It is essentially the story of an artist and his muse - but it explores that thin line between repulsion and attraction and the eroticization of homeliness. And this new hardcover edition of Dave Cooper's Ripple is yet another comics art masterpiece that belongs on the shelf of greatest graphic novels. He also runs the Mutant Funnies Tumblr.Ītomic Books has been named one of BuzzFeed's Great American Bookstores, as well as one of Flavorwire's 10 greatest comic and graphic novel stores in America.Īs a publisher, Fantagraphics is no stranger to putting out great comics. "You simply must get it, you must.In the weekly Atomic Books Comics Preview, Benn Ray highlights notable new comics, graphic novels, and books.īenn Ray is the owner of Atomic Books, an independent bookstore in Baltimore. " is by no means a love affair you'd want to get close to, but fascinating to watch it crumble from afar." – Guardian "Ripple is a very sad love story - depressing even - but what makes it a joy to read is Cooper's contagious delight in turning his perceptions into evocative blobs and sausages." – Rain Taxi "Beautifully produced and designed and is easily one of the best comics of the year." – Chris Oliveros, publisher, Drawn & Quarterly "Easily the best new book of the year." – Seth
"Whenever Dave Cooper publishes a new book, I would be surprised if 90 percent of the other artists working in the comics field aren't embarrassed and intimidated by his imagination, originality, and drawing ability." – Geoff Darrow Sad, funny, and often uncomfortably titillating, Ripple is a remarkably introspective graphic novel, rendered with kinetic realism in a pen technique that calls to mind a more controlled Edward Sorel and Jules Feiffer. Throughout it all, Ripple is a complex love story poked and prodded from all angles, from Martin and Tina's physical and emotional feelings toward each other, Martin's dishonesty to himself, Tina's self-loathing, and everything in between. Tina's motives in working for Martin are slowly turned upside-down as well, leading towards the book's inevitable, explosive ending. Martin's initial repulsion for Tina slowly turns to attraction, causing him to re-evaluate his own notions of beauty and sexuality.
Over time, their relationship evolves from a tenuous working relationship to a confused sexual entanglement. He hires a homely model, Tina, to pose for a series of "erotic" paintings that he hopes will be his breakthrough into the gallery world. Martin is a floundering painter desperately attempting to pursue his fine-art inclinations rather than toiling in the world of commercial art.
Unlike those works, Ripple is a highly realistic story in both subject matter and drawing style. This is a breakthrough graphic novel for Cooper, creator of the wildly surreal and critically-acclaimed books Crumple and Suckle.
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