Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email

2023 March 15 • Wednesday

We finally got around to Peter and Maria Hoey's new graphic novel, The Bend of Luck!

Like much of the Hoey's work, this book is unusual and unique to them while also nodding in the direction of beloved influences. The styles and narratives of old movies, particularly film noir, are what come to mind here, but they're more in the background.

Probably magical realism is a phrase that could be used to describe the story as well. The first line is "Luck occurs naturally in the physical world" and this is meant literally.

From here we see how luck itself takes the form of stones and pebbles formed as the planet Earth went through geophysical changes.

To find and possess the stones is to have actual luck—providing you can take care of the stones properly. There are some grim fates awaiting some of these "lucky" people.

Despite the violence and death it seems that… well never mind. We won't ruin the ending for you.

As always, the Hoeys' art and writing are beautiful and so very quiet. Are they the Edward Hopper of comics?