Sin Titulo

Self-centered Alex Mackay has no idea that he is letting important relationships slip away, until he drops in on his grandfather, Robert, at his nursing home, only to discover that the old man died a month before. Left pondering the small box of his grandfather’s personal effects, Alex discovers an intriguing photo of Robert with an unfamiliar woman. When he asks the nursing home staff about the photo, his questions are met with obstructionism and violence. Determined to find the truth, Alex sets out on a journey of discovery that only raises more questions and reveals that his recurring dream of a gnarled tree on a beach is far more important than he previously believed. Originally presented as Web comic (which went on to win an Eisner Award), the story uses a simple panel grid and clean line art as the grounding for a noir tale with multiple levels of meaning—one derived as much from David Lynch and Hitchcock as from other comics. Alex is often an unlovable protagonist, but his dysfunctional relationships with his father and grandfather turn out to be at the core of the mysteries. A masterful tale that rewards close reading. (Sept.)