Graphic Novel Fridays: In a Name, Moresukine
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Although clumsy to the tongue, the recently published Moresukine has a nearly unpronounceable title that manages to tell the story of the book itself. “Moresukine,” according to author and artist Dirk Schwieger, is how the Japanese pronounce “Moleskine,” the famous line of travel notebooks and journals. And using a Moleskine as his travel log, the expat author illustrated his experiences living in Japan from January to July 2006. The kicker is that Schwieger invited readers from all over the world to visit his blog and submit weekly “missions” for him, and these adventures throughout Japan are now collected here.
“All of the missions had to be completed, in the order of their arrival and irrespective of their individual appeal to me,” the author notes in his introduction. In a clever turn, the publisher produced his efforts in a Moleskine-esque notebook, complete with ribbon bookmark, black binding, and banded cover.
Thankfully, Schwieger is an accomplished artist: his characters have a cartoony feel, but the details in birds, mushrooms, buildings, and forestry are all the more impressive for appearing in a deceptively simple journal. Schwieger does not cut corners and creates unique panel structures—one mission, to explore gender roles in Japan, folds out into a four-page spread, front and back. For every “wasabi” mission, there is one that calls for Dirk to visit a swordsmith, and the spirituality discovered in the task comes through in the artwork and storytelling. And the missions are filled with tiny tidbits. Japanese swordsmiths, for example, are allowed to forge only 24 swords per year and must complete “countless” bureaucratic forms for each piece, “…because the Yakuza uses these weapons.”
My favorite entries called for Schwieger to research Japanese slang (“A ‘beauty with eight faces’ refers to somebody who tries to please everyone…”), travel Mount Takao, and, in the journal’s final entry, try the potentially fatal cuisine known as “fugu!” Schwieger uses the anxiety of possibly consuming neurotoxins to end on a high note, reflecting on each mission in a series of flickering panels.
As a bonus, Schwieger contacted fellow artists from around the world and asked them to contribute to a shared mission of a Japanese experience. James Kochalka (American Elf) turns in a brief and humorous piece, and the rest are mixed but compelling. Moresukine has the feel of a true DIY comic, and it charms beyond such humble classifications.
Jonathan Dozier-Ezell on November 21, 2008 at 12:27 PM
Would this work with novels? I've posted a link on related blog at www.jonathandozierezell.com/blog/index.php?id=20 where I ask the same question.
Alex Carr on November 21, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Hi Jonathan, thanks for reading--and cool blog.
I know Mark Z. Danielewski tried this somewhat with his "Only Revolutions," the follow-up to "House of Leaves." Readers sent in all sorts of miscellany to be included in the margins of the text.
But what you're talking about is a much more involved experience. It could work, but like the musician who has his audience fill in the blanks to a sing-along madlib, it may still require a basic structure first. Neat idea for a project. Why not? [Note: There may be legal issues inherent in such a project and I hereby absolve myself of any implications, ha.]