Cannonball

I have read a lot of graphic novels. A LOT. This book combines the sardonic tone of Julia Wertz with the unjustified self-importance of the main characters in Ghost World. Julia Wertz is a cranky old man in a gen-x body, but she's still redeemable through her relentless push to work and move forward and her self awareness as a workaholic and alcoholic.Cannonball aims to capture the same magic of The Infinite Wait but through a queer lens. I don't think this author understands what makes The Infinite Wait so endearing as a graphic novel. Cannonball is a miserable book. The main character is the quintessential tortured, unsuccessful artist. I would say 90-95% of her dialogue is complaining. It really wears on you. She complains in every panel, for pages on end. The dialogue in this book is too dense for the volume of complaining, turning the story into a long, painful chore.Much like The Infinite Wait, Cannonball is about a young, female artist moving to the city and struggling to get by. While Julia Wertz seems to get by with her complete willingness to pull endless double shifts before drinking herself to sleep every night, Caroline gets by through an endless stream of complaints. No one cares how artistic or high minded you think you are. I get that that's the entire point of the narrative, but A LOT of this could be cut out while still getting the point across.Neither book as a linear narrative. These are slice of life stories where the main character learns something about themselves and the human experience. Julia Wertz gratefully sprinkles sarcastic humor throughout her stories and understands the importance of pacing. When I read Julia Wertz, it always has the feeling of "just one more page" while reading Cannonbal, it has the feeling of "I'm giving this every opportunity to get better".But the book doesn't get better. Cannonball is not a good book. I got halfway through without seeing any meaningful development from Caroline. I know I keep bringing up Julia Wertz, but like Tillie Walden, she is a star in her respective sub-genre as far as I'm concerned. This book just isn't pleasant to read. There's no humor, no emotional revelation. The main character is grossly unlikable. Julia Wertz was an introverted, sarcastic, alcoholic, but she was endearing for her sarcastic humor and emotional honesty. Caroline is an insufferable protagonist who thinks she's better than everyone. She doesn't have redeemable qualities which makes pushing through her slog of a narrative unsatisfying.By skipping this book, you're not missing anything. If you want to read about young women trying their hardest to be successful artists in the big city, Julia Wertz has a number of excellent titles, The Infinite Wait is especially good. If you want more stories about growing up queer, Spinning is a masterpiece of storytelling, or Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me is also solid. Read Blue is the Warmest Color only if you want to cry for days on end.

I loved this book. This is one of those comics where you could stare at a page for thirty minutes and just admire the art and the way the story is being told! A+++

Yo this book is so good. Great lgbtq comix. Honest and raw. Can’t wait to read what she does next.

Okay, okay. So the protag’s a tortured soul. The story dragged on interminably about her inability to function in the real world. It got old very fast.

Fantastic book that really captures queer and creative angst in today's world. I can see why the reviews are divided on it, but I personally love reading about very human feelings in a flawed individual. The art is also beautiful and manages to make what sometimes feels like artistic essays read smoothly.