OMWO

In Turner’s metafictional graphic novel, a doodled piece of art comes to life and vows to find his purpose.

Existence is not enough for sentient illustration Dodel Omwo, who’s convinced there’s greater meaning to be found in his world of sketched and comic-strip panels. He soon meets likeminded “fellow inklings” Fyra Opal, Professor Puffly Glosspan, and proud thespian Infinite Shakescat. Before long, a “narrative drive” gives chase, and Opal’s sudden abduction, courtesy of flying monkey warriors, sends the rest of the group on a rescue mission. Seemingly insurmountable obstacles stand in their path, however, including the Sea of Contemplation (since the rescue party doesn’t know how to swim) and a totalitarian ruler of a massive city who’s turned against all his former allies. Omwo and his companions persevere, drawing on their intelligence and sheer luck to get by. Will the protagonist find what he’s searching for—and does he even know what that is? Author/illustrator Turner’s story is sharply satirical in its lampooning of politics, philosophy, and even television. The tale, which never loses its sense of humor, includes visual and narrative references to various real-life historical figures and William Shakespeare’s plays. One villain, for example, is an anthropomorphic chess piece (a bishop) who calls everyone whom he deems his inferiors “pawns.” The tone of the comedy is often delightfully silly, as when Omwo threatens to “murderlize” those who’ve grabbed one of his friends, and Glosspan resembles an Erlenmeyer flask containing an unknown substance that bubbles out where his mouth forms. The book also has plenty of clever metafictional nods, as when characters address the reader directly, somehow wind up on a comic panel’s “roof,” or sneak a peek at future pages. Throughout, Turner’s bold, black-and-white art combines a surreal style with precise, recognizable imagery; the aforementioned narrative drive appears as a powerful wave, and a bakery’s logo (featuring a loaf of bread) relevantly resembles a keyhole. This dizzying novel’s ending perfectly encapsulates its gleeful chaos.

A smart, good-natured story that embraces the outlandish.