Curses

Curses is a graphic novel by composed of interrelated short stories. They cover themes of family, religion, suburban landscapes, and the migration of starlings. Sound boring? It’s not! Huizenga has a unique talent for making the mundane details of life not only fascinating, but awe-inspiring and exciting. The best story in this collection is “28th Street,” in which Glenn Ganges (Huizenga’s recurring protagonist) and his wife are having trouble conceiving a child. His solution? To search for a feathered ogre living under Grand Rapids’ 28th Street and trick him into lifting the curse that has kept them childless. In another devastating story, Ganges and his wife are decorating a “Jeezoh” statue on an unborn child’s grave show more – the story takes a swift detour into the Japanese Buddhist mythology behind the statue, becoming a touching, even humorous, look at a parent’s grief. Huizenga uses the bleakness of the urban Midwestern landscape to put his flights of fancy in sharp relief – the effect is mesmerizing. This is one of my very favorite graphic novels, nearly perfect in every way. show less

Huizenga is a master. This collection, though, has a few misses. While I appreciate the amount of research that must've gone in to the story "Jeepers Jacobs," I wasn't at all interested in a character who isn't Glenn thinking about religion. I liked the art in the story "Green Tea (Glenn Ganges Remix)," but I found the actual story fairly flat. So a must-have for any Huizenga fan, but not for a first timer (go get Ganges #1 instead).

My first experience with Huizenga, and some of the stories were great. But some also kind of missed the mark for me.