Eight Lane Runaways

One runner relies on her poncho to give her direction. Another deals with a suddenly missing appendage. There are also algebra dogs, a juice institute, and a helpful network that consists of miles of string that proves that, no matter how far apart, the friends you can rely on are the ones you met while traversing life's twisty-turny trails. Cartoonist Henry McCausland's flowing page layouts showcase his elaborate landscapes and thrilling kinetic energy, matching them with a laugh-out-loud, idiosyncratic sense of humor.

Right from the starting block, you'll realize that Eight-Lane Runaways is not like any graphic novel you've read before. As you're thrown into a fantastical world of endless tracks, you meet a team of young people briskly attempting to complete their calling, whether it be finding their lost cats, earning one last self-made merit badge, or flying a kite to the moon. Henry McCausland combines elaborate landscapes, line work imbued with thrilling kinetic energy, and a laugh-out-loud idiosyncratic sense of humor to this playful adventure -- which can be read both as a fever pitch surrealistic take on the Olympic Games and a touching allegory on what it takes to help one another achieve our goals.