Review: Jar of Fools

Jar of Fools by Jacon Lutes tells the story of a magician and his mentor. Ernest, a magician in his 20s or 30s is out of a job and down on his luck when his old mentor, Al, arrives on his doorstep. Al has run away from a retirement home and doesn't have the sharpest mind anymore. When the two men get in a scuffle with some other men, a stranger named Nathan throws Ernest and Al into Nathan's car. With Nathan's daughter, Claire, the foursome decide to live out of Nathan's car. Parallel to this story is that of Ernest's ex-girlfriend who is still heart broken from their breakup and decides to start her own journey.

Yes, this graphic novel is as confusing and convoluted as it sounds. The entire book is very text-heavy which does not work for graphic novels. The majority of the pictures are close-ups of the character when they are speaking to each other. For a graphic novel that is uncharacteristically text-heavy, there is little actually said or developed. Out of the six characters, only Nathan develops.

In addition, there are as many plots as there are characters and in only 142 pages, none of the plots are rightfully resolved. There is the issue of an aging mentor revisiting his alcoholic and downtrodden aprentice; a heartbroken love story; the mysterious disappearance and possible reappearance of Ernest's brother; the repercussions of a messy divorce; and homelessness. Typically, graphic novels choose a theme or plot that is less complex than that of a full-length novel. That way, the story can be explored textually as well as visually. All of these themes could not be appropriately handled in a 142 pure-text novella. Therefore, it is no shock that it was unsuccessful in the same-length graphic novel.

Though this Jason Lutes graphic novel did not live up to its potential, do not let it deter you from his other works. The series Berlin, of which only two of the eight are out in America, is one of the best graphic novels I have ever read. The series takes place in Berlin right before WWII. The characters are beautifully portrayed and all give a different view of the city on the verge of disaster. Unlike Jar of Fools, Berlin is a must-read for all graphic novel and/or history lovers. It is everything that Jar of Fool isn't, and a lot more!

-DLP