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‘Kaleidoscope City:’ Advance Graphic Novel Review

Kaleidoscope City is a love letter to the city – to the energy of it and the loneliness that can be found within its crowded world. Marcellus Hall has put to page his memories: his feelings of his early adulthood becoming lost in the idea of finding something new and exquisite with every step taken, hoping that something will excite and define you, perhaps even recreate you. To the point where the artist in the book literally draws himself landscapes to realize.

The book is split into seasons. Some pages are merely drawn snapshots of life in the city to create the atmosphere – focusing the prose on describing the sounds – and the simple black-and-white artwork makes the images feel that much more like memories, and in turn creates an authenticity and thoughtfulness. Of course, what I call “simple” is actually well thought out and complex, the city springing to life and each image placed perfectly on mostly white pages for dramatic effect.  As the action unfolds the loneliness takes more of a hold on the hero.

The book lulled me into its carefully chosen words; its rhythm is that of a poem. The images flow from page to page and thought to thought, taking on a wistful attitude. It’s a lovely bit of work that captures the effect a city can have on a young person hoping for connection but not really sure on how to connect, instead letting it flow over them. As a young man in a city, I had a similar experience with the city, and that’s where the book ultimately succeeds. There’s something universal about it. Most people compare the city to a jungle, but the idea of a lost love pushing you into the city as if it were the open sea is something a lot of people will connect with on a profound level, and how a person can find themselves trapped in that, even though the season around you change. This book is worth the experience.

Creative Team: Marcellus Hall (story, art…everything)
Publisher: Bittersweet Editions
Click here to purchase.

Phillip Kelly, Fanbase Press Contributor

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