‘WELL MADE’ GN Review – The Sculptor: Scott McCloud (Self Made Hero)

Day twenty-two of the GN review a day here at Tripwire and today it’s The Sculptor, by Scott McCloud, Self Made Hero.

This is a 488 page hardcover original graphic novel and arguably one of McCloud’s most ambitious works to date. David Smith is a sculptor, frustrated with his life, who makes a deal with the Devil that gives him the ability to sculpt anything with his bare hands. But of course, the deal does have strings attached. The Sculptor is about loss in life, leaving your mark on the world and the emotional highs and lows of a life lived in modern urban society.

McCloud as an artist makes his lines beautifully simple yet elegant and there is a true raw power to what he puts on the page. His use of monochrome and blue throughout lends the book a visual impact and protagonist David Smith, who leads a tragic life where he finds his soul mate towards the end of his time on earth, is a complex and intriguing creation. Like Craig Thompson and Marjane Satrapi, even though his career predates both of these comic creators, there is an emotional honesty and refreshing openness to his work that really connects with the reader.

The Sculptor is a wonderfully emotional read, proving that Scott McCloud is one of the best contemporary practitioners of the original graphic novel form…

The Sculptor