DAD! A DOCUMENTARY GRAPHIC NOVEL

Several months back I had the pleasure of reading a super-advance copy of the documentary graphic novel "DAD!".

The book is about a family dealing with a father's illness and adjusting their entire existence to it. At its heart, it is about the story of a bitter son feeling guilty about leaving home, while trying to make peace with his father before he does. The non-fiction book was filmed over the course of two and a half weeks and is complied from 8,349 photos and over 16 hours of transcribed audio.

Creator SCOTT KING brings you into his Family's home for 2 and 1/2 weeks of laughter, frustration, and some heartache. But don't let that discourage you from picking the book up - while a very serious subject matter, Scott (by nature of him & his family) keeps it lighthearted, fun and compelling. You immediately become acquainted with him and his family members and find yourself happy that you're able to hang out with them page by page. Other times, you feel unfcomfortable that you are "in the room" with them during such intimate family matters. But that's party of the beauty of this book.

The real star of the book is of course Dad himself. Over the course of the book, you get to know Mr King. From various perspectives -family members and the eye of the camera- you begin to understand who he is... while always staying perplexed by the man. And isn't that just the way with dads?!!

The visuals are a mix of photographs and line art derived from photos. The still images from Scott's camera work perfectly for the documentary as you bare witness to their story not through the lens of a cold film camera, but through a family album. It's very fitting and contributes to the feel of the book. In addition, Scott includes some fun, informative 1-page treats that are a delightful contribution to the reading experience.

Like I said, it was a pleasure to read "DAD!" months in advance. The book is a real page turner and I found myself wanting more upon finishing the book. After finishing "Dad!", I was sad to say goodbye to the King Family, but happy I was able to spend the time I did. The book has a lot of heart and you may even call your own dad after reading the book... I know I did!

I recommend you picking it up and sharing with others!

DAD! is $20 and set to be released NOVEMBER 8, 2008.
DAD! is available for preorder HERE or HERE at amazon.
Or ask you local bookstore and/or comic shop to order it!
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NOTE: Scott King is friend of JimSmash. Support JimSmash Readers: BUY "DAD!"