GRAPHIC NOVELS

Rock Bottom

by Joe Casey
Charlie Adlard (illus.). Image. 2012. 120p. ISBN 9781607066194. $19.99. SF
COPY ISBN
Week ending May 10, 2013Reminiscent of Gregor Samsa in Franz Kafka's novella The Metamorphosis is Casey's (X-Men: Children of the Atom) Tommy Dare, who is convinced he's slowly turning to stone. He's juggling a messy divorce, a woman friend's unexpected pregnancy, and a mother with Alzheimer's. The calcification of his bones and the transformation of his skin into rock is another level of life where Tommy has lost control. The tale's larger story looks at the societal ramifications of Tommy's transformation, from the doctors administering his treatment to the people trying to get rich off of his unusual circumstances.
VERDICT Casey has written a quiet and meditative piece, full of magical realism; aside from a man turning to stone, the story follows a mature development. The black-and-white artwork by Adlard (The Walking Dead) is spare but clean. Recommended for general sf/fiction graphic novels readers.
Reviewed by Peter Petruski, Cumberland Cty. Lib. Syst., Carlisle, PA , May 10, 2013
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