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Notables 2010: Victor Kerlow’s The Lumberjack and Falling Sky

Victor KerlowThe LumberjackGutter, and Falling Sky, 2009.

Victor Kerlow is one of the most prolific and talented young artists we’ve encountered in a long time. Seems like every time I turn around, I run across another of his slightly creepy, off-kilter tales. These two are the strongest of the BAC 2010 lot (meaning of course Sept 1, 2008-Aug 31, 2009). “The Lumberjack” is done in unusual pink-and-green silhouettes, and brought to mind the cracked country narratives of Kara Walker. “Falling Sky” has the sense of being the very end of a very crazy post-apocalyptic noir crime story. Dead cows? Why? Blotchy washes are used to great effect in both stories, in “Falling sky” actually suggesting shapes and movement in the sky that gives the end of the story a truly ominous ring.

You can read both of these stories, and a lot more, on the two sites linked above.

Age: teen

What is this “Notable” thing all about? Matt and Jessica are the series editors for the Best American Comics, and are responsible for the Notable Comics list at the back of the book, which is comprised of virtually all the comics we sent to the guest editor that weren’t picked, as well as a number of others that we think are noteworthy for various reasons, but that we didn’t send to the guest editor.

We’ve always hoped readers will delve a bit into the list to find more great stories once they finish reading BAC. Realistically, though, we know that’s tough. What can you know about a story from a title and author? So this is one of a series of posts focusing on each of the Notables from the 2010 Best American Comics.

Have or know of a comic we should look at? Find submission info here.

The “age” suggestion is what we think might be the minimum age for reading and appreciating a work. All works on the list, though, should appeal to older audiences too. It’s a minimum suggestion only.

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