Written by Derek McCulloch; Art by Colleen Doran; Colors by José Villarrubia; Letters by Jared K. Fletcher; Edited by Joan Hilty. (Vertigo / DC Comics)
I’ve been waiting two years to see this book. I got to watch Colleen Doran working on some of the pages at the 2010 WonderCon. Now that it is finally in print, I’m happy to say that the wait was well worth it.
McCulloch’s story has the tricky task of weaving three different story lines together into one whole. And each line takes place in a different era: 1870, 1960, 2010. The immediate connection is that the main character of each line is someone from Ireland who has come to America (New York City specifically). What each of the characters seeks is different in details, but perhaps the key thematic element is the belief that in America, the seeker will have the opportunity to become more fully and truly him or herself.
McCulloch speedily launches into the parallel stories by giving the arrivals each in the opening three pages. He wants to make sure we know that we’ll be jumping around in time. But once that is set, he entwines us in the struggles of Ciara O’Dwyer and her toddler Maire when she arrives in New York City. The life she finds in 1870 is shown to be harder and colder than is told in the songs of Johnny McCormack in 1960. In 2010, Lewis Healy, billionaire, has come following the tangled threads of inspiration, hoping to unravel the mystery of the past.
The challenge for Doran is to make it clear for the reader the era of every single page. Nobody wants constant date captions interrupting the reading flow. So it is a very great pleasure that you know exactly when you are on each page. Her artwork clearly and cleanly jumps you from age to age. Additionally, Doran’s skill with expressions and body language fills each panel with life and emotion: from Ciara dreaming over the single letter from her husband to the joy Johnny has in singing.
Villarrubia uses a muted color pallette for the story, giving it soft tones that invite reflection. Yet nowhere is there anything but clarity.
A moving tale and wonderful, lyrical artwork carry the reader through the volume. Courage and endurance in the face of dispair, grace under pressure – these are characters you will care about. It is a story that spans a vast amount of time and yet remains intensely personal. Gone To Amerikay belongs in a place of respect on anyone’s shelf.
For more of Collen Doran’s amazing artwork, visit the website for her art as well as the webcomic and blog of her own space opera epic,A Distant Soil.
