Likewise

The cover of Likewise

One of the most profound pleasures of following an artist is seeing a talent develop in unforeseen ways. I have written previously about the high school chronicles of Ariel Schrag, and it almost pains me to come to the end with Likewise because it means there will be no more. Like all great conclusions, it is bittersweet simply because it exists. Ostensibly about Ms. Schrag’s senior year of high school, it also chronicles her growth as a person and an artist. It is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year, and is no less powerful for being seven years old.

Ms. Schrag reflects great philosophical truths in her combined words and pictures in a narrative that quintessentially reflects the uniqueness of the comics medium. Citing such literary influences as James Joyce and Milan Kundera, she creates a stream-of-consciousness comic in which every run-on thought is reflected in the captions, every state of mind is echoed in the linework, and the structure of her life at any given moment is mirrored in the way the panels themselves are arranged on each individual page. Such seemingly minor details as fonts, shading, and gutter width take on poignancy and personality with each progressive page.

With a page count greater than all three of the previous volumes combined, Likewise is more than an autobiographical comic. Yes, it’s loosely-structured plot revolves around Ariel applying to college and pining for Sally, the love of her young life, but it is also a comic about comics. Like all great art, it is about the artistic process and the act of creation themselves. Sally could just as easily represent Ms. Schrag’s muse or her ideal comic; Ariel’s struggle with internalized homophobia can be a metaphor for any artist’s insecurity. It may be considered reaching to imbue a work of autobiography with metaphor in the first place, but that is part of what makes Likewise an indisputable work of art.

Likewise was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award. It is available through Amazon, and should be found wherever books are sold.