Synopses & Reviews
Ray Fenwick has pioneered his own medium of storytelling, one best described as "typographical comics." is presented as a handsome, personal journal written by an unnamed voice, referred to only as "The Author." Little is known about him; he makes occasional, derogatory references to a twin brother and younger sibling, but reveals little else. He clearly fashions himself a genius, writing with a faux-aristocratic air, and it is presumably his belief in his own genius that leads him to want to share his knowledge with the world. Each page features information such as "It hardly needs mentioning that riding a pony is no intellectual triumph.... If riding a pony is so fantastic, why have I never read of any renowned pony-riding genius? It is because such a person does not exist, making it a foolish waste of time unworthy of attention." These pearls of wisdom are lettered in an elegant, almost obsessive fashion, entirely hand-crafted and bedecked with Ionic columns and fleurs-de-lis. It becomes obvious to the reader early on that all is not as it seems; only at the end does the picture become completely clear. The ensuing journey is a riotous tour through the narrator's ego and id, and the humor builds accordingly as he is revealed to be not nearly as smart--or sophisticated--as he thinks. is part graphic novel, part art object, part satire, part puzzle. The slow unfolding of the author and his story builds humor with each page, creating a peculiar examination of the idea of genius and the problems that arise in the search and transmission of knowledge. will be an elegantly designed and packaged book, presented as a found journal, with rounded fore edges, a belly band, and other production/design touches to further solidify and give form to the concept of the book.
Review
"This is a life-passage story that reveals itself as such so slyly that the joy and loving humility it evokes at the end are breathtaking." Ray Olson
Synopsis
It becomes obvious to the reader early on that all is not as it seems; only at the end does the picture become completely clear. The ensuing journey is a riotous tour through the narrator's ego and id, and the humor builds accordingly as he is revealed to be not nearly as smart or sophisticated as he thinks Hall of Best Knowledge is part graphic novel, part art object, part satire, part puzzle. The slow unfolding of the author and his story builds humor with each page, creating a peculiar examination of the idea of genius and the problems that arise in the search and transmission of knowledge. HOBK will be an elegantly designed and packaged book, presented as a found journal, with rounded fore edges, a belly band, and other production/design touches to further solidify and give form to the concept of the book. "
Synopsis
by Ray Fenwick
Ray Fenwick has pioneered his own medium of storytelling, one best described as "typographical comics." Hall of Best Knowledge is presented as a handsome, personal journal written by an unnamed voice, referred to only as "The Author." Little is known about him. He clearly fashions himself a genius, writing with a faux-aristocratic air, and it is presumably his belief in his own genius that leads him to want to share his knowledge with the world. It becomes obvious to the reader early on that all is not as it seems; only at the end does the picture become completely clear. Hall of Best Knowledge is part graphic novel, part art object, part satire, part puzzle. The slow unfolding of the author and his story builds humor with each page, creating a peculiar examination of the idea of genius and the problems that arise in the search and transmission of knowledge. HOBK will be a handsomely designed and packaged book, presented as a found journal, with rounded fore edges, an elastic band to hold the book closed, and other production touches to further solidify and give form to the concept of the book.
Synopsis
A wildly original—and hilarious—debut.
Synopsis
A wildly original--and hilarious--debut.
About the Author
Ray Fenwick is an artist, illustrator and typographic thing-maker living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. A former improv comedian and theater school dropout, Ray now occupies himself making drawings, comics and patterns for people like Blue Q, CMT, If'n Books, Nickelodeon, Urban Outfitters, and others. He regularly appears in Fantagraphics' flagship anthology, MOME.