The Acme Novelty Library 16

The Acme Novelty Library #16

by Chris Ware

The creator of Jimmy Corrigan begins a new story.

This newest edition of The ACME Novelty Library features the first serial installment of "Rusty Brown," Ware's first major lengthy "narrative indulgence" since his Jimmy Corrigan graphic novel. The ACME Novelty Library is Chris Ware's ongoing comic book/art object series, which he has been creating for Fantagraphics since 1993. It is also where Corrigan was serialized to great acclaim and success before going supernova when collected by Pantheon in 2000, selling over 70,000 copies in four hardcover printings.

"Rusty Brown" will be serialized in ACME over the course of several issues (and Pantheon will similarly collect the story in hardcover sometime upon completion, several years from now). The first installment begins with young Rusty, an outcast in his suburban Chicago elementary school, befriended solely by his Supergirl action figure until he meets new kid on the block and fellow comic nerd, Chalky White. Rusty's story is an uncomfortably vivid and uncompromising look into the life of a social outcast. Ultimately, Rusty Brown will run longer than Jimmy Corrigan, tracing Brown's life through adulthood, along with every excruciating moment of failure it brings.

The ACME Novelty Library series has been the most acclaimed comic book series of the last ten years, as well as one of the bestselling contemporary comics on the racks. This is only the second issue, however, that has been available to the general book trade, enabling booksellers to satisfy demand for Ware's work post-Jimmy Corrigan while Ware builds toward the next collection. The format also allows Ware to indulge us with many surprises as well, from Ware's faux-advertising sections and elaborate three-dimensional cut-out designs.

Author Biography: Chris Ware published his first comic strip in The Daily Texan, the student newspaper serving The University of Texas at Austin. He relocated to Chicago to attend the Art Institute in the late 1980s; he continues to reside there with his wife, Marnie. In his spare time, he creates The Ragtime Ephemeralist, a journal devoted to vintage ragtime music.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comix, Sequential Art, Graphic Novels Comics, The United States Of America

64 pages, Hardcover

First published December 12, 2005

About the author

Chris Ware is an American cartoonist acclaimed for redefining the visual and narrative possibilities of the graphic novel, known especially for his long-running Acme Novelty Library series and major works including Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth, Building Stories, and Rusty Brown. His work is distinguished by its emotional depth, frequently exploring loneliness, memory, regret, and the quieter forms of pain that shape ordinary lives, rendered with extreme visual precision, intricate page designs, and a style that evokes early twentieth-century American illustration, advertising, and architecture. Raised in Omaha and later based in the Chicago area, Ware first attracted attention through his strips for The Daily Texan, where an invitation from Art Spiegelman to contribute to Raw helped encourage him toward an ambitious, self-publishing approach that would define his career. Acme Novelty Library disrupted conventions of comic book production in both format and tone, presenting characters such as Quimby the Mouse and later Rusty Brown in narratives that blend autobiography, satire, and psychological portraiture. Building Stories further expanded his formal experimentation, released as a boxed set of interconnected printed pieces that require the reader to assemble meaning from varied physical formats. Ware’s artistic influences range from early newspaper cartoonists like Winsor McCay and Frank King to the collage and narrative play of Joseph Cornell, and he has spoken about using typography-like logic in his drawing to mirror the fragmented, associative way memory works. His practice remains largely analog, relying on hand drawing and careful layout, though he uses computers for color preparation. Ware has also been active as an editor, designer, and curator, contributing to volumes reprinting historic comic strips, serving as editor of The Best American Comics 2007, and organizing exhibitions such as UnInked at the Phoenix Art Museum. His work has extended into multimedia collaborations, including illustrated documentary materials for This American Life and visual designs for film posters, book covers, and music projects. His later projects include The Last Saturday, serialized online for The Guardian, and Monograph, a retrospective volume combining autobiography with archival material. Widely recognized for his influence, Ware’s books have received numerous honors, including multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards, and Jimmy Corrigan became the first graphic novel to win the Guardian First Book Award. He has exhibited at major institutions including the Whitney Museum of American Art and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and his contributions to the medium have led many peers and critics to regard him as one of the most significant cartoonists of his generation.

Reviews

[Adan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So dang depressing! Everything this man writes makes me want to kill myself, but it's still so damn good!

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always had an appreciation for Chris Ware’s artwork. He has an innate skill for toying with the framing conventions of graphic novels/comics and precise linework that I have yet to see rivalled, but it took Rusty Brown to really win me over. It is probably because this story (which is still ongoing as part of the Acme Novelty Library) is the first of Ware's I've read in which I felt the connection between his technical brilliance and the human truth of his characters and stories. When that connection happens the feeling is profound and it reassures me that the graphic novel is indeed a valid artform. Rusty Brown is, to me, where Chris Ware strikes a wonderful balance between narrative trickery, quiet desperation, and desperate humor.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

love for its hints at my beloved "building"

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Chris Ware is a genius and should have won the Fiction Pulitzer in Fiction for Jimmy C TSBOE. Writes and draws emotively.

[D.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

After all the anticipation and effort that went into me (belatedly) getting this book, it could only have been a disappointment. But a disappointment from Chris Ware is still better than most comic creators' best efforts! (It says alot about both him & me that I just got the book yesterday and have already read it twice.)
This volume covers the earliest tales of the previously-introduced ubergeeks Rusty Brown & Chalky White, and suggests how they first met. I love these characters (in a way that allows me to hate them viciously), so am completely delighted to get this largely dedicated view of them. The stories of Rusty and his disenchanted teacher father run large on every page, with the tale of Chalky & his sister Alice adjusting for the first day at a new school running as a sort of perpetual footnote simultaneous in timing to the 'main' story. Both tales offer that unique Ware style of ennui that has given him enough of a following to even attempt this self-published volume, though the Rusty story's got it a bit heavier than the Chalky one.
The last few pages are dedicated to characters we'll meet further in a later volume, giving a brief, mainly wordless glimpse into their comingled existences living in the same building. These last few pages pack in more of the familiar Ware draughtsmanship and attention to detail than did anywhere else in the volume.
This entire book is, as is usual with Ware, remarkable and unique. I would not recommend it to first-time Acme readers, but to a longtime fan it's a largely rewarding read...my own personal 'disappointment' aside.

[Williwaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Ware fare! The story focuses on an alienated, painfully introverted child (Rusty Brown) with an active fantasy life. Of particular interest here is how Ware illustrates two separate (but ultimately converging) story lines simultaneously. Rusty Brown's story line is the dominant one and the dynamic upper panels therefore dominate each page. Chalky White's story is shown in a single strip of smaller, subordinate panels at the bottom of each page. Characters from each story line frequently intersect and are shown from both perspectives, giving the reader a more multi-dimensional experience than is ordinarily found in the typical comic strip narrative.

As usual, Ware's layouts and colors are stunning. The wintry, Midwestern milieu is brilliantly conceived. Many panels are dominated by falling snow, and indeed, the entire narrative begins with some musings and questions concerning the putative individuality and uniqueness of every snow flake and every human being.

The action primarily concerns children and their parents getting ready for school during a heavy snow storm. Rusty Brown is a regular at his school, but it's Chalky White's first day at the same school. Presumably, the story of how the two characters meet will be taken up in Volume 17. The everyday terrors of being a child in a bland world that demands conformity could not be better delineated.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another astonishing title from Chris Ware, one of the handful of real geniuses working in the medium of graphic novels today. While thematically similar to Jimmy Corrigan, Ware's earlier and longer work in the same medium, The ACME Novelty Library #16 is perhaps even more melancholy. Ware's technique is familiar to anyone who has read Jimmy Corrigan, in that he weaves together the separate story lines of several characters who are all living diminished lives, full of regret and loss. Nonetheless, as with Jimmy Corrigan, there is a note of hopefulness here, a sense that these unhappy lives can be salvaged if these wounded characters can just learn to acknowledge and communicate with each other. This sort of emotionally charged narrative can be fraught with mushiness, silliness, and simple mindedness, but Ware is talented enough and sure enough in his aim to hit the target without bringing along the detritus so familiar from similar tales born of lessor creators. Taken altogether, The ACME Novelty Library #16 is another triumph for the hugely talented Ware.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

i came upon this book a number of times in the library. i didn't know what to think of it because there wasn't an obvious title on it with an author's name. i remember opening it for the first time in the library thinking, 'that jerk Jason Lint, Chalky White, and Rusty Brown wrote in this book (on the inside cover of the book, where it says 'This Book is The Property Of:' as if it's a classroom textbook), that's rude and they used the word sucks.' i didn't quite know what to think of this book, so i didn't check it out. As I flip through this book i think i love it more and more. Thinking back on my first impression of the inside cover makes me adore the book more. i like the Chris Ware has that trademark textbook inside cover from the book and vandalized it. Everyone has memories of writing inside that inside cover of a textbook when you're in grade school.

Chris Ware respects his audience and that is evident in how he is so thoughtful throughout the book. He has faith that his reader will make connections on their own.

[Jacobi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ware is crazy good at what he does. He's a master at the design elements of comics, dealing with complex page layouts as if they were playthings. It's great fun seeing him push the limits of comic design. It's easy to get a little lost in his pages, having to really focus to get just what he's trying to convey (and I'm not embarrassed to admit those last pages gave me a headache). Even though this is my first time reading a Ware book, I have a feeling even if I don't like the narrative, I'm still going to love the art.

The story of ANL#16: Rusty Brown deals with a group of loosely connected characters and their morning getting to school, as well as the early parts of the school day. I didn't mind the story. I like these sorts of understated comics. The story feels a bit half-baked (by design surely), but I'm not the biggest fan of that. But I appreciate that Ware seems to have something going on behind these panels, I just think I prefer when Adrian Tomine does this sort of thing a bit better.

But that design? Wonderful. Even the book itself is satisfying to hold and handle.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Chris Ware is my favorite cartoonist. I think it may be the subject matter (lonely people who lead disappointing lives...) but also his drawing style. In this one, it truly feels like you are watching a movie rather than merely reading, and his attention to certain details makes it very compelling. I've read much of the last part with the Rusty Brown character out of order, but it didn't affect the impact of the story line. Although you think one might get tired of the same themes of loneliness, Ware actually is able to make it refreshing in every novel. In 18 (which is my favorite) he is able to evoke this feeling of a static emotion throughout that isn't really used in 16. Overall, It's not my favorite one, but I liked it a lot, and I know I'll read it again.

[Whatsupchuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a hard time knowing what to say about Chris Ware's work in general. His panel structure is very difficult for my brain to arrange easily which pulls me out of the narrative.

On the other hand the narratives are so compelling that it's hard to get pulled out. But what makes them compelling? These aren't exciting or epic tales.
The characters are what drive the stories. The characters are complex and utterly believable.
Another aspect that keeps me glued to the pages is the sad, melancholy feel of nearly every page. These aren't easy reads, they aren't feel-good reads, but they are very real and visceral.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the Rusty Brown story is still amazing and worth the read, the last few pages of the "Building Stories" story are so intricate as to be stunning and what really makes the book for me. I could look over this book for hours and still find new little details.

[Sze · Rating 4 out of 5]

the simplicity of the drawings makes it more resonant somehow. i love the way he plays with layout, with stories running horizontally on the bottom, inverted directions on a page, zooming in and out, and the building stories at the back is excellent.

[Joe Decie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story and I wish I still owned it. There's little point in me reviewing it as it's long out of print, so if you don't own it, you probably won't. Much as I love Mr Ware's books I can only take them in small doses, I find it tough going.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I've read this one before and I know the end paper bits turned up in Stories but another fun depressing read of lives of quiet desperation, which is probably the Chris Ware life motto.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me cry, his drawings are so beautiful and unique. I would love to see Chris write a novel.

[C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like everything Chris Ware does, this books is meticulously illustrated and heart-breakingly plotted. Its a little too short to get to the level of depth of "Jimmy", but its a gem nonetheless.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly beautiful and sad. Rusty Brown will clearly be an epic of alienation. Curious to see where this goes and how long it takes to get there. I'm really enjoying Building Stories, as well.

[Paul Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply moving. It brought tears to my eyes. Each panel and sentence is so rich with detail and meaning.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The closer you look, the more is revealed in Ware's honest and realistic depiction of growing up (or do we?, can we?) in "everyday" America. P.S. This book is commonly referred to as "Rusty Brown."

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

same old starkly depressing stories, same old heart breaking graphic design

[Mrlunch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Ware is a genius!!!

[Geof Huth · Rating 4 out of 5]

For full review, see dbqp: visualizing poetics.

[melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully depressing.

[Ruz El · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the start of the RUSTY BROWN serial, and so far it's a great one. The two story lines happening at the same time works great in the format he's chosen. blah!

[David Kresner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Ware brand of cartoon ennui. Love the simultaneous storyline going on underneath the main story.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stellar work by Chris Ware.

[Liam O'Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

For once it's hard to describe why I like this so much but I do. The way the narrative just splits and comes back together again, to such human scenarios, is just really enjoyable.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

the parallel timeline structure spoke truth to intersecting lives and the anxiety of school for all involved

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rusty Brown is a great character. Chris Ware knows how to do pitch perfect pathetic characters.