The Sculptor

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud - 487 Pages

David Smith is a starving artist. Literally. The Sculptor starts off in a café where he's barely able to pay for the coffee he ordered.  It's clear that being a sculptor in New York isn't easy. Especially when you no longer have anyone who wants to buy your work.

So the Devil comes up to him in the form of a trusted relative. He gives him the chance of a life time. He has the ability to sculpt whatever he wants. It's magical, really. He can mold anything he touches into whatever he imagines. It definitely takes "time" out of his creative equation. But the deal is that he only has 200 days to live. Is it worth it? To David, absolutely. He has nothing to else to live for!

Until he meets the girl of his dreams. When you only have 200 days to live, starting a relationship can be tough. The comic follows his journey of learning to embrace creativity even when its not making you money, learning to love, and finding what matters in your life.

I hated this book. It's been lauded as a revolutionary piece of work, but honestly, I see it as common. We see a Sad White Guy™ (typical in many indie comics these days), who falls in love with the "manic pixie dream girl*" Meg while she's with someone else! He tells her he loves her after knowing her for two days. She says she's not interested, and yet he continues to pursue her. And when she finally breaks up with her mysterious boyfriend for him, it's not romantic. It's icky. And without spoiling anything, the end does not help his case.

I'm tired of books perpetuating the idea that you can get the girl of your dreams by being sad, lonely, and just by wanting it. It's unrealistic, and I couldn't suspend my disbelief. On top of that, there is a dismal amount of people of color in this comic. He lives in New York. Why is this comic primarily white? And the one character that is a person of color: used to be a criminal.  It just felt like a "nice guy**" anthem and it overpowered what was actually wonderful about this book: The art!

The way Scott McCloud uses panels is extraordinary and inspiring for comic artists! Layering of panels, the difference between high and low contrast and its effect on the story. He masterfully shows the process of thought and creation without having to rely on dialogue. It truly is impressive!

I did like the last half better than the first half, but that's really not saying much. Read it if you want to know what the hub-bub is all about, but it is filled with problematic themes and its kind of disappointing.


*"That bubbly, shallow cinematic creature that exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive [writers] to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures. MPDGs are said to help their men without pursuing their own happiness, and such characters never grow up; thus, their men never grow up." - Nathan Rabin

**"uses acts of ostensible friendship with the unstated aim of progressing to a romantic or sexual relationship" - Rivu Dasgupta