The first installment of Charles Burns’ graphic novel trilogy entitled “X’ed Out” landed squarely at the No. 1 spot for the New York Times Hardcover Graphic Fiction in Fall of 2010. Here are my thoughts about this intriguing title.

What I Liked

• The art is first-rate and a joy to behold. While in full-color, flat color is used economically and only to the extent necessary. No virtuoso shading and rim lights like the superhero colorists. The evidence of the author’s career as an illustrator is unmistakable in the laser-sharp line-work and graphic design of the panels and pages. The book itself is an attractive production from Pantheon Books.
• The writing style is a loose, almost conversational-type of approach. This makes the story accessible, while still keeping the book’s plot enigmatic enough to hook the reader.

What I Didn’t Like

• The occasional use of Herge’s Tintin as an alter-ego is the very kind of derivative work that I find disappointing. While Tintin was not a major influence for me (I was more of a MAD magazine fanboy), the use of the imagery and style disturbs me as when sampled music creates new hits.

Overall Grade: A

The volume is a joy to behold and due to the scant number of pages I found myself rationing the reading to a few pages at a time to make the experience last. The color art is mesmerizing and the retro illustration style is perfectly captivating. Can’t wait for the next installment.

To understand more about the book, head over to this interview at nytimes.com with the author.