Flight: Volume 1

Flight: Volume 1 edited by Kazu Kibuishi, 208 pages

Published in 2004, this graphic anthology is the first of eight Flight volumes. The volume brings together 22 short stories that all somehow involve some definition of "flight," from airplanes to angel wings to the flying trapeze to taking a leap of faith.

The collection is intensely visual, and by that I mean that the art is at the forefront, sometimes to the detriment of the story being told. For example, "Dummy Brother" by Jacob McGraw-Mickelson is flat-out gorgeous, with a collage style that blends old maps with sketches. But the story itself is scrawled around the outer edges of each page, making it hard to read; simply put, I was much more interested in viewing the compelling images than twisting the book around to read the accompanying story.

On the other hand, my favorite of the stories is an untitled entry from Phil Craven that centers on a penguin dreaming of flight. This one is completely wordless, yet Craven's cartoony style evokes so much whimsy, joy, and wonder that the story feels complete; words, I think, would have ruined it.

While there were a few entries that I could have lived without, on the whole, this was an excellent volume. I'll definitely be seeking out the remainder of the series.