The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard

The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard
Story by Eddie Campbell and Dan Best. Art by Eddie Campbell
First Second Books. $16.95 USD
It took me quite a while to get through this book. Not because it's long or taxing but because it's seeming slightness and episodic nature make it really easy to put down. In fact, I only just now finished because I felt like getting it over with--knocking out what was shaping up to be something of a ho-hum review of an otherwise rather acclaimed book. Hey, I'm just being honest.

The funny thing is, in its latter stages it actually came together for me, and that was because I realized I was looking for it to be something it's not. Or at least, it's not for me. A lighthearted adventure book, that is. Nor is it a comedy, unless one extends the definition to a comedy of suffering. Initially, I thought Campbell was sort of blowing it. It was kind of whimsical but there was no snap. The hand-lettering seemed to undercut the jaunty bounce I thought was intended...episodes meandered or struck minor chords with little relation to each other. But by the end, it became clear that that was the point. Although there were plenty of legitimately amazing, remarkable events and characters in Leotard's life, there were as many failures, qualified or exaggerated successes, mistakes and missed connections as any of us, and like many of us, he dies alone. It's not a depressing book, though, and that seems to be due to Campbell's talents. There are enough light touches, sly gags and just plain beautiful scenes (the Titanic is wonderful) to keep it from being dreary. In fact, it's hard to imagine many other cartoonists even attempting a marriage of whimsy and melancholy, much less succeeding at it.