Comic Corner: A tingle in the funny bone

‘Bone: Out From Boneville’ review

By Brittney MacDonald, Life & Style Editor

5/5

If you’re an avid consumer of comics, there are a few quintessential titles that you should know. Bone, an adorable, sight-gag-centric comedy, featuring a rather poignant commentary on social power dynamics, is one of them. But don’t be intimidated if all you want is a quick laugh, since Bone is an easy read, and probably one of the easiest reads I have ever undertaken.

Written and drawn by Jeff Smith, Bone follows the adventures of three oddly shaped little creatures that have been outcast from their home and forced to settle in a strange valley. The valley itself plays host to a plethora of fantasy and sci-fi character staples, including a dragon, giant insects, and carnivorous monsters.

Originally printed in the early ’90s, Out From Boneville is the first in a nine-volume series. The complete work is available in a single publication, but it’s a little hefty, clocking in at over 1300 pages. If you’d prefer something a little more portable, Scholastic published a remastered edition that is full-colour.

Art-wise, Bone is highly reminiscent of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts in its simplistic character design. However, it differs from Schulz’s work by incorporating highly detailed backgrounds. This effectively places the reader’s focus on the characters themselves. Stylistically, it is a popular tool in the world of animation, as can be seen from examples such as The Secret of NIMH.

Though all versions of Bone are amazing, I would recommend picking up the full-colour editions. Not only are they beautiful, but they take this unique aesthetic to the next level.

I would definitely recommend checking out this series, even if you’re not usually one for comedies. Bone transcends genre to become a classic piece of fun literature.