Synopses & Reviews
The Ticking is the story of Edison Steelhead, a boy who at birth takes his mother's life and his father's deformed face. Secreted away by his father to be raised in a remote island lighthouse, Edison relates to his surroundings in the only way he knows how by capturing them in his sketchbook. Able to find beauty in even the most grotesque of things, Edison embraces his own unsettling appearance and sets out to confront the rest of the world. Waiting for him on its alien shores are the sights and experiences that will give shape to both his future and his past.
Written and illustrated by acclaimed artist Renée French, The Ticking is a compelling work of graphic literature, a reminder that before we can appreciate the beauty around us, we must first find it within ourselves. A gorgeous 216-page hardcover graphic novel, designed by Jordan Crane.
Review
"A gem that means more with every reading." Booklist
Review
"The Ticking is a journey to a place we've never seen or imagined, yet which somehow and inexplicably we know intimately. To be so deeply moved in so many directions at once is a rare gift Renee French gives us, and it is nothing short of astonishing." Paul Provenza, director of The Aristocrats
Review
"Renée French is that rare gift among artists one whose work finds its way into the most guarded corners of our psyches and allows us to revel in all that is awkward, embarrassing, or sticky about being alive." Myla Goldberg, Author of Bee Season
Synopsis
Did your parents always want you to be or date the quarterback on the football team but you just weren't pretty enough? Do you feel that nobody can see past your deformities long enough to appreciate the real you? Read The Ticking. The story of a strange looking boy and his journey to manhood.
About the Author
Renée French has been making comics since the early '90s. Just about all of her comics published previous to The Soap Lady have been collected in Marbles in My Underpants: The Renée French Collection, from Oni Press. Her weekly strip "The Taint" can be seen at http://www.nypress.com. Some of her short works can be found in Rosetta, The Ganzfeld #2 and #3, Kramer's Ergot, and Top Shelf Asks the Big Questions. She lives in the bay area with her husband Rob and a hermit crab.