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Still Life, turbulent life

Review by Cornelius Fortune

There are many sides of Brian Wood (the political commentator; the brilliant designer, cover artist; the “re-mixer” of musty concepts), but the one I like best is when he plays the consummate spinner of small tales.  For the average book store chain this usually falls under the categorization of “slice of life” literature. And sure, there’s a little IFC (Independent Film Channel) in there too, if you lean towards such comparisons. But that’s an oversimplification. It’s too easy to get on the compare-comics-with-film bandwagon.  Make no mistake; the two are not inextricably linked, despite Hollywood’s recent pillaging of Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and other comic properties. I like when comics are doing stuff that only comics can do, and the work in question isn’t just a back door film script waiting to be turned into a movie.

(The upside of this comic book movie trend – or is it a genre now? – is the exposure of our favorite characters to the mainstream; the downside is you’re still going to see “Piff! POW! Zam!” in damn near every headline involving a comic character, because fewer than five percent of those box office sales are translating to the direct market, which means the war of legitimacy is still being fought as far as the general public is concerned.)

Wood and Ryan’s The New York Four is a great story because it does things that can only really be done within the medium of comics, and we need more books like this.  Four (if you allow the abbreviation) has more in common with Wood’s recently ended Local (also with Kelly on pencils) and Demo than DMZ or Northlanders. Readers of Local will be rewarded with a nod to the series as well. (Keep your eyes peeled.)  The story is simple enough. Riley Wilder is a freshman at NYC and makes friends with three young girls: Merissa Vasquez, used to getting her way by using her sexuality; Ren Severin, a tomboy, who wouldn’t know a good relationship if it walked right past her; and Lona Lo, a Canadian, and aspiring photographer, and overachiever who is perhaps stranger than all of them.

Things get complicated when Riley’s estranged sister Angie shows up to catch up on old times.

Riley’s the “perfect daughter” of two “perfect parents.” A sweet, but introverted girl who spends most of her time texting people she’s never seen in the flesh, much to the chagrin of her newly acquired friends.  An opportunity presents itself to Riley via her sister’s new boyfriend, providing a way out of her parent’s home (and rules) and opening the door for the four of them to become roommates. But she needs to follow up on it and Riley’s not really good at following up.  They each see a psychologist twice a week as part of a study conducted by a company that develops PSAT and SAT prep tests for high school students. (And it helps bring in a little extra money for apartment savings).  Then Riley meets someone, but it’s all downhill from there. The guy’s name is “sneakerfreak,” and as you’ve probably guessed, it’s a blessing and a cursing. This relationship forces Riley to grow up in ways she hadn’t expected and sends ripple effects through every relationship she holds dear.

The New York Four isn’t going to grab the reader looking for action, sex, profanity or caped heroes. But if you’re looking for an entertaining character-driven drama beautifully rendered; a complex examination of one girl’s search for an identity beyond what the world expects her to be, then this book may interest you.

Wood and Kelly as tour guides, explore themes of isolation; belonging; the significance of origins (where a person comes from, how it shapes them); and damaged relationships.

There’s nothing else like it on the stands. And for this, we should be grateful.

New York Four
Written By: Brian Wood
Illustrated By: Ryan Kelly

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