![]() ![]() ![]() Most of the text is plain, except for the “I” which is encased in a white box and decorated with beautiful flower buds. The comic opens with this line: “It is very seldom that mere ordinary women like myself get to meet a man as extraordinary as John.” The first two-page spread of the comic is all black with white text declaring this feeling of ordinariness. John, Dear is likely the most tightly crafted and emotionally striking comic I have read all year-so striking that I had to step away from it immediately after reading to work through the knots in my stomach, and the unsettling empathy it created within me. ![]() The cleanly drawn brick walls and the painstakingly shaded, lifelike hand on the cover allude to the way Lannes will use depth in the comic’s guts, recreating the feeling of being hollowed out. Her line work feels scientific and precise. In terms of construction and artistry, it should be Lannes uses holes and a physical body’s literal descent into emptiness as a metaphor for the emotional and psychological descent experienced in an abusive relationship. John, Dear by Laura Lannes is not an easy comic to read. Content warning: This comic depicts an abusive relationship and abuse is discussed in the review. ![]()
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