Doran, Colleen

Doran, drawing inspiration from art nouveau and Irish illustrator Harry Clarke, eschews conventional formatting and panel grids, presenting the story in lush, fully painted, free-flowing layouts that nicely complement Gaiman’s lyrical narration. An excellent choice for adult horror collections.

This epic tale is a page-turner despite what seems like an odd mix of characters, times, and spaces. Doran could have updated Earth to reflect the present day, but the story would have lost a great deal of charm. This nuanced and compelling tale spans the wide range of imagination, bringing together the best of sf, fantasy, Arthurian legend, and the 1980s.

Showing imperfect people passing a precious legacy amid tragedy, McCullough (Stagger Lee) reveals a fine ear for dialog and doesn't skimp on the harsh realities of immigration and urban life, 1870s or 1960s. The heroic-realist color art of Doran (Mangaman; A Distant Soil) lends sweeping beauty. Recommended for those drawn to historical and literary graphic novels, high school and up owing to sexual situations and salty language.