Sunday Comics: Koko Be Good

Koko Be Good, by Jen Wang

Format: Graphic Novel

Content Rating: PG, for very occasional mild language.

Plot: Koko Be Good follows the intertwined stories of Jon, a college grad hoping to join his girlfriend for charity work in Peru; Faron, a miserable but talented young boy who lives with his older sister and her boyfriend; and the titular Koko, a mischievous, free-spirited psuedo-hobo who acts as a surrogate sister to the latter and becomes an important friend of the former. Together, they explore various avenues by which a person might be considered "good." For all three, this involves a question of what they want to really do with their lives, but it also has a different facet for each--with Jon, it calls into question the practice of doing volunteer work simply because it's something good to do or makes one feel good, without questioning their larger motives and desires. With Faron, it's more a question of doing what's right and standing up for oneself. And with Koko, it is a battle over one's inherent character...how can she fulfill her desire to be "good" when she knows full well she's a snarky, rebellious iconoclast by nature?

Thoughts: Before saying anything else about Koko Be Good, I have to talk about the artwork first. Koko Be Good is visually unlike any comic I've ever read. Wang chose to colour it with what appears to be thin watercolour paints or ink washes (mostly sepia tones with occasional subtle greens and oranges), and the richness it lends to the illustratons is really quite pleasing to the eye. I found myself taking a second look over the panels long after I'd read their content. She has a great knack for bodies that are full of motion and facial expressions that somehow manage to be relatable/believable and wonderfully rubbery/cartoony at the same time. At first I was unsure of Faron's inclusion in the story--Jon and Koko get equal time as main characters, and while I liked Faron, he didn't seem necessary. It's only now, on reflection, that I see why he's there--and really, it's through him that a very subtle answer to a question Koko has about herself is given. Without him, Koko herself would lose some very important development--really, it's through the other two characters, be it directly or indirectly, that we learn most of what we do about Koko. That's some nifty writing, there. I love characters that feel real but are still somehow "larger than life," and I wasn't disappointed here--good rhythm/cadence to all the dialogue, too, which I know from experience can be tough to do.
Are graphic novels art? Not all of them. But this one is. Jen Wang, you have thoroughly impressed me. I'm looking forward to any comics work you have coming up. My eye is on you.

[Holden Out.]

PS: (Warning: Spoiler!) Also to Ms. Wang: thank you for not having Jon and Koko end up romantically involved. It would have felt predictable and it's nice to see a guy-girl relationship that's just a close friendship in a comic. I feel like I haven't seen enough of those lately.