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Amelia Rules (Free Comic Book Day Edition)
Book Released: 7 May 2005
Review posted: 16 May 2005
Writer: Jimmy Gownley
Artist: Jimmy Gownley
Publisher: ibooks
5.00 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Louis Vitela
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I don't know about you, but comics — those that are meant to
be comical — don't make me laugh. The Sunday Funnies have only
ever been The Sunday Occasional Smiles for me. Even the few I never
miss, like Dilbert and Liberty Meadows, only ever get a
smirk and an appreciative nod. Maybe I expect too much. Regardless,
with this as my frame of reference, I was more than a little surprised
to find myself laughing out loud at Amelia Rules, one of the
many free offerings from 2005's Free Comic Book Day.
“Define ‘nerd.’ ”
“Reggie, you speak Klingon. You are
the definition.”
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Amelia Rules has the pleasant feeling of a really good
— and really funny — Sunday comic strip that doesn't end
after only a few panels. Indeed, nearly every fifth panel seems to
have a punch line, giving the sense that we're reading a collection of
Sunday strips all at once. If I make that sound too formulaic, don't
get me wrong: Gownley's comedic timing is impeccable. The humor works
because of his excellent choice of shots and his smart, snappy
dialogue.
This particular book introduces us to Amelia, a nine-year-old girl
who has moved away from her home in New York to live with her mother
and her mother's sister Tanner (who happens to be a rock star).
Amelia speaks directly to us every few pages, introducing herself or
moving the narrative to a new place. Not all comic book writers are
able to effectively pull off directly addressing the readers, but
Gownley does an impressive job. When it's time to talk to us
directly, Amelia is granted an entire page all to herself. Since
she's still just a little girl, however, she only takes up one corner
of the page — the rest is stark white, letting us know we're not
in the story but in Amelia's mind for a moment. This both endears
the character to us and moves the narrative along quite effectively.
After Mary Violet is “skooshed” by a
medicine ball in gym class:
“Stand back everybody! Give her room!”
“Why? She needs so much less now.”
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Gownley's art is an excellent match for his writing and stories.
The characters are rendered in an appealing cartoony style, with just
enough realism to take the characters seriously when the story asks us
to. The dialogue is smart and economical, often seeming a little
mature for a nine-year-old, which ends up being part of Amelia's
charm. Gownley's work invites perhaps inevitable comparison to that
of Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), but Amelia Rules
compares quite favorably even to that high standard.
Although I'd never heard of Amelia Rules before Free Comic
Book Day, it's not a new book. The first ten issues of the series are
available in two trade paperbacks (five issues per book), and the
series has received critical acclaim not only for the writing and art,
but also because it's one of those rare books that will appeal to
readers of all ages.
—CCdC— Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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