The Paradox of Getting Better is about a young person who is struggling with mental health issues. These struggles are symbolized in the comic by strangely shaped bodies and surreal art.
The artwork itself is done in pencil with words crossed out and rough edges with lines coming off of it. There’s a definite style to this comic. It didn’t resonate with me.
I understand this is an indie comic, but I wanted to see a little more polish to the presentation. As it is, the book felt like an art project in its early stages- more like a book proposal than a finished project.
The writing in this comic is fantastic by the end. However, at the beginning, the main character can’t even speak in words. They just keep saying, “XXXX”, over and over.
I get this is supposed to represent an inability to communicate in the midst of a mental health crisis, but it didn’t quite work. The family members of the individual were able to understand what the sufferer was saying, but the readers weren’t. It didn’t feel fair. I wanted to understand that person too.
This work is very imaginative. I liked the shapes the author incorporated and I also liked the message in the final panels.
If you’re going to read this one, I recommend borrowing it from your local library. Thanks for reading!
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