Building Stories [Hardcover]

So Its been 2 years since the Acme novelty library 20 (Lint) and 4 years since Acme novelty 19, so it would be no surprise that a release from Chris Ware was pending.

This review mentions no part of the actual storyline and is therefore not going to spoil details of content to the reader of the review.

It should be noted that a small part from acme novelty 16 is reproduced in bigger scale within this set along with a bigger format hardback edition of acme novelty 18. Reprinting them bigger has done no harm and has allowed readers of Ware to access older material & avoid silly prices for older bindings. So in summary 2 enlarged editions of previously book published material and 12 new items. I also believe some of the contents of the 12 new items have been published in dribs and drabs over a the last decade in the American press and other places. However, never before has all this work been bought together.

Unlike the more recent and previous small hard back book format, we have been presented here with a huge box containing a pile of painstakingly detailed material. Each item within presents a fragment of a fuller body of work. Each fragment is presented in its own right in the form of anything from a simple small double sided paper strip, to a huge broadsheet style newspaper. One standout item for me is the hard book with gold spine & cardboard outer pages (bindings reminiscent of build to last robust kids books).

The outer box has a presence of beauty and attention to detail, when held upright the front cover is a feast for the eyes, a flow of ideas fold themselves around the lettering, the bottom of the box has foundation bricks lined up to support the 'structure' that you are holding and the top panel shows clouds 'above' the box. In true C.Ware style there are 3 small cartoon panels on the inner sides of the box. The back of the box shows a detailed cutaway diagram of the top floor of the building, next to this each item contained in the box is shown (by a connecting line) to have a current position on that floor diagram. (Eg One item is on a book shelf the bee newspaper is chucked on the hallway dressing table). It is as if the contents of the box you now proudly own are actual items that exist within the space they depict. Don't be overwhelmed at its volume or scope. Its contents will slowly and beautifully create & join up the dots for us, giving more depth to the current characters occupying the building as well as the long dead and gone. There is no right order to read the items in, just take out any 1 of the items and read them 1 at a time in any order. Relish in the dedication of an eye watering decade of work by a master of his craft, its a very rare experience indeed.

If you own none of Chris Ware's work then do not hesitate to start here with this set. It not only has an out of print book inside but is collectively the largest body of work aside from the separate and extraordinary Jimmy Corrigan. I would assume that if you were to enjoy this then you will want to join up more of the details by reading 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20.

If like me you have followed the works as they have been published then this is a huge addition to the ongoing body of work & manages to tie up some loose ends create a few and increase depth to characters and circumstances & history.

For me, it's actually 3 1/2 stars, but that might be simply because I was expecting the outstanding. Chris Ware is I think my favourite American comics writer and I heartily recommend this book, but I don't think it's Ware at his very best.

If you've read (the exceedingly good) Acme Novelty Libary no. 18, Building Stories will ring a bell: Except for tales of a temporary resident the story is of the tenants of an apartment building, focussing upon the main character of the previous book. (If you own ANL no. 18 be prepared to own another copy of it--rather disappointingly it's one of the books enclosed and though it's slightly larger than the original I noticed no other changes.) Ware dips in and out of the lives of an old woman, a couple with a strained relationship, and, most of all, a lonely young woman. There's little drama in those lives and most of what we learn of these people we learn from their thoughts, but the book is credible and most of it is thoroughly absorbing, The art is of course terrific.

But a couple of the booklets barely held my interest. While the 'The Daily Bee', a mock newspaper, was very nice a booklet about the bee character, which actually has the most attractive artwork in the book, grows almost tedious. Another over-long booklet seems to have no point other than to show us that a mother loves her child. Indeed, I wondered whether Ware had written some of Building Stories shortly after becoming a parent; although he never quite slides into sentimentality he comes close to it. (The child's words and actions do seem true to life, though.)

And the lonely woman, the child's mother, sometimes verges on being a rather annoying bore. I've little doubt that my tolerance for self-absorbed socially awkward characters has been lowered because so many American graphic novelists--Clowes of course springs to mind--have done them almost to death, but her preoccupation with herself (pre-child, anyway), with her appearance, whether she'll find a partner, slights she suffered years ago, wears thin. Occasionally as well her social cluelessness would be in real life downright scary: She interprets disinterested glances as signs of sexual attraction to her and, when a virtual stranger gives her a lift and upon reaching the destination takes hold of her hand, her response is to say disappointedly 'I know . . . you only want to be "friends".' And onn the whole I'm not sure this person is interesting enough to merit so many pages of the book; I'd rather have read more about the man downstairs, who seems to have a more complex personality than the other characters.

Because I've a fair few books in odd formats, including a couple of others in boxes, I wasn't quite so ravished by the format of this one as others have been: it's a good idea but not a new one. Moreover, whilst the papers, pamphlets, and books are bundled together within the box, there's nothing to prevent that bundle sliding about during shipping and I presume that's why several of the items in my copy were bent at the edges and why the foil covering the spine of one book has begun to peel. (For some interesting remarks on the book's design, see mrclam's review on American amazon.)

One last thing: If you've never read Chris Ware--and certainly if you've never read comics--this mightn't be the best place to start. Instead, for a full-length novel, try Jimmy Corrigan; for Ware at his most distinctive, have a look at Acme Novelty Library (unnumbered) or perhaps Quimby Mouse.

As a big fan of graphic novels - particularly the growing autobiographical genre, I loved this "book". I know it isn't autobiographical (or is it!?) but it rang out as authentic storytelling. Yes, she's irritating, mundane, self absorbed and neurotic but she's all the more interesting for it. It reminded me in feel to some of Harvey Pekar's work but without the supposed nobility of the blue collar struggle.
I was moved by the story a great deal and despite the fact the protoganist is a woman, I saw so many aspects to my own life, as I'm sure is Ware's intention. Perhaps, as a male, I am not equipped to say this but I was in awe of his ability to capture a woman's life.

The art work is beautiful - stark, clean - almost like Hopper at some points. Many of his frames are high shots, emphasising the isolation and frustration and they have a cinematic quality to them.

The box with all its bits and pieces is wonderful. I felt like a child at Christmas taking out all the sections. I liked the random nature you can approach the story too...

This is one of the best pieces of story telling I've read in a while!