The Fate of the Artist (Paperback)

by Eddie Campbell (Author)
Key Phrases: Eddie Campbell

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Campbell, best known for his work on From Hell and his autobiographical Alec comics, has come up with a marvelous sui generis oddity: a meta-memoir about his own disappearance that's a kind of intently controlled nervous breakdown on paper. It's a nonlinear, mixed-media collage of a book—there are typeset prose passages, painted comics about his family, old-fashioned newspaper strips, photos with typeset word balloons, a child's crayon scrawl representing God and, near the end, an illustrated adaptation of O. Henry's story "The Confessions of a Humorist," which concerns how habitually turning life into art can make life unbearable. Campbell's always been interested in the curious nooks of history, and there's a running thread about artistic also-rans like Johann Schobert and the Greek sculptor Phidias; there's also an ongoing gag about Campbell replacing himself with an imaginary actor named Richard Siegrist. The tone is whimsical and playful, but there's a deep despair beneath it—about drinking, burnout and what happens to an artist "when his imaginary friends [stop] calling"—that overwhelms and takes the place of the plot. What pulls the whole thing together is Campbell's stunningly protean visual technique: fierce blotches of watercolor, scraggly pen-and-ink work and whiplash stylistic shifts from impressionistic caricatures to exquisitely rendered painterly miniatures. (Apr.)
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From School Library Journal
Grade 10 Up–Campbell has penned a postmodern volume about an investigation into his own mysterious disappearance. The gorgeously produced pages blend photographs, type, real and fake comic strips, autobiographical anecdotes, and musings about the nature of fiction and humor into a marvelous rumination on writerly inspiration and family dynamics. Portions of the story are told from the perspective of Campbells family members, who–like the author–are also rendered as various semi-fictions, mostly in the form of the mock comic strips that stud the narrative. The technical production of this book and the risks the author has taken in expanding his visual vocabulary and storytelling techniques are great fun, but the investigation sequence ultimately disappoints. However, Campbells continuing conversations about the nature and possibilities of sequential art are as enjoyable as they are effectively rendered. The volume ends with an interpretation of O. Henrys The Confessions of a Humorist, with Campbell casting himself as the storys protagonist. This does an excellent job of summing up or echoing many of the concepts about fiction and funnies that Campbell explores in the previous pages. It is also an artful adaptation and a satisfying and coherent close to the scattered but well-intentioned series of musings that precede it. Charming and beautiful, the book might just be slightly too rarefied and abstract for average readers, but it is a superlative example of the scope and potential of the form.–Benjamin Russell, The Derryfield School, Manchester, NH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: First Second; 1st edition (May 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596431334
• ISBN-13: 978-1596431331
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #784,118 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a keeper!, May 23, 2006

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Eddie Campbell has been producing graphic novels for 25 years--for adults. At first glance, you see a wide variety of art styles used to tell a story.

In The Fate of the Artist, the author conducts an investigation into his own sudden disappearance. He puts words in the mouth of friends and even his dog, using photos, comics, illustrations and yellowed newspaper comics.

Quirky. Very quirky, but very interesting format and diverse styles that appealed to the closet artist in me.

I was laughing out loud on page 1, giggled through most of the book because of the fun uses of unique ways to fill a page with everything needed to tell a darn good story--including typeface oddities, cartoon characters, etc.

For example: The artist disappeared and left a drawing--not a note. The investigating detective said, "Not much of a drawing if he makes his living as an artist," to which the reply, "What are you? A detective or a critic?"

Another place one character said: I found myself stepping backward down the ladder of opportunity.

This is a book I'll carry with me for when I am waiting, and especially when I need a good laugh and something to think about other than "why am I waiting here?"

Armchair Interviews says: The Fate of the Artist feels like a keeper, like something one would collect for its humor, message, beauty and uniqueness--so don't ask to borrow it. Adult fun without adult responsibilities.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Smartest Man in Comics, May 18, 2007

By	Jason Das "Qualified Specialist" (Brooklyn NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A pleasure to read. This book is a very clever and very funny piece of autobiography and formal (as in "form over function" not "fancy") experimentation.

I was dubious about Campbell going color, especially since he seems to favor a washed-out "dirty paintbox" palette. The excerpts I saw on the web were underwhelming, but it looks great on the page.