Jeff Smith's Bone illustrates the compelling power of contrast and contradiction. Bone is part all-ages fantasy epic, part character piece, and part social commentary. The Bones are a dysfunctional family unit comprised of three cousins with conflicting personality types that are exiled from their urban capitalist society. Through their sometimes comical, sometimes somber, and always epic adventures in a medieval feudal land, the Bones learn the value of family, community, and charity.
There is a child-like innocence that permeates the material and is conveyed through Jeff Smith's heavy line-work and visual character design. The fantastical characters and monsters in Bone are visually reminiscent of the American Saturday Morning Cartoon series of the 1980's, while the environments are mundane and steeped in realism. Despite the seeming conflicting styles, Jeff Smith uses the backdrops to create a sense of place and time, while maintaining an emphasis on the aspects of the book that really shine, the characters themselves. ( )

Love it, love it, love it. There's not a single thing to complain about it, and if I listed all the things I liked my review would be as long as the book. Suffice it to say that you don't have to like comics to like this. If you like ANYTHING, this is a must-read. ( )

love this book

Bone is, in a word, EPIC. The art is sweet and somewhat cartoon-y, and lacks the grit and grime that seem to mark most modern day adult comics, so you may be tempted to dismiss it as just another kiddie comic.

Don't.

The scan and scope of Bone, the use of archetypes of good and evil while still developing unique, sympathetic characters, the use of fantasy to comment on our world, and the consistent quality of both the writing and art, are enough to ensure that this comic endures. Plus, there's the simple fact that it's GOOD; that it's funny and thought-provoking and heart-wrenching, all at the same time.

I think we comic readers are constantly calling out for works that can elevate comics from entertainment to art, that are strong enough to stand the test of time. Bone is one such comic. I can only hope that in the future, comic readers and literature lovers alike will have a copy of this on their shelves (perhaps next to Maus and Sandman?) ( )

Bone is, in a word, epic. The quality of the storytelling, art, and characters makes it a pleasure to read repeatedly. The lighthearted storyline in the beginning is in no way a sign for what is to come near the conclusion! ( )