Mr. Punch Discussion Questions

Mr. Punch is the third Neil Gaiman graphic novel to make an appearance in our book club (Eternals, Sandman series). This one takes his common themes of childhood abandonment, creepy atmospheres, and memory. McKean lends unsettling multimedia art with visual hints to help the reader decipher the complex story. The book club for Mr. Punch meets on Thursday September 15th at 7:00 p.m. at Koelbel. If these questions seem more clever than usual, we can thank Ms. Elena for her contributions.

1. Why are the actions of adults in this graphic novel ambiguous?

2. What is the effect of the Punch and Judy show on our protagonist the Child?

3. What constitutes children's entertainment? Should it be censored, or scary? How has that idea evolved culturally and over time and what are the implications of that evolution?

4. What would have happened if the Child had donned the Mr. Punch puppet?

5. What is the implication both in the original play and the graphic novel when Mr. Punch not only kills and outwits a policeman and crocodile, but the devil himself? More broadly, what does Mister Punch represent?

6. Consider the puppet show and the narrative. What does one have to do with the other? How does the Punch and Judy show function as a motif? Examine the significance of the title.

7. What is the underlying symbolism of the Mermaid?

8. Consider the idea advanced by the narrator of memories as snapshots. How do you understand this idea within the context of the story?

9. What is the significance of the dream sequence and what impact does it have on the rest of the narrative?

10. Toward the end of the book, the narrator thinks he sees Professor Swatchell. He says “Later it occurred to me that the man i saw could not have been Swatchell. Nobody lives for ever, after all; not even the Devil. Everybody dies but Mister Punch, and the only life he has he steals from others.” What does he mean by that?

11. Why does Mister Punch say, once the Devil is dead, that everybody is free to do whatever they wish? Is that true? Why or why not, and what are the implications?

12. Explain the last line of the book, “I left the churchyard then, shivering in spite of the May sunshine, and went about my life”

13. Gaiman says in his acknowledgements “[t]hank you to my parents and Aunts and Uncles, whose memories, both of Punch and Judy and of my family history, I have so recklessly and shamelessly plundered and twisted to my own purposes.” How does that color your view of the story, if at all?

14. What tone and mood do McKean’s art lend to the story? How would the story feel different if it were illustrated by a more conventional comic artist?

15. Unless the pronoun begins a sentence, the narrator refers to himself with a lower-case “i” Why is that?

Tricked by Alex Robinson - Discussion Questions

Alex Robinson is quickly becoming one of my favorite new graphic novel authors. In this and his previous effort Box Office Poison, he manages to uniquely portray a huge cast of characters using everything from personality quirks to calligraphy. Tricked features a cast of six including a washed up rock star, a waitress, and a counterfeiter among a few others whose lives become temporarily intertwined in a dramatic event.

The book club for Tricked will meet on Thursday August 25th at Koelbel Library at 7:00 p.m. Below are spoiler-less discussion questions.

13. What is the importance of the chapters counting down from fifty to one?

12. Tricked balances a diverse cast of characters. Who was your favorite/least favorite character? Who had the best/worst storyline?

11. Why is the vandalized photograph of Ray Beam so upsetting to Steve?

10. Compare Steve and Nick's psyches. Are they really so different?

9. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Alex Robinson's drawing style?

8. Why did Ray start writing songs again? Is it as simple as Lily's presence? Do you think artists need muses?

7. Nick's likability and morality varies throughout Tricked and comes to a head at the end of the book. How did you end up feeling about his character? What do his actions say about the possibility of redemption in individuals?

6. Caprice was one of the more dynamic characters in Tricked. Explain her behavior throughout the book and the outcome of her situation.

5. Did you find Robinson's characters believable?

4. In his previous effort Box Office Poison, Robinson was praised for being able to portray the lives of many different characters in such a convincing way it seemed voyeuristic.

3. Was Steve aware of his actions at the end of Tricked? Would he have a legitimate "crazy defense" in court?

2. What is Ray's epiphany at the end of the book?

1. Why is the cassette tape cover important? What is the significance of the title?

Future graphic novel selections January - April

That's right, graphic novel book clubbers, it's time again for a vote on new graphic novels. Comment below with your thoughts and suggestions and we'll hold a vote at our next meeting which is for Alex Robinson's Tricked on August 25th.



Level Up by Gene Luen Yang: "Dennis Ouyang lives in the shadow of his parents’ high expectations. They want him to go to med school and become a doctor. Dennis just wants to play video games—and he might actually be good enough to do it professionally. But four adorable, bossy, and occasionally terrifying angels arrive just in time to lead Dennis back onto the straight and narrow: the path to gastroenterology. It’s all part of the plan, they tell him. But is it? This powerful piece of magical realism brings into sharp relief the conflict many teens face between pursuing their dreams and living their parents’."



Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol: "Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part. Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs. Or so she thinks."



Scott Pilgrim series by Brian O'Malley: Scott Pilgrim is a twenty something bass player who is dating a HIGH SCHOOLER! Ewww. Video game references, surprisingly deep characterization, and humor fill the pages of O'Malley's six volume work.



Essex County by Jeff Lemire: "Where does a young boy turn when his whole world suddenly disappears? What turns two brothers from an unstoppable team into a pair of bitterly estranged loners? How does the simple-hearted care of one middle-aged nurse reveal the scars of an entire community, and can anything heal the wounds caused by a century of deception? Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Lemire pays tribute to his roots with Essex County, an award-winning trilogy of graphic novels set in an imaginary version of his hometown, the eccentric farming community of Essex County, Ontario, Canada. In Essex County, Lemire crafts an intimate study of one community through the years, and a tender meditation on family, memory, grief, secrets, and reconciliation."



Daytripper by Gabriel Ba: A meditation on one man's life, brothers Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon explore all of the different possibilities of Bras de Olivia Domingos. Bras dies at the end of each issue in a different way only to wake up the next issue in a slightly different world. It is unclear whether or not Bras is learning from these past events or is unaware of them.



Life with Mr. Dangerous by Paul Hornschemeier: Amy is unhappy and single. She works at a department store and has self-image issues. The only joy she seems to get out of life is from watching reruns of Mr. Dangerous, a television show. Will she be able to find happiness in the real world or will her penchant for equating life and television keep her from ever escaping her dreary existence?

All quoted descriptions courtesy of Amazon.com.

Retread possibilities: We've already done these titles in past book clubs, but I'm open to rereading them if anyone's interested! Let me know or select any other past selections.



Y the Last Man series by Brian K. Vaughan: One of my favorite graphic novel series, it follows Yorick and his pet monkey Ampersand. The two are seemingly the only two males left on Earth after a mysterious occurrence causes all other men to die. Yorick must discover the truth and get to Australia to find his girlfriend Beth.



Berlin by Jason Lutes: A historical account of the tumultuous inter-war years in Berlin through the eyes of various young people including art students and musicians. An unfinished two volume series.



Locke and Key by Joe Hill: A horror comic to end all horror comics. Each volume adds more depth and mystery to the series, so revisiting this one now that four volumes are out could be a treat. Though the first starts out as a King-esque horror comic, the ensuing trades delve deeper into the key mythology and almost comes off as more Neil Gaiman-y.

Planetary series by Warren Ellis

My apologies, my life has been hectic lately and I hadn't gotten the chance to post Planetary discussion questions. Planetary is almost as difficult to figure out as some of the worldwide conspiracies that Elijah Snow, The Drummer, and Jakita Wagner try to unravel, but is entertaining nonetheless. Unlike The X-Files conspiracies are teased AND answered. Thanks to our resident Planetary expert Jason for about half of these awesome questions.

1. Much of the Planetary series seems to focus on Elijah Snow. Why is he important as the protagonist? What are the roles of Jakita and The Drummer?

2. Planetary very oddly incorporates the DC Universe into its storylines. Did you enjoy its incorporation? Would Planetary have been affected adversely had it been a completely separate universe?

3. Do you feel Planetary is more original than derivative or more derivative than original?

4. Were there any major fictional genres or superhero tropes that you wished the series would have explored in more depth?

5. What is the significance of Century Babies in the series?

6. How do the three (or four) members of Planetary differ from say, The Fantastic Four? Why is this comparison significant?

7. Planetary consists of 27 issues over the course of ten years. How did this affect its fan base? Is this time span apparent when reading them in trade format?

8. What questions does Planetary reveal about the world's "secret history?" Does the government feed us a combination of truth and misinformation?

9. Elijah Snow doesn't follow the typical "superhero code of conduct." (For example, he doesn't flinch to kick people in the "unmentionables" or kill/torture/maroon his enemies.) Is Elijah Snow a superhero in the traditional sense? Does this "morally questionable" behavior make him a stronger/weaker character? Do you wish more traditional superheroes behaved in the same way?

10. Warren Ellis claimed that Planetary was a book about the evolution of the superhero genre rather than a book about superheroes, yet ultimately the final issues focused more on the plot of the characters rather than exploring genre. Did this hurt the story in any way, or did this focus on the book's main characters make the series stronger?

11. Some issues (particularly the later ones) deal with extraordinarily complex and esoteric concepts such as the structural nature of the universe, principles of time travel, the afterlife, theoretical physics, the purpose of the "century babies," etc. Did Ellis lose you as a reader in these moments, or were they adequately explained to keep you entertained and able to follow the story?

12. What are your thoughts on Jakita Wagner as a comic book female protagonist? Does she exemplify what women in comic books could and should be, or do you feel that she is yet another example of a poorly written female character in the superhero world?

13. Warren Ellis tends to write superheroes with very "human" emotions and reactions, filled with characters who tease each other and often struggle with emotional/sexual/anger issues. Do you wish more superhero books were like this, or do you prefer the "do no wrong" stoic style of superhero?

Blankets by Craig Thompson

Man, I have been trying to get the Graphic Novel Book Club to read Craig Thompson's Blankets since its inception. I read it back in high school, was devastated, and also thoroughly enjoyed it. Its an autobiographical tale of first love that is honestly and sometimes comically told. Blankets is full of motifs and symbolism; many of the questions below reflect this.

The book club for Blankets will meet on at Koelbel Library on Thursday June 9th at 7:00 p.m.

1. What is the significance of blankets?

2. What is the importance of Craig's brother in the story?

3. Describe Thompson's art style. What does he do differently than other graphic artists?

4. Blankets seems to be a love it or hate it type of graphic novel. Why is this? Is there something in the story that some readers connect to more than others?

5. Imagine Blankets had been written without the Christian influence. Could it have been the same story? What would have happened differently?

6. Why was the separation of Craig and Raina so sudden?

7. Compare how teenagers are portrayed in Blankets versus other graphic novels we've read such as Black Hole and Locke and Key?

8. What do you think of the concept of "first" love? Is it truly love or just getting used to being truly close to someone for the first time?

9. What is the importance of Raina's parents' divorce?

10. What is the importance of weather and snow?

11. Why did Craig draw a tree in Raina's bedroom?

12. Once Craig and Raina finally acknowledge their sexual desire for each other, what does the following swirly floating art sequence represent?

13. Blankets has been challenged and censored in libraries. Why?

14. What is the significance of the last line of the graphic novel, "How satisfying it is to leave a mark on a blank surface. To make a map of my movement--no matter how temporary."

15. Going along with the above question, things being in a temporary state seems to be a theme in Blankets. What other examples can you think of? Why is this important?

American Vampire by Stephen King and Eric Snyder

American Vampire is King's and Snyder's attempt to bring vampires back from the sparkly and brooding individuals that they have become. This graphic novel is the first in a series and follows Skinner Sweet, a Jack of Fables-esque vampire with a love for candy and Pearl Skinner, a young up and coming actress.

1. Snyder and King split up each issue with a story each. How did this affect the story?

I had trouble with the format, I thought that the two authors writing half a story per issue never came together cohesively. Sure, there's an interesting duality with Sweet being evil in one story and semi-evil in another, but I would have preferred a more straightforward story with an already great premise.

2. In the foreword and in interviews, King talks about the current state of vampires. Did American Vampire help de-Twilight vampires in pop culture? How so?

I think it took some steps towards making vampires important in popular culture again. The twist on any vampire story is how they act, the powers they have, and the types of people they are. Compare the psychic vampires from Dan Simmons' Carrion Comfort to Anne Rice's sultry and more traditional vampires.

3. What's the difference between the European and American vampires? What's the significance of each?

The European vampires were almost a way to satirize the state of traditional vampires, making them goofy and pompous. This served a stark contrast to all American badasses like Skinner Sweet.

4. King wrote Skinner Sweet's backstory. Your thoughts on it?

King made a big deal of talking about Sweet's backstory in the foreword, but I didn't think there was anything out of the ordinary that interested me. Maybe some of the elements will come to a head in future volumes?

5. Snyder will take over sole writing credit starting with issue six. What are your thoughts on this and King's appearance on only the first trade?

It feels like a gimmick that Vertigo employed to help get the series off of the ground if King is leaving right after the first trade. This also will likely represent unevenness in storytelling, with Snyder having to refer to material that King wrote.

7. By breaking the "rules" of vampirism like walking in sunlight, did Snyder and King really write a vampire story? Is changing up the traditional rules necessary for a good vampire story?

Yes. As previously mentioned, one of the hallmarks of vampire storytelling is to break some of the rules and make your vampires unique and a continuing threat.

8. Is Pearl's resistance to devouring her lover believable?

I guess so? Pearl was supposed to be the non-evil vampire throughout the story and the authors never make the vampires seem too bloodlust-y in the story, so it's possible that she could resist the temptation of "eating" him.

9. Did American Vampire read like a Stephen King story? How did it compare to 'Salem's Lot?

Didn't get a great answer from the book club. Thoughts?

10. In the foreword, King mentions reading his son's Locke and Key series for a refresher/inspiration. Is there evidence of this in the story?

Not a whole lot. Locke and Key benefits from a small setting with a small cast of characters while American Vampire is more sprawling, so its tough to get a bead on similarities.

Future graphic novel selections September - December

Here's a list of potential future selections for our graphic novel book club. Please comment or e-mail me your top choices and/or bottom choices. Scandalously, I have not read any of these, so below are the Amazon.com descriptions.



The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch by Neil Gaiman: "In his grandfather's seaside arcade, a young boy encounters a mysterious Punch & Judy man with a dark past and a woman who makes her living playing a mermaid. As their stories unfold, the boy must confront family secrets, strange puppets and a nightmarish world of violence and betrayal."



Chew series by John Layman: "Tony Chu is a detective with a secret. A weird secret. Tony Chu is Cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. It also means he's a hell of a detective, as long as he doesn't mind nibbling on the corpse of a murder victim to figure out whodunit, and why. He's been brought on by the Special Crimes Division of the FDA, the most powerful law enforcement agency on the planet, to investigate their strangest, sickest, and most bizarre cases."



American Splendor by Harvey Pekar: "American Splendor is the world’s first literary comic book. Cleveland native Harvey Pekar is a true American original. A V.A. hospital file clerk and comic book writer, Harvey chronicles the ordinary and mundane in stories both funny and touching. His dead-on eye for the frustrations and minutiae of the workaday world mix in a delicate balance with his insight into personal relationships. Pekar has been compared to Dreiser, Dostoevsky, and Lenny Bruce. But he is truly more than all of them—he is himself."



Incognito by Ed Brubaker: "From the creators of Criminal and Sleeper comes the most insane and evil super-villain comic you've ever read! What if you were an ex-super villain hiding out in Witness Protection... but all you could think about were the days when the rules didn't apply to you? Could you stand the toil of an average life after years of leaving destruction in your wake? And what if you couldn't stand it? What would you do then? Incognito - a twisted mash-up of noir and super-heroics."



Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine: "Tomine's lacerating falling-out-of-love story is an irresistible gem of a graphic novel. Shortcomingsis set primarily in an almost otherworldly San Francisco Bay Area; its antihero, Ben Tanaka, is not your average comic book protagonist: he's crabby, negative, self-absorbed, über-critical, slack-a-riffic and for someone who is strenuously race-blind, has a pernicious hankering for whitegirls. His girlfriend Miko (alas and tragically) is an Asian-American community activist of the moderate variety."



Thief of Always by Clive Barker: "When archetypal 10-year-old Harvey Swick desperately wishes to be delivered from a boring February afternoon, he is miraculously rescued by Rictus, a smiling (if somewhat sinister) creature. Rictus takes Harvey to the Holiday House, where every morning is spring, every afternoon is summer and every evening offers Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas in quick succession. Barker masterfully embroiders this fantasy world with a mounting number of grim, even gruesome details. Harvey must heroically battle what is gradually revealed to be the malevolent force behind the Holiday House in order to save not only himself but all its previous young guests."



Seven Soldiers of Victory by Grant Morrison: "What if there was a team of superheroes who never met each other? Included are stories of four of the eventual seven members—the magician Zatanna is a highlight—all of whose adventures stand alone but also subtly interweave. The art is uniformly impressive, the standout being Frazer Irving’s Klarion the Witch Boy, pulsing with ominous supernatural life."



Scalped series by Jason Aaron: "Fifteen years ago, Dashiell "Dash" Bad Horse ran away from a life of abject poverty and utter hopelessness on the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation in hopes of finding something better. Now he's come back home armed with nothing but a set of nunchucks, a hell-bent-for-leather attitude and one dark secret, to find nothing much has changed on "The Rez" -- short of a glimmering new casino, and a once-proud people overcome by drugs and organized crime. Is he here to set things right or just get a piece of the action?"