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American Elf: The Collected Sketchbook Diaries
“Life is just one damned thing after another” Elbert Hubbard
Being a fan of James Kochalka, I was certainly excited when Top Shelf recently published a massive 520 page collection of his Sketchbook Diaries books. American Elf represents five years of Kochalka’s life that he has meticulously documented, illustrated and shared with his readers from October 1998 to December 2003.
The Story
In 1998, James Kochalka began keeping a sketchbook. He would write small details of his daily life and illustrate them. Usually comprised of four panels, Kochalka would share important events and mundane events, like combing his hair or grocery shopping of his daily life. What began as just a small project has known grown in popularity with his fans and now comprises five separate graphic novels. All five are collected in American Elf.
It is interesting to see how Kochalka’s life has changed from those early strips in 1998 to today. He shares how his career as a writer and illustrator develops as well as how his band is doing. The reader gets to share the joy of Kochalka getting the opportunity to quit his despised job as a waiter in order to pursue comics and music full time. The reader also gets to see him take many a nap and eat many a meal during this time.
The reader is also treated to seeing how Kochalka’s relationship with his beloved Amy has developed over the years. The reader experiences with James his first feelings of love for Amy and how eventually they fall in love, live together, get married and bring a child into the world. Kochalka also boldly shares intimate details of his life with Amy.
What makes all of this interesting is Kochalka’s overall tone for his diaries. He maintains a great sense of whimsy and amusement about his life and those that surround him. He never falls into the trap of thinking he is very important but instead maintains a great self-deprecating sense of humor about himself and his place in the world. Kochalka isn’t afraid to make himself the one the reader is laughing at. He never paints himself as perfect but rather selfish, moody or irrational just like the rest of us.
In the fifth section of the book, the diary is primarily concerned with James and Amy’s son Eli. It is easy to see for the reader that Eli has become the focus of Kochalka’s life and he seems to relish every minute of it spent with his family. However, in the midst of being a husband and father, he still finds a way to share his irreverent view of the world and still find time to express his thoughts and feelings through comics and music.
If you have never read any of Kochalka’s comics, American Elf is a great place to get started. I recommend it wholeheartedly. American Elf is an intimate journey through the life of a young man as he evolves as a person and as an artist, shared with a lot of humor and sincerity. It is a journey booklovers will not regret taking.
9/10
The Artwork
Kochalka’s artwork is deceptively straightforward yet is very expressive. It is amazing to see his ability as an illustrator to express a wide range of emotions from his characters with only dots for eyes, small button noses and clean lines. Too elaborate of artwork would have been inappropriate for the subject matter. The artwork is in simple black and white and compliments the stories of his life easily and successfully.
8/10
Overall (Not An Average) 9/10
Suzie Lackey |
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American Elf: The Collected Sketchbook Diaries
Written and Illustrated by James Kochalka
Review: The Book 9/10 The Artwork 8/10 Overall 9/10
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