I’ve read a lot of books in my time, but I don’t recall any with so great a title as this, The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil by Stephen Collins (well, maybe Fart Proudly by Cark Japiske).

As I’ve noted in previous posts, I’m sort of on a graphic-novel kick lately, as I join my children in the that rarely visited section of our public library. There exist so many fascinating stories that are as much works of art as they are ingenious tales, and this one is now among my favorites.

Dave lives Here.

Or rather, Dave lives in Here, a city of order and peace.

Or perhaps: Dave lives on Here, an island separated by the sea from There, that unknown place of chaos and disorder.

Dave is a generic man with a generic job whose greatest joy in life is to draw the organized predictability of his street and neighbors every night when he returns from work. He does it with the song “Eternal Flame” by The Bangles playing on constant repeat, and he does it until he finally drifts off to sleep.

Why? Because he fears the night. Because the stability of these habits and the familiarity of this song is almost enough to keep his nightmares and fears of There away. Almost.

When one day Dave’s singular curly whisker—on his otherwise completely bald body—begins to grow, the organized and safe world of Here changes drastically and forever.

This book was an unexpectedly engaging read. Of course the title alone informed me mostly about what was to occur, but the details of how and when kept me engaged. The fallout of the event was as entertaining as anything. The implications of what it all meant even more so.

What exactly does it all mean? I’m not Stephen Collins, so I can’t say with certainty, but I feel it has a lot to do with those concepts of “order” and “chaos.” Dave and everyone else living Here loved their tidiness. And as much as they loved Tidiness, they feared Change—Change, that unfamiliar, uncomfortable, deadly enemy of Here.

Change comes from There. Change is chaos. Change is the source of their nightmares. Change must be avoided at all cost, else Here be destroyed and cease to be.

I loved the artwork in this graphic novel. Stephen Collins’ greyscale approach balances the lights and darks beautifully. His thick lines, shading, and occasional use of silhouettes and other tricks brings action and fun perspectives to the story, especially when he plays with distance. His blocking is smart, and his lettering—although somewhat lost in the artwork—plays off the light/dark theme and is itself a character in the story.

This is a book I would love to add to my own library, and not just so people can get a chuckle from the title. This is a book I would love to read again, and it’s one I will recall fondly every time I hear “Eternal Flame” playing on the radio. Or through my device. On repeat. Right Here.

©2021 E.T.