Weathercraft: A Frank Comic

For over 20 years now, Jim Woodring has delighted, touched, and puzzled readers around the world with his lush, wordless tales of 'Frank.' Weathercraft is Woodring's first full-length graphic novel set in this world — indeed, Woodring's first graphic novel, period — and it features the same hypnotically gorgeous linework and mystical iconography.

As it happens, Frank has only a brief supporting appearance in Weathercraft, which actually stars Manhog, Woodring's pathetic, brutish everyman (or everyhog), who had previously made several appearances in 'Frank' stories (as well as a stunning solo turn in the short story 'Gentlemanhog').

After enduring 32 pages of almost incomprehensible suffering, Manhog embarks upon a transformative journey and attains enlightenment. He wants to go to celestial realms but instead altruistically returns to the unifactor to undo a wrong he has inadvertently brought about: The transformation of the evil politician Whim into a mind-destroying plant-demon who distorts and enslaves Frank and his friends. The new and metaphysically expanded Manhog sets out for a final battle with Whim...

Weathercraft also co-stars Frank's cast of beloved supporting characters, including Frank's Faux Pa and the diminutive, mailbox-like Pupshaw and Pushpaw; it is both a fully independent story that is a great introduction to Woodring"s world, and a sublime addition to, and extension of, the Frank stories.

Weathercraft will be a defining graphic novel of 2010.

"A book that sticks with you like a virus, Woodring's newest collection of tales of vague morality and definite oddity keeps intact his status as one of comics' most eccentric auteurs. The surreal universe of Frank, 'the ignoble innocent who bends with the breeze, rolls with the punches and never learns tomorrow what he has already forgotten today,' focuses here on Manhog. Formerly a sideline character, the squat, piggish, and eternally suffering Manhog gambols and charges through the landscape, eating most everything he comes across and suffering mightily for it. The malevolently grinning character half-moon — faced Whim particularly has it in for Manhog (capturing and torturing him) as do the Fates-like creatures Betty and Veronica, who conduct strange spells and experiments on the clueless creature. Woodring's wordless story is a looping and circumstantial affair, concerned more with fantastically rendered backgrounds — his starkly layered landscapes play like minimalist woodcuts of the deepest unconscious — than matters of plot and story. There is a creeping message of sorts, about the wages of greed and what happens to curious cats, but it's mired in a universe of deeply strange beauty and not always easy to divine. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)

"[A] hauntingly peculiar tale. And if it doesn't all make perfect — or even imperfect — sense, its mysteries and subtleties reward repeat readings." Booklist

The first graphic novel from a master of the form, co-starring his beloved "Frank" character.

Jim Woodring lives in Seattle, WA.