You hit on one thing I thought really put Blankets above the usual, the realistic and mature handling of religious belief. Religion in comics usually only exists to be mocked and denigrated, and I found Blankets to be refreshingly honest in its examination of religious values. I also appreciated how well the mentally disabled sister was handled. Again, this is something that, in other books, would have been used for either cheap laughs or cloying sentimentality, but in Blankets was handled realistically.
Yes, that's true. I didn't dwell so much on Raina's family situation, since the main focus was on Thompson's life- but that was a realistic and sympathetic portrayal of mentally challenged people.
And I got the feeling that while Thompson has dismissed the religion he was brought up in, he still respects what it stands for, even though he doesn't accept the dogma- and I certainly relate to that.
Ahhh Blankets...such a great book. This is the only graphic novel I have ever gotten my lady to read (and she is now reading Chunky Rice) and to really put it into perspective, my mom visited this weekend, casually picked it up, and read the entire book over the weekend - making it the only non-Archie comic she ever read in her entire life.
The Raina decision, for me, was such a powerful moment. I don't think she was ever portrayed as the soul mate, I just think she was that first crush, heightened for him because of his strict religious upbringing. I believe in part she challenged his beliefs, the whole sleeping with her moment (even if sex didn't occur), being his first real questioning of his dogmatic upbringing. In essence, that questioning also lead to the tearing down of his institutionalized walls and the eventual destruction of his relationship with Raina when he realizes that it’s nothing more than a crush – not a soul mate in any sense of the word. He questions their rel
Woah, character limit? I wonder if I have that...
Anyway, continuing:
relationship, which at first seemed so obvious to him. It was never really perfect, however, her friends and her interests never really intersected his. Only at night, when they were alone, did it seem right.
To me, the moment he burnt her stuff was probably one of the single greatest moments in comic books.
I like your blog, by the way.
Thankew!
Yeah, that character limit is a pain in the ass. I wish I could change it, but I guess I'd need a paid account to do that, if it's possible at all.
Great observations about Blankets. Perhaps soul mate is a bit of an exaggeration, but it certainly did seem, at least at first, that they certainly were made for each other. And the burning of her stuff was very shocking- I felt like it was a shame and a waste and I didn't really comprehend how he could do something that extreme. Then again, letting go has always been a bit of a problem with me...
Well, interestingly enough, a lot of relationship gurus (whatever the hell that is) and psychologists do suggest the burning process (or at least throwing stuff away). This way, there's this finality of it, you can never go back to exactly what you had before.
I actually burned once. A bunch of years ago. It was refreshing.
when the creator lays as much personal stuff as this on the line for people to see, it almost feels churlish to take shots at it
Nah. Trust me: it feels fine!
Aw, you're just mean.
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