Strap in tight kids, because What It Is by Lynda Barry is not a graphic novel even I was prepared for. One third autobiography, one third philosphy/psychology, and one third writing exercise, the entire shebang is wrapped up in collage and paint artwork that is simultaneously beautiful and jarring in the flood of information it conveys.
In the first two thirds of this tome, Barry explores many issues key in the mind of the comics creator, such as the change in creating as a child and then as an adult, how people imagine and remember, and what exactly happens when you even look at something. Each question is accorded one full page, set against a backdrop of colorful and complex collage. Interspersed with these questions are short, illustrated episodes from Barry's childhood experiences with creation and how this changed as she grew older. She makes connections between her experiences and those of every other child, things she considers universal such as imaginary friends, escapism, and the simple act of drawing for fun without worry of failure. She questions why, as adults, we do not often draw, but revert to it subconsciously by doodling when we are preoccupied. The final third of the book is an exercise pamphlet (all still lushly illustrated), with guided writing exercises meant to help with observation and memory skills. These exercises seem primarily aimed at people who wish to write but obsess with failure and thus never begin.
I was drawn to this book because of its unconventional look. One might even hesitate to call it a graphic novel at all. There are no panels, and narration does not lie at the heart of this book. It is much more academic than that, in a way that few visually driven books are. Each page is its own contained collage, with layers of text and imagery that the reader feels compelled to burrowed through to divulge deeper and hidden meanings. While I sometimes felt compelled to skip ahead to the next narration section, the simple act of seeing the question on each page was enough to send me on a mental quest to unlock the answer for myself. Page after page had me pondering, wondering how, if asked, I would respond to such a query.
That being said, these pages could be laborious, and reading the text, big and small, typed or handwritten, could be a chore in and of itself. It was difficult, but in a challenging way. I read this book all in one sitting, and I begin to wonder if perhaps the book would be better consumed over a longer period of time, allowing each page to be evaluated, reevaluated, and each question given thought independently instead of in relation to one another. The thoughts and notions were very interesting. These questions were mainly things that are so intrinsic to our being that they often go unasked. What are we doing when we look? Where do we keep bad memories? Why do smaller details trigger memories more often? At what point do we stop drawing for ourselves, and become self-conscious? Does playing always have to be fun?
On and on Ms Barry's questions rain down, and I found myself lost in a flood of contemplative excess. The theme of the book is deeply linked with the intrinsic creative nature of children and how adults may reclaim that freedom. The final section of the book teaches exercises to try and devolve back to this state of simultaneous thought and creation. I personally did not enjoy this part of the book, but make no judgements towards those who might need them. Personally, writing and creating comes naturally, and so this section did not hold my interest well. But, the exercises themselves were creative and clever, using memory and visual connections to spur creativity.
Lushly and immersively illustrated, but academically written, I recommend this book to those in a philosophical state of mind, or those looking for a challenge. It isn't an easy book to read, and not traditionally entertaining, but I found it worthwhile. The author's frank and introspective writing is refreshing, and the honesty with which she described her creative journey is endearing and for an artist, entirely relatable. I give this book a rating of Z for, "Wow, that was kida weird. But kinda cool too."
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