Age Called Blue

Age Called Blue

By Esuto Emu

Overall: Pretty Much Awesome
Smex Factor: Modest
Art: Different
Status: 1 Volume; Complete

Review: Esuto Emu is good, very good. Her art is unconventional, yet beautiful. It conveys emotion so well. And despite her love for foreign (mostly European) settings, they come off as believable.

For example, although it’s never explicitly stated, “Age Called Blue” takes place in England. “Bobbies?” “Chaps?” “Trifle?” Definitely England. Especially since it was the birthplace of punk, and it was big during the rock scene. (I mention this because that’s what this comic is about.) Emu also keeps her references relevant, and they slip into the story seamlessly.

 It’s a complicated love story, the best kind. I like love stories in which the main characters don’t say “love.” Ironic, considering that this story is all about how Billy and Nick can’t say love to each other. Although I’m sure the fact that a homosexual relationship would have difficulty thriving at the time is a major concern that keeps them apart, the conflict comes from the characters themselves. I mean, they’re the type of people that are just barely surviving.

Billy is the sane man, Nick is self-destructively emotional. Nick is the interesting character that drives the plot, of course, but the meat of the story belongs to Billy. We see through his eyes, his reactions, and his choices.

Billy babysits Nick through all of his horrifically awful decisions, criticizing him to his face and defending him behind his back, but he never helps him. He just watches him and shakes his head, miserable, fretting, and helpless. Both characters pull against each other as much as they bounce off of each other; sure their opinions drive each others’ actions, but both boys have times they try to control the other. And sometimes they just miss each other completely—neither can figure out what to do with the other.

They think they know what they want, but they’re inflexible and they don’t know how to get it.

I’m terrible at expressing myself.

But it’s good.

Good good good good good.

Great.

The mellow flow of the story propels a plot built on emotion and subtextual dialog. What more could you ask for? (Smut? Look elsewhere, sorry. I warned you, I like something I can poorly analyze in an effort to leave the plot unspoiled. Smut is too easy.)

There are two extras, one in France and the other about a Russian man, told in flashbacks. They’re both sad; more so than “Age Called Blue.”

“I Saw Blue” is beautifully abstract. Interpret as you will- I’m not going into that here. In case you end up wondering, though, “J’ai vu le bleu” means “I have seen the blue.” You might’ve figured that out. I like the title including the past participial (I have seen) more than the imperfect (I saw) though; the meaning of the title changes depending on the use. I’m not sure which one Emu would think more appropriate for her story. (I’m sorry, it’s just the message “j’ai vu le bleu” even has different connotations than “je voyais le bleu.” The first implies a specific event, while the second is more abstract. I would explain it better, but I was always pretty hazy on imparfait.)

Ignoring my musings upon diction, this might be the only fair, logical, pleasant approach to cheating that I would ever approve of. I like both characters, and I don’t see any fault with their reactions. Guess how often that happens? NEVER. NEEEEVERRRRR.

“Nipuka Nipera” is also full of subtext, as Emu does. I like the satellite metaphor. As for the characters’ relationship: I would say it’s platonic if not for that little metaphor. Either way, does it matter? The point of these type of stories is never about whether two characters will fuck or not. They’re about a strong, indescribable love that ties two characters together.

Regardless. It ends on a high note.

Man, I feel weird calling the author “Emu” throughout this whole thing. I don’t usually refer back to the author this often.