Permanent Press

by Luke Healy

Luke is depressed, afflicted by a severe case of metaphoritis and deadlines that don't really exist. Afraid of being forgotten by the comics community and unable to find motivation in anything besides jealousy, he sets out to create an award-winning comic that will remedy all of his problems. Exploring themes of art and existence through worlds of worlds and numbers, Luke Healy's new graphic novel includes the Ignatz and Slate Cartoonist Studio Prize nominated story, 'The Unofficial Cukoo's Nest Study Companion.'

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

136 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2018

Reviews

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating work, and one that includes Healy's self-published "The Unofficial Cuckoos Nest Study Companion." The way that Healy has incorporated this earlier work into what appears to be a more autobiographical text (albeit tempered by fiction) is fascinating. I'll be interviewing Healy soon for The Comics Alternative podcast.

[Sean Kottke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've often thought the easiest path to getting a first novel out of my system would be to take all the little underdeveloped story ideas that I've happened upon over the years and weave them into a meta-fiction story of an academic struggling to write a novel. That clothesline plot was stolen from The Wonder Boys and World According to Garp, by the way, with many of the story ideas that would be woven into the protagonist's thinking, lecturing, and students' writing ripped off from Twilight Zone. I thought it would be a great vehicle for also getting some academic and lit crit concepts out there that I don't have the time or willpower to work into peer-reviewable journal article or conference paper format.

I still may do something like that, given that it seemed to work for this graphic novel. Most of the ink here is a reproduction of an award-nominated minicomic, and woven around it to make it graphic novel length is an account of the author setting out to write an award-worthy GN, not winning said award for the reproduced story, then taking a stab at another story whose development is interrupted by an account of the author's "metaphoritis." The emerging tale of two gay misfits, contrasted by numbers that may or may not define them, was quite interesting, but doesn't reach resolution as it's more a vehicle for reflecting issues in the meta-narrative than its own true stand-alone story.

I'm intrigued by Healy's other works and I like his line work a lot.

[Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introspective and also very funny comic that folds in a couple of other funny, introspective comics inside it. Despite a terminal case of metaphoritis leading to his transformation into a cartoon mouse, Irish cartoonist Luke Healy writes with relatable, empathic strength, and his expressive drawings complement the subject matter beautifully. Feeling uninspired after having been nominated for a comics award, Healy writes the dramedy The Unofficial Cuckoo's Nest Study Companion, a comedy of errors involving a formerly award-winning playwright attempting a stage adaptation of an inaccessible, obscure literary novel while struggling with her relationship to her daughter. Unsure if the successful completion of the comic fulfills his desires, the increasingly rodent like Healy wrestles with self expression and an alienating world, and even pops in another fun comic involving eccentric flat neighbors getting to know each other. I am definitely checking out more of Healy’s work.

[Minjeong · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the quotes that's memorable is the father of the cartoon narrator (probably Luke Healy himself) remarking at the maze, that life is not simple but the fact that he keeps wanting it to be simple makes things difficult.
The lines are beautiful. The characters and their expressions are cute.
The text at times can be dense.
Overall, the writing is very clever.

[Josiah Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

liked it a lot more than Con Artists. fun and meta and sad, ambiguous ending but that’s okay!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book spoke to me specifically because.... I'm also a cartoonist haha. This is the first comic by Healy that I've read outside of twitter, and I loved it. I laughed out loud when his metamorphosis was diagnosed. I've certainly felt the emotions depicted in this book many, many times. I felt a bit called out. The need to have people read your work, give it an award, proof that you're being understood. That what you're doing is valuable, worth doing. Being defensive, but also insecure. Wow! I loved the stories within the story, it's a trope I really enjoy. The storytelling format was unique and engaging. The cartooning and mixed media is so charming, and used very cleverly. Finishing this book left me immediately looking for Healy's newest book, so I can read that in a single sitting as well. Man, I love comics!

[Ricardo Shimoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another memorable graphic novel from Luke Healy - this time using outlandish ideas and concepts to explore more - or maybe process - issues common on everyone's lives such a being afraid that one's career pinnacle has already been reached and it's downhill from now on, the inevitable feeling of abandonment that creeps up on us whenever parents are gone... and he does that in a very clever and layered way through fictional stories of fictional stories, a transmutation into a mouse (better than a huge insect) and talking to his own... shadow, among other metaphors brought to life with the cartoons. Recommend but maybe for people in that part of life, past Young Adult, but who see retirement with a telescope.

[Nathaniel R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second graphic novel that I've read by Luke Healy, and after reading it, I think I like Luke Healy's work as a graphic novelist. While relatively short feeling, I feel that it approaches interesting topics in relationships and communication and how we deal with things, and approaches them thoughtfully and well (probably because the author is going through these issues at the moment. Feels relatable).

I'm a big fan and will look out for more of his stuff in the future.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this made me feel 1. Like I was looking in the petri dish of graphic novel mfa land and 2. Like 2018 was 49 years away. I don't know if I have changed to less appreciate the sort of existential artist form vs content solipsism woes or if times have, if the tik tok hustle culture years have sped us right thru this on fast forward into some new terrain that isn't so gentle or permissive or even patient

[Inger-Johanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the front cover and by flipping through the first pages. I did enjoy parts of this story, or perhaps I should say these stories. But I didn't really understand it all completely, it was just too strange and didn't make sense to me. On the positive side, I liked the art and there was a lot of humor.

[Comics Alternative · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://comicsalternative.com/comics-a...

[Enrique Gutiérrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a great book offering a perspective of how our very essence is reflected in everything we do, professionally and personally speaking. I love how he begins to morph to only accept himself

[Rowena · Rating 4 out of 5]

~3.5

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep inadvertently coming across really powerful pieces about burnout, which are particularly meaningful right now in the middle of my own huge artistic drought. There are some really humorous lines about the identity of an artist ("Metaphoritis") that I will be thinking about for a while.

[Abs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read (for the 6th or 7th time, now). This comic opened my eyes to what this medium could be used for when I first read it.

As with every re-read of this, I take something new, and it remains one of my favourite books. A humble book with little flashiness, but something I can't quite place my finger on grips me every time.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I REALLY liked Cuckoo’s Nest. I thought it was clever and liked the mixture of text and image, like a play about a play. I often find meta appealing. Good, consistent style.

The connecting parts were also good, especially the interactions with —well not just his father, but also the other characters’ relationships with fathers.