Map of My Heart [Paperback]

John Porcellino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2009

Celebrating the Twentieth Anniversary of The King-Cat Zine

Map of My Heart celebrates the twentieth anniversary of John Porcellino’s seminal and influential comics zine, King-Cat Comics, which he started self-publishing in 1989 and which has been his predominant means of expression. In this collection, while Porcellino is living in isolation and experiencing the pain of divorce,he crafts amelancholic, tender graphic ballad of heartbreak and reflection.

Known for his sad, quiet honesty rendered in his signature deceptively minimalist style, Porcellino has a command of graphic storytelling as sophisticated as themedium’smore visually intricatemasters. Few other artists are able to so expertly contemplate the sadness, beauty, and wonder of life in so few lines.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[King-Cat comics] swell with passion and heart.” —USA Today’s Pop Candy

“Since 1989, John Porcellino’s simple, and simply beautiful, comics (alongwith letters, lists,and a fewphotographs) have been self-published to growing acclaim.” —Minneapolis City Pages

“Porcellino is a master at miniature poignance.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Porcellino’s self-published and personal zine—the blogging of its day—is stuffed with universal and unique truths.” —Contra Costa Times

About the Author

JOHN PORCELLINO was born in Chicago in 1968. He began writing and drawing at an early age, compiling his work into small, handmade booklets. He lives in Denver with his wife and two cats.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly (October 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1897299931
• ISBN-13: 978-1897299937
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,035,445 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Porcellino was born in Chicago in 1968, and began drawing and writing at an early age, compiling his work into little hand-made booklets. His acclaimed self-published zine, King-Cat Comics and Stories, begun in 1989, has found a devoted worldwide audience, and is one of the most influential comics series of the past twenty years. In the words of cartoonist Chris Ware, "John Porcellino's comics distill, in just a few lines and words, the feeling of simply being alive."

For more information, please visit www.king-cat.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life refined to the barest of lines, July 13, 2010

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This review is from: Map of My Heart (Paperback)

Never was the phrase "deceptive simplicity" so apropos as in the pages of John Porcellino's "Map of My Heart." Collecting issues 51-61 of his long-running minicomic "King-Cat Comics," this volume shows us his life during the past few years, from marriage & divorce to slices of everyday life to a continuing study of Zen, all rendered in a beautifully simple & clear style that's certainly minimalist, but also quite rich. He's distilled his art into a few precisely chosen lines, depicting both the physical world & his emotional life with directness, honesty, humor, and an almost glowing, melancholy purity. It's no accident that one of his previous works is a graphic novel adaptation of "Walden" for younger readers -- he obviously shares Thoreau's bareboned, shrewd but compassionate aesthetic.

While this is an excellent introduction to Porcellino's work, longtime fans may find it a bit mellower than it used to be, when he was a punk-influenced young man, and his life was more raw & confused. All to the good, as I wouldn't expect anyone to be the same at 20 & 40! When reading his collected work, it's fascinating to watch him grow & change over the years -- his first issue of "King-Cat Comics" came out in 1989, and a lot has happened to him between then & now.

Autobiographical comics are sometimes dismissed as being all the same, since there are so many of them; but to my mind, Porcellino stands out as an original, with something valuable & poignant to offer. I'm eagerly awaiting his next collection -- highly recommended!