A Graphic Novel Find: Bone by Jeff Smith

A Graphic Novel Find: Bone by Jeff Smith

We've come across a real Graphic Novel find. Many of you have probably already read the Bone series by Jeff Smith. When we picked up the first issue, "Out of Boneville" at Walmart, we nearly put it back down. A story about three little "Casper the Friendly Ghost" looking characters does not have immediate appeal. However, we were in the unfortunate position of trailing around after the wife and daughter as they were shopping, and anything was appealing to break that monotony. So we read Out of Boneville as a remedy to the hard floors and mindless overabundance of cheap consumer goods that is Walmart.

We're glad we stuck with it!

Bone is hard to describe in a pithy manner, but we'll try. Fone Bone, Phony Bone, and Smiley Bone, a trio of cousins, are these curious creatures known as Bones. Stark white, rounded, and nearly featureless, the story opens with them in the desert outside of Boneville. Phony Bone's latest get rich quick scheme had predictably backfired, and the three cousins had been forced to leave their hometown in a hurry.

Now, don't let Phony's larcenous nature taint the other cousins. Smiley Bone is part moron, part wise man, and all entertaining. Fone Bone, the hero of the piece is a decent, courageous and sympathetic little guy. As you read through the graphic novels, you come to love every one of these characters.

The trio becomes separated, and Fone finds himself at Thorn and Grandma's house in a valley he finds after crossing the desert. Ah, Thorn; she's drawn to make any male wish he was Fone Bone. She's young, engaging, and very fetching. She's also the sleeper heroine of the piece. The simple farm girl is soon thrust into her destiny, and as the reader tagging along on her journey, you'll hang on every panel in the graphic novel. Fone falls deeply in love with her, and so did this reviewer.

Jeff Smith feeds out the story at just the right pace. As the Bone cousins are embroiled in the lives and destinies of the valley residents, secret after secret is revealed; each secret only opening another mystery. The story is funny, its engaging, its breathtaking, its dramatic, and you'll be picking up the next novel as you finish the previous. It is that good. Do yourself a favor, get all the Bone novels at once, you'll be sorry if you have to wait to see what happens.

The characters are engaging, you discover that even the larcenous Phony Bone has his noble qualities. (Once you get to know Phony you pity the people he's among and wish you could warn them that he's there!) The villains are numerous and well done. You'll love and hate the rat creatures. You'll discover that much of the trouble brought on the valley is self-inflicted. Most of all, you'll get to experience a great story.

The Bone saga is family friendly, and it's well done. Indeed, we consider it to be in the very royalty of graphic novels, it's among the best. Bone demonstrates a mastery of the storytelling art. Finally, Bone alone is enough to justify the existence of the 'oversized comic book' format that is the graphic novel!