Couch Fiction
Written by Philippa Perry
Art by Junko Graat
2010
Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/
The current flavour-of-the-month comic book by those that like like their art slightly high-brow Couch Fiction gives the reader a fly on the wall glimpse on a long-running battle of wills and emotions between up-tight barrister James and the hippy drippy sandal-wearing psychotherapist Pat. Told with a big panel of each page (only sometimes broken up into smaller chunks) with informative notes underneath detailing the theories and ideas underpinning the psychological techniques used - the book is an ideal introduction to anyone wanting to know more about the psychotherapical process. On the negative side: It's clunkly written and poorly drawn (I was shocked when I realised that the artist and the author were two separate people - the pictures look like their were done by a rubbish 13-year art student) and the pictures tend to inelegantly reinforce what the notes underneath have already told us. There's point where the notes talk about the "Perfect Childhood Alarm" only for the next panel to cut to a picture of an alarm bell ringing (with "Perfect Childhood Alarm" written on it). But I then again I've got to admit there is a very nice feeling of catharsis that comes at the end when all the issues have been addressed and James is more emotionally sussed-out. It is cool that comic books try new things - but you don't get points just for showing up.
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Links: Guardian Interview with Philippa Perry.
Further reading: Literary Life, Embroderies, What It Is, Wilson, City of Glass, The Tale of One Bad Rat, A Taste of Chlorine, Are You My Mother?, Science Tales: Lies, Hoaxes and Scams.
All comments welcome.
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