The Return of The Dapper Men is not a sequel to, say, “The Departure of the Dapper Men.” It is also not a heist caper, a fashion handbook, or ZZ Top’s followup to the ‘80s smash “Sharp Dressed Man”. Instead, it is one of the most jaw-droppingly gorgeous graphic novels of recent memory, and a spellbinding read.
The book is set in a place called Anorev, where time has stopped, and robots dwell above ground while children live below. There’s no post-apocalyptic conflict here, no Terminator-style war with the machines. Rather, it’s a quaint place where each camp has retreated into what makes them the most comfortable, and nothing ever changes. Watched over by a broken clockwork angel, Anorev goes on its merry way with no one growing up, breaking down, or crossing over.
Except, of course, for a couple of oddballs. A robot girl named Zoe and a boy named Ayden have formed a curious friendship looked at askance by both sides. And when a blizzard of impeccably dressed Dapper Men suddenly arrive in Anorev to restart time, these two become the key to the future.
All of which, of course, fails to capture the magic of the book. This is a fairy tale, but a gentle one. There’s no evil here and no monsters, merely fear of the unknown and some misplaced love and forgetfulness, but it’s more than enough to propel Ayden and Zoe and their self-appointed Dapper guide, the mysterious 41, along an emotionally stirring journey. Author Jim McCann understands that change doesn’t happen without loss, and even Ayden, the only boy in Anorev who still asks questions, has to learn this the hard way.
But at the same time, the story is ultimately uplifting, generous of spirit and gorgeously illustrated. Janet Lee’s artwork has the luminous quality of tissue paper stained glass, with strikingly simple lines and an instantly distinctive style. The faintly organic curves to her robots and ever-so-slightly angular children hint at the sundered link between the two groups, gracefully supporting the arc of the narrative. Realistic-looking it’s not, but those who want realistic fairy tales are probably barking up the wrong tree anyway.
And then there’s the Dapper Men themselves, and 41 in particular. A fabulous creation, halfway between The Doctor and Willy Wonka, 41 drapes a layer of madcap glee over a core of genuine sadness. He’s the guide on the journey that Zoe and Ayden must take for the good of all, and he willingly accepts the burden even know what waits at the end.
Then again, the end of the road isn’t so much a place of pure sadness as it is one of maturation, of acceptance and change and the joy of new challenges. There’s a cost to moving forward, Ayden learns, but it just might be worth it.
And if that’s not a big enough answer for the only boy who still asks questions, then what is?
(Archaia Entertainment, 2010)
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