2013From 1968 to 2011, we see one day a year in the life of Nel Baker, exactly the sort of never-quite-satisfied person with whom I find it very easy to identify. Each vignette is the work of a different comics creator; in a sense, this is like the revolving door behind the average corporate superhero, but compressed into one volume and with a bit more of an overall guiding hand. Perhaps it's just because of the closeness of the reference points - Stoke Newington, Menswear, clubbing in a ridiculous military jacket - that this feels so close to home. On the other hand, perhaps it really is a very impressive achievement in a field (modern realism) which doesn't normally grab me, somehow achieved through a game of Consequences. Reckon I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
February 11, 2012
Interesting collaborative work by 54 comic creators generating a graphic novel that tells the story of Nel. Each comic creator creates a day in her 54 years.
It makes for a very readable work, and gives us a window into the style of each artist as they provide an annual snapshot of Nel and the socio-political movements of the times she lived in, the music, the trends, and her relationship with her family and friends.
It makes for a very readable work, and gives us a window into the style of each artist as they provide an annual snapshot of Nel and the socio-political movements of the times she lived in, the music, the trends, and her relationship with her family and friends.
August 20, 2022
"Slate 25" = 2011 = £18.99 / $22.99
I can guarantee that it would be *** for me if I was British- there's just so much culture/events/zeitgeist that, as it is said, "flew over my head".
What I did pick up was worth the chore that this turned out to be, since it's far too long for basically zero entertainment, because I'm an obsessed internationalophile who NEEDS as much xenowledge as possible to feel like a "man of the world" even though I've been too poor to travel anywhere (besides Gunnison Beach, that is!) for so many years now.
The creators try valiantly to bridge themselves across this female's life but it's faaaaar too long of a span and their writing styles often don't mesh which, along with needing to adjust to different art, make the next year's Nelson too different from the one before.
Speaking of the aesthetic, it's mostly mediocre and often bad/atrocious- rarely beyond a simple "good".
I need to shame someone:
Posey Simmons turned in two pages that contained "Friday, February 29 2008" on one and "No. Definitely ... no." with one terrible panel in the Southeast quadrant below on the second.
I can guarantee that it would be *** for me if I was British- there's just so much culture/events/zeitgeist that, as it is said, "flew over my head".
What I did pick up was worth the chore that this turned out to be, since it's far too long for basically zero entertainment, because I'm an obsessed internationalophile who NEEDS as much xenowledge as possible to feel like a "man of the world" even though I've been too poor to travel anywhere (besides Gunnison Beach, that is!) for so many years now.
The creators try valiantly to bridge themselves across this female's life but it's faaaaar too long of a span and their writing styles often don't mesh which, along with needing to adjust to different art, make the next year's Nelson too different from the one before.
Speaking of the aesthetic, it's mostly mediocre and often bad/atrocious- rarely beyond a simple "good".
I need to shame someone:
Posey Simmons turned in two pages that contained "Friday, February 29 2008" on one and "No. Definitely ... no." with one terrible panel in the Southeast quadrant below on the second.
January 13, 2012
I was tempted to add it to the "Art" shelf, and also to the "Historical Fiction" one. Just because it worked so well in raising up memories, bringing back the past, and it is such a gorgeous sight, in its patchwork of looks and styles.
This is a collaborative comic, encompassing the work of 54 British artists, to present a day in the life, one every year, of the heroine, Nel, in 1-5 pages. Nel was born in 1968 (43 episodes, for the mathematically challenged) and is a quite normal girl/woman, so for people in that age range it will hit specially hard, because many memories are our own, even from a different viewpoint. I found that for a non-Brit male, the similarities are startling, and the differences (The Bomb, Maggie,...) make her life both poignant and piquant.
The two coordinators have made a great job, because the story unfolds naturally, and the pieces fit beautifully, so she comes across as a real person, and a likeable one, with her failings and virtues. Someone we would enjoy meeting. And yet, I am sure there are parts of the artists themselves in the tale, so it is also a highly personal composite. The other characters are much more than support, weaving the tale of the last forty years.
Even if our experience was different, this book will make you remember when you first tried cigarettes, when you met someone special in school, your first live band, your first heartbreak, the death of that well loved relative, your depression/someone's you love, the job you love and the job you hate, and so many memories that make you, yourself.
Not all of the short sketches mesh well, and there are some inconsistencies in the support characters, but it says a lot of how good the characterization is that you notice when someone "feels" different. Also, with such a variety of visual styles, not all of them are bound to be ones I like. Those two details would keep me from giving it 5 stars but the Charity link and the physical beauty of the book push it back into the top.
This is a collaborative comic, encompassing the work of 54 British artists, to present a day in the life, one every year, of the heroine, Nel, in 1-5 pages. Nel was born in 1968 (43 episodes, for the mathematically challenged) and is a quite normal girl/woman, so for people in that age range it will hit specially hard, because many memories are our own, even from a different viewpoint. I found that for a non-Brit male, the similarities are startling, and the differences (The Bomb, Maggie,...) make her life both poignant and piquant.
The two coordinators have made a great job, because the story unfolds naturally, and the pieces fit beautifully, so she comes across as a real person, and a likeable one, with her failings and virtues. Someone we would enjoy meeting. And yet, I am sure there are parts of the artists themselves in the tale, so it is also a highly personal composite. The other characters are much more than support, weaving the tale of the last forty years.
Even if our experience was different, this book will make you remember when you first tried cigarettes, when you met someone special in school, your first live band, your first heartbreak, the death of that well loved relative, your depression/someone's you love, the job you love and the job you hate, and so many memories that make you, yourself.
Not all of the short sketches mesh well, and there are some inconsistencies in the support characters, but it says a lot of how good the characterization is that you notice when someone "feels" different. Also, with such a variety of visual styles, not all of them are bound to be ones I like. Those two details would keep me from giving it 5 stars but the Charity link and the physical beauty of the book push it back into the top.
August 27, 2020
I didn't know what to expect and wasn't ready for how sad the story was in the beginning. I seemed to have stumbled into a kitchen sink drama on paper (Do Brits really say things like "Bob's your uncle"?). But as I read on I liked it better and better. I appreciated the great variety in drawing styles and I really liked how the details of one story could become a major plot twist in another. It was like a showcase of all the things you can do with comics storytelling-wise but also just a good read in its own right.
February 21, 2024
Interesting anthology and introduction to various artists’ styles. Fun concept! Some characters were a bit hard to recognize across the pages which could be confusing but didn’t necessarily detract from the story. Wish it continued past Nel at age 43 unless there is some symbolism to this age that I’d missed? The ending wrapped up nicely but left me wanting a bit more from her life story in later years.
February 5, 2017
Stumbled on this at the library and read it clean through in two hours flat. Lovely, lovely, lovely! Definitely need to own a copy of this.
May 17, 2018
Another awesome read. The story was decent and reading how the story unfold through different artists was awesome too.
May 31, 2021
Absolutely dazzling. A really intriguing and original idea superbly executed. I loved the transitions between authors and styles and trying to work out what had happened in between.
December 14, 2012
I went to a presentation by Rob Davis and Woodrow Pheonix around the time of the launch of this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was looking forward to buying a copy of the book, but sadly I hadn't brought enough money, and so missed out on the chance for a signed copy. It was only a few months later that I finally got hold of the book (not through obscurity but through lazyness), and only a while after buying it that I actually read it. It was brilliant as I had expected. The rich character development, not just from Nel herself but from all of her supporting cast as well, the humour, and the sheer realism of the situations. This is a truly excellent book. It didn't quite live up to every one of my expectations from the presentation, however. The varied art styles and writers, in addition to the 'one day from every year' idea, which in many ways are some of the best things about this book, do also limit it to some extent. While the vast majority of the situations gripped me intensely, you often feel like you want to carry on with that episode, and find out what happened at the end, and it doesn't ultimately have the most content. I am really interested in the characters, and would loved to have heard even more about their lives. I also feel that it was often hard to tell who was who from pannel to pannel: Nel, her family, Tabitha, Ashley and Dezzie were fairly recognisable, but characters like Les and Christian looked remarkably similar a lot of the time: who was it that she kissed on the swing (Les, Scott or someone else)? My review possibly seems mostly negative so far, so let me now list just some of the things I love about the book. First off, Nel herself, obviously. She is such a vibrant and developed character that I really feel a strong connection to her and her life. Then, her friends, who are also brilliant characters, paticularly Tabitha (I felt as emotionally invested in her as I did Nel, and that's a complement to them both). Her dad and the rest of her family were great to- basically, I liked the vast majority of the characters. The ideas were brilliant, the writers are brilliant, the plot is brilliant, and yes, I will say it again, the characters are brilliant. Well done Rob and Woodrow. I wish I'd managed to get a signiture!
August 16, 2012
An intriguing concept for a comic book, which reads like an edition of "Illustration Now!" with a narrative thread - and, luckily, an interesting one. In terms of character, the development is consistent - despite a range of bright illustrative styles, from D'israeli to Faz Choudry to John Allison to Roger Landridge, there is never any doubt which character "Nel" is, or how much she's changed over the years - or stayed the same. Like anyone's life, Nel's is at times spontaneous, depressing, insane and a little bit disappointing, and like most of us she works with it.
At times, however, the freedom of each artist to improvise is slightly jarring - for instance, towards the end, a character wanders in to save Nel's adopted son who apparently should be familiar, yet resembles none of the characters presented in the numerous chapters beforehand. Later, superb artist Dave Taylor introduces the idea that in Nel's world, aeroplanes are becoming obsolete, with Nel herself contemplating a return to slower methods of travel - but this concept is introduced far too late, and only sticks around for Taylor's chapter. It seems like it would have been a good idea for Taylor to start off his own graphic novel with his own character, but it doesn't contribute much to the rest of the book.
In any case, it's a strong character study and a fantastic collaboration. Rob Davis seems to understand exactly how to play to the strengths of each artist: while it might seem like a mistake for a seasoned master such as Posy Simmonds to be awarded a single panel, this concern vanishes upon the realisation that one panel is all she really needs to express herself. Similarly, John Allison's chapter, set in Nel's early teenage years, reflects his work on "Scary-Go-Round", whose characters are largely young rebels much like Nel herself.
Give it a go. Reading it feels like making a friend.
At times, however, the freedom of each artist to improvise is slightly jarring - for instance, towards the end, a character wanders in to save Nel's adopted son who apparently should be familiar, yet resembles none of the characters presented in the numerous chapters beforehand. Later, superb artist Dave Taylor introduces the idea that in Nel's world, aeroplanes are becoming obsolete, with Nel herself contemplating a return to slower methods of travel - but this concept is introduced far too late, and only sticks around for Taylor's chapter. It seems like it would have been a good idea for Taylor to start off his own graphic novel with his own character, but it doesn't contribute much to the rest of the book.
In any case, it's a strong character study and a fantastic collaboration. Rob Davis seems to understand exactly how to play to the strengths of each artist: while it might seem like a mistake for a seasoned master such as Posy Simmonds to be awarded a single panel, this concern vanishes upon the realisation that one panel is all she really needs to express herself. Similarly, John Allison's chapter, set in Nel's early teenage years, reflects his work on "Scary-Go-Round", whose characters are largely young rebels much like Nel herself.
Give it a go. Reading it feels like making a friend.
January 9, 2012
Nelson is Rob Davis' and Woodrow Phoenix' ground-breaking collaborative project, inspired by attending a recent English Comic Book Convention and the range of talent they saw on display. Taking more than 50 English and British-based Cartoonists, Artists, Webcartoonists, Illustrators & Graphic Designers that result in the wide sampling of talent on display in this excellent graphic novel.
The book tells the story of Nel, a British girl (woman) through the styles of the 54 creatives involved. Each creator turns in between 1 and 5 pages, using them to chronicle an event or a moment in Nel's life. The neat twist, or added effect, in the book is that each event is in a seperate year of her life, following Nel from birth, through childhood, a roving, reckless very British adolescence and on to... well, no spoilers.
The snapshot, compilation-tape, family-album, anthology nature of this collection is so essential to its power and its British nature that it has to be mentioned. You see a few pages from each year, seeing just a little moment, and through incidental dialogue you get to experience the overall shape of her life passing by. It's a powerful way to tell the story, giving the reader a lot of credit, trusting you to be smart enough to follow along in its path.
There is so much to enjoy here. I mention family-albums as part of its style because the book is all about family and like any family there are highs and lows, laughs and tears. This is one of the sweetest graphic novels I have ever read and so much more cohesive in theme and tone than you would imagine from it's exquisite-corpse style story-telling. Buy it, its amazing. And some of the book's profits are going to charity, so you can feel good about a purchase you will get so much out of.
The book tells the story of Nel, a British girl (woman) through the styles of the 54 creatives involved. Each creator turns in between 1 and 5 pages, using them to chronicle an event or a moment in Nel's life. The neat twist, or added effect, in the book is that each event is in a seperate year of her life, following Nel from birth, through childhood, a roving, reckless very British adolescence and on to... well, no spoilers.
The snapshot, compilation-tape, family-album, anthology nature of this collection is so essential to its power and its British nature that it has to be mentioned. You see a few pages from each year, seeing just a little moment, and through incidental dialogue you get to experience the overall shape of her life passing by. It's a powerful way to tell the story, giving the reader a lot of credit, trusting you to be smart enough to follow along in its path.
There is so much to enjoy here. I mention family-albums as part of its style because the book is all about family and like any family there are highs and lows, laughs and tears. This is one of the sweetest graphic novels I have ever read and so much more cohesive in theme and tone than you would imagine from it's exquisite-corpse style story-telling. Buy it, its amazing. And some of the book's profits are going to charity, so you can feel good about a purchase you will get so much out of.
January 27, 2012
Nelson is a collaborative graphic novel, with 54 British cartoonists each writing a short chapter which covers a day in the life of lead character Nel, beginning with her birth in 1968 and following her through to late in 2011. I expected the book to be disjointed, but for the most part it flows as naturally as many single-author works, and in instances where the artists' styles jar, the subject matter usually makes this appropriate. Many of the contributors add something new to the book, taking it in a new direction or adding something to the characterisation; only Posy Simmonds' chapter felt particularly self-conscious in this regard.
One of the strongest points of this book is that it ties in with key historical events and political & cultural movements; only in one instance did this feel forced. In some cases, the resonance was really strong for me on a personal level - a real accomplishment.
I must admit to being slightly disappointed by the last couple of chapters of the book, but only because the plot seemed to be slowed to an almost-stop by this point.
Huge credit has to go to Rob Davis and Woodrow Phoenix as editors and co-ordinators of the project. As far as I know, it's a truly unique work. Highly recommended.
One of the strongest points of this book is that it ties in with key historical events and political & cultural movements; only in one instance did this feel forced. In some cases, the resonance was really strong for me on a personal level - a real accomplishment.
I must admit to being slightly disappointed by the last couple of chapters of the book, but only because the plot seemed to be slowed to an almost-stop by this point.
Huge credit has to go to Rob Davis and Woodrow Phoenix as editors and co-ordinators of the project. As far as I know, it's a truly unique work. Highly recommended.
February 10, 2013
This is a comic book created by collaboration of 54 artists/storytellers. Yet it is one story impacted by their own experiences and contributions. It works because later contributors add to the twists, events written by their predecessors.
So it is one story but drawn in different styles, colours and font - yet all bound by same story. Characters are built very well built - Nelson and Tabby, Jim and Rita, the school teacher, Leslie, Chris etc etc.
Looking across 54 different comic styles, I felt it is also possible to differentiate between male and female designers, based on the style and colours they choose. Tho themes also give away sometimes, but I believe that kind of is no longer gender-centric. But style still is.
There are some eminent contributors - there is Woodrow Phoenix of Rumble Strip fame and Simone Lia who wrote Fluffy. Usually such ideas (credited to Rob Wilsom and Woodrow Phoenix) turn out to be gimmicks, but this one works.
So it is one story but drawn in different styles, colours and font - yet all bound by same story. Characters are built very well built - Nelson and Tabby, Jim and Rita, the school teacher, Leslie, Chris etc etc.
Looking across 54 different comic styles, I felt it is also possible to differentiate between male and female designers, based on the style and colours they choose. Tho themes also give away sometimes, but I believe that kind of is no longer gender-centric. But style still is.
There are some eminent contributors - there is Woodrow Phoenix of Rumble Strip fame and Simone Lia who wrote Fluffy. Usually such ideas (credited to Rob Wilsom and Woodrow Phoenix) turn out to be gimmicks, but this one works.
August 25, 2012
In this lovely, beautiful comic book we get a taste of the life of Nel born in June 1968. Her twin brother, Sonny, dies at birth and so we have the title. Because of the death of her twin Nel always feels that she is not complete, there is a gap in the life she lives.
43 illustrator authors depict one day in every year of Nel's life and the result is compelling, absorbing and stunning. We always recognise Nel and easily empathise with her experiences and relationships.
As with all the best comic books, this cannot be read passively as we scan the emotive artwork for reassurance that we have understood and ponder the space between frames to intuitively reconcile the story told with our own experience of the world.
Nel is a character who came alive for this reader to such an extent that I'm still wondering what is she doing now?
43 illustrator authors depict one day in every year of Nel's life and the result is compelling, absorbing and stunning. We always recognise Nel and easily empathise with her experiences and relationships.
As with all the best comic books, this cannot be read passively as we scan the emotive artwork for reassurance that we have understood and ponder the space between frames to intuitively reconcile the story told with our own experience of the world.
Nel is a character who came alive for this reader to such an extent that I'm still wondering what is she doing now?
October 16, 2012
For people of a certain age this is a graphic novel that will resonate. Growing up in the seventies and eighties, struggling with what passes for adulthood in the nineties and beyond, Nel has been there too. The story of her life in yearly snapshots is an engrossing one and one which will make you ask questions about your own time and how wisely you used it.
The use of a large number of collaborating artists resulting in such a widely varying style for the book as a whole feels exactly right for the story. Life as a ten year old has a completely different atmosphere from life as a thirty year old and as such should be drawn differently.
Here's looking forward to volume two in 2054...
The use of a large number of collaborating artists resulting in such a widely varying style for the book as a whole feels exactly right for the story. Life as a ten year old has a completely different atmosphere from life as a thirty year old and as such should be drawn differently.
Here's looking forward to volume two in 2054...
January 16, 2016
I have always loved seeing how different comic artists handle the same characters and situations. This appeared to me at first as a worthy compilation effort for charity, but on reading i learned once again "don't judge a book by its cover"
This is a darn good modern story that crosses the sixties through to today and the various artists shows off their talents brilliantly and allow the story to breath from artists to artist.
This is a darn good modern story that crosses the sixties through to today and the various artists shows off their talents brilliantly and allow the story to breath from artists to artist.
March 3, 2012
This book is simply phenomenal. Through a single day each year (sometimes two as they had extra artists to spare) Nel Baker's life story is laid out. The journey feels very real, and using key events in UK and World history only serves to really cement the thing in reality. Case in point being 2010's entry, which had me going "oh yeah! That was 2010!".
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
September 28, 2012
I was initially sceptical of the multi authored tale spanning a day a year in the life of Nelson, but thankfully all the creators were of a high standard to maintain the quality throughout the book. I think the story somewhat stuttered to an end. (Perhaps it was meant to?). I enjoyed the teenage years the best. (Maybe that was the point?) A nice idea and it worked. Who'da thunk?
January 15, 2013
Interesting concept having 54 artists cover a year each to create the story of Nel - reminds me of the game of consequence at school. It`s great to see such a vibrant diversity of styles and talent, and an interesting way to discover artists you may not know, along with some other better-known names.
June 26, 2015
This is such a unique and weird book. Some of the premiere British graphic novelists got together to tell the story of one character over the course of her entire life. Each author/artist gets only a few pages to portray one day in the character's life. Not everything is cohesive, and some entries are stronger than others, but it's really a fantastic project that offers some great reading.
March 7, 2013
Interesting artist jam on the life story of a woman named after Admiral Nelson - with each year illustrated by a different artist, but not all of them equal in result. Glyn Dillon sadly only did one page, but Warren Pleece struck the strongest chord.
July 2, 2012
What should've been an interesting experiment turns into a truly moving story and provides a wonderful document of our time.
December 10, 2014
My review of Nelson can be found here, on my blog.
July 22, 2012
ZIG-A-ZIG-ARSE.
December 3, 2012
just yes. an anthology but a coherent story, an exercise in style but a strong narrative visual journey. lovely
April 11, 2013
The best graphic novel to read if you have never read one before,Each chapter done by a different Graphic artist so a real great cross section of work...And it is a great story too
February 1, 2016
One of the best british comics I have read - and definately my "if you've never read a comic before" choice
January 5, 2017
Such a brilliant concept! Read this after a great lecture from Woodrow Phoenix. Has inspired a "pass it along" comic club at uni!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews