In 1994, Drawn & Quarterly published I Never Liked You. Brownï¿½s The Playboy was released in 1992 and was the first graphic novel published by D+Q. In 1991, Chris Oliveros managed to convince Brown to sign on with Oliverosï¿½s new comic book company, Drawn & Quarterly. In the pages of Yummy Fur, Brown serialized a bleakly humorous story called Ed the Happy Clown which was published as a graphic novel in 1989 and went on to win several awards.

The first Vortex issue of Yummy Fur sold well, and Brown quit his day job and began working full-time as a cartoonist. These pamphlets attracted attention in comic book industry publications, and in 1986 the Toronto-based comic book publisher Vortex Comics approached Brown. In 1983, he began to self-publish his work in photocopied ï¿½mini comicsï¿½ under the title Yummy Fur. Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.Īt 19, he moved to Toronto and got a day job while he worked on his skills as a cartoonist at night and on weekends. Lawrence Sun, published one of his comic strips. His career path was set at the age of 12 when the local newspaper, The St. (Nov.Chester Brown was born in Montreal, Canada on and grew up in the nearby suburb of Chateauquay. This is an ingenious comic and a major achievement. Instead, Brown calmly lets his story unfold, making the reading process deeply affecting. All of this will hook readers' minds and eyes, but never tell them what to think or feel. He brilliantly renders a lengthy courtroom sequence by setting figures against a black background, heightening the tension of the events by employing minimal effects. And while the book concerns imperialism, empire, nationalism and the chaos that results, Brown maintains a still, almost silent atmosphere.

Brown doesn't deviate from a six-panel grid for the entire book, telling his story in a cartoon realism style reminiscent of Little Orphan Annie Not surprisingly, this request is denied, and the conflict is set in motion that ultimately consumes Riel's life. Riel is bilingual and becomes a de facto leader for the Red River Settlement, demanding the right for them to govern themselves within Canada. The area is inhabited by the French-speaking Métis, of mixed Indian and white ancestry, who are looked down upon by the Canadians.

The story begins in 1869, with the sale of the independent Red River Settlement area of what's now Canada to the Canadian government. Over five years in the making, Brown's work is completely realized here, from the strikingly designed two-color cover to the cream-colored paper and pristinely clear drawings. Brown's exploration of the life of a fictional 19th-century Canadian revolutionary Riel is a strong contender for the best graphic novel ever.

Louis riel by chester brown