Five stars: Stellar all the way around.
Local is a beautifully realized graphic novel featuring 12 short stories, each set in a different city and representing a year in the life of wanderer Megan McKennan. Opening in Portland, the tale takes a cross-country journey through North America following her vagabond lifestyle. There’s even a pit stop in story #10 at downtown Austin’s Beerland.
Created by writer Brian Wood and artist Ryan Kelly, the stories are tied together by the engaging but lost Megan, a twenty-something indie darling fumbling toward adulthood. For any reader who’s ever dreamed life could be better in a new zip code, her wanderlust provides a vicarious thrill while also illustrating that despite her constant change of scene, Megan’s problems always follow her.
Until Megan finds the confidence to take a stand rather than simply move on, her life is merely a series of new experiences and fleeting relationships. In the first few stories Megan’s decisions are often suspect but she matures before our eyes. While her choices aren’t always admirable, they feel very real, especially with Kelly’s exquisitely drawn, true-to-life details. For all her painful missteps, Megan finally finds herself comfortable in her own skin. She emerges in the end as the product of those good, bad, and even ugly experiences a wiser, more confident woman.
Chickster Rating System
Five stars: Stellar all the way around.
Four stars: A guilty pleasure.
Three stars: Some great moments but leaves something to be desired.
Two stars: A bit dull.
One star: Rubbish. Don’t bother.
Wow! Can I borrow?
Sure!