By Jason Lutes (Drawn & Quarterly)
ISBN: 1-896597-29-7
This lyrical viewing of the final days of the German Weimar Republic is seen primarily through the eyes and experiences of art student Marthe Müller as she begins a new life in Berlin. Already a cauldron of expressionism and radical politics by the time of her arrival, the German Capital is soon to descend into the bitter final ideological struggle between the communists and National Socialists.
As she interacts with the decadent intelligentsia of the art world and the solid citizenry of the streets, she eventually becomes involved with crusading left-wing journalist Kurt Severing, whom she first encountered on the train to the Capital in September 1928. All around is a slow gathering of violence.
City of Stones is the first in a projected trilogy from Jason Lutes who uses the story and the powerfully understated drawing to explore such minor themes as the nature and place of art in society, the responsibilities of the creative force in a cold and hungry world and the transitional nature of ethics within his ostensible narrative exploration of fictional people undergoing real events.
This is a lovely tale to read, and unlike most of our medium, possesses a depth of feeling and accessible profundity that puts it in an arena that few books or films could aspire to. This is a genuine landmark of our craft and you should know it.
© 2001 Jason Lutes. All Rights Reserved.