Reviewed by Ian Goodwillie
The thought of reading a graphic novel tends to evoke images of super-powered individuals clad in brightly coloured tights duking it out over the fate of the world, and stories that are not just fantastical but fanciful. This isn’t, of course, suggesting that those stories are not enjoyable, but they also aren’t for everyone. Some people are put off by the idea of reading about such larger than life characters. That doesn’t mean they should give up on graphic novels when looking for an enjoyable reading experience.
Enter Richard Van Camp’s A Blanket of Butterflies. Shinobu has come to Fort Smith, North West Territories, to retrieve family relics that made their way to the local museum: a suit of samurai armor and the matching sword. Upon arriving at the museum, he finds out that the sword has been taken away by some less than reputable locals. His efforts to retrieve it end up with him badly injured but in the care of the local Dene.
A Blanket of Butterflies draws on characters used previously in Van Camp’s various Fort Smith narratives in his literary fiction. But in this narrative, he finds a unique way to repurpose them as the “villains” Shinobu faces. To anyone familiar with Van Camp’s prolific work, this déjà vu comes with a certain level of comfort as well as interest thanks to seeing them in this new light.
Beyond the story’s relationship to the fictitious Fort Smith world Van Camp has created, it also has a strong connection to the real Fort Smith. A suit of Samurai armor actually resides in the Fort Smith museum, the inspiration for this story.
And it is an amazing story.
At the core of A Blanket of Butterflies is two cultures coming together, Japanese and Dene. Connections are drawn between the two, particularly when the story of the mining of the uranium used in the bombs dropped at the end of World War II is told. And the impact of the Dene Laws that Shinobu learns in the care of his benefactors is key to the end result of the story.
There is a fantastic action scene when Shinobu faces off against the crew that took his family’s sword. You expect the same in the final confrontation. In this case, Van Camp takes a much different, and refreshing, angle on resolving the story. This ending is less about violence and more about connections, between family and more. The Dene Laws play a role in that. It is a credit to the creative team that this one work can deliver action as well as poignancy. And the ending suits the story perfectly; it isn’t weighted down by an unnecessary and thoroughly expected final fight.
Scott B. Henderson’s art suits Richard Van Camp’s story perfectly, both in the action and in the storytelling. The semi realistic look gives an authentic weight to A Blanket of Butterflies. The choice to have the art be black and white rather than colour also adds gravitas to the story. It makes it more impactful.
What Van Camp has created is an expertly woven tale that brings together two seemingly disparate cultures in one story. It’s interesting, engaging, and unique.
If there is one complaint, and it is a minor one at best, it’s that the end comes too soon. The reality is that A Blanket of Butterflies feels short. The story moves quite quickly through its arc, getting to the end faster than you might expect. That being said, it’s rarely a bad sign when you finish a story and want more. And while it may be a shorter read, it also might be perfect for this specific story. Every plot point doesn’t have to be dragged out and belaboured just to extend the page count.
The sparseness of the dialogue also sells the narrative perfectly. Van Camp writes the story in an eloquent fashion that allows Henderson’s art to carry it. At times, it reminds the reader of Samurai Jack, a classic animated series that favored silent, poignant scenes over expository or unnecessary dialogue. Van Camp carefully chooses when the story needs to be told and when it needs to shown, the hallmark of a truly great graphic novel.
The crossing of Dene and Japanese cultures is key to A Blanket of Butterflies, and is something the reader wants more of when the graphic novel is done. While adding more to this book is not necessarily the way to go, there are more connections there to be explored.
And if you are craving more in the world of Fort Smith, keep in mind that some of the same characters make appearances throughout Van Camp’s work. That includes A Blanket of Butterflies as well as his most current collection of short stories, Night Moves. Hint, hint.
Portage & Main | 48 pages | $18.95 | paper | ISBN# 978-1553795483
‘A Blanket of Butterflies’ by Richard Van Camp
Book Reviews
The thought of reading a graphic novel tends to evoke images of super-powered individuals clad in brightly coloured tights duking it out over the fate of the world, and stories that are not just fantastical but fanciful. This isn’t, of course, suggesting that those stories are not enjoyable, but they also aren’t for everyone. Some people are put off by the idea of reading about such larger than life characters. That doesn’t mean they should give up on graphic novels when looking for an enjoyable reading experience.
Enter Richard Van Camp’s A Blanket of Butterflies. Shinobu has come to Fort Smith, North West Territories, to retrieve family relics that made their way to the local museum: a suit of samurai armor and the matching sword. Upon arriving at the museum, he finds out that the sword has been taken away by some less than reputable locals. His efforts to retrieve it end up with him badly injured but in the care of the local Dene.
A Blanket of Butterflies draws on characters used previously in Van Camp’s various Fort Smith narratives in his literary fiction. But in this narrative, he finds a unique way to repurpose them as the “villains” Shinobu faces. To anyone familiar with Van Camp’s prolific work, this déjà vu comes with a certain level of comfort as well as interest thanks to seeing them in this new light.
Beyond the story’s relationship to the fictitious Fort Smith world Van Camp has created, it also has a strong connection to the real Fort Smith. A suit of Samurai armor actually resides in the Fort Smith museum, the inspiration for this story.
And it is an amazing story.
At the core of A Blanket of Butterflies is two cultures coming together, Japanese and Dene. Connections are drawn between the two, particularly when the story of the mining of the uranium used in the bombs dropped at the end of World War II is told. And the impact of the Dene Laws that Shinobu learns in the care of his benefactors is key to the end result of the story.
There is a fantastic action scene when Shinobu faces off against the crew that took his family’s sword. You expect the same in the final confrontation. In this case, Van Camp takes a much different, and refreshing, angle on resolving the story. This ending is less about violence and more about connections, between family and more. The Dene Laws play a role in that. It is a credit to the creative team that this one work can deliver action as well as poignancy. And the ending suits the story perfectly; it isn’t weighted down by an unnecessary and thoroughly expected final fight.
Scott B. Henderson’s art suits Richard Van Camp’s story perfectly, both in the action and in the storytelling. The semi realistic look gives an authentic weight to A Blanket of Butterflies. The choice to have the art be black and white rather than colour also adds gravitas to the story. It makes it more impactful.
What Van Camp has created is an expertly woven tale that brings together two seemingly disparate cultures in one story. It’s interesting, engaging, and unique.
If there is one complaint, and it is a minor one at best, it’s that the end comes too soon. The reality is that A Blanket of Butterflies feels short. The story moves quite quickly through its arc, getting to the end faster than you might expect. That being said, it’s rarely a bad sign when you finish a story and want more. And while it may be a shorter read, it also might be perfect for this specific story. Every plot point doesn’t have to be dragged out and belaboured just to extend the page count.
The sparseness of the dialogue also sells the narrative perfectly. Van Camp writes the story in an eloquent fashion that allows Henderson’s art to carry it. At times, it reminds the reader of Samurai Jack, a classic animated series that favored silent, poignant scenes over expository or unnecessary dialogue. Van Camp carefully chooses when the story needs to be told and when it needs to shown, the hallmark of a truly great graphic novel.
The crossing of Dene and Japanese cultures is key to A Blanket of Butterflies, and is something the reader wants more of when the graphic novel is done. While adding more to this book is not necessarily the way to go, there are more connections there to be explored.
And if you are craving more in the world of Fort Smith, keep in mind that some of the same characters make appearances throughout Van Camp’s work. That includes A Blanket of Butterflies as well as his most current collection of short stories, Night Moves. Hint, hint.
Portage & Main | 48 pages | $18.95 | paper | ISBN# 978-1553795483