American Elf 1999
Welcome to the digital edition of James Kochalka's award-winning, influential, and totally addictive autobiography, AMERICAN ELF! It's a simple idea -- every day, James draws a comic strip capturing a moment from his life—but gathered all together, these moments take on rich new meanings. Both silly and profound, AMERICAN ELF is a portrait of human life lived to the fullest, infused with the trademark passion and magic of Vermont's Cartoonist Laureate. 455 pages. This first collection includes the strip's beginnings at the end of 1998 and all of 1999. In here, James launches American Elf, rents a new apartment, cares for a sick kitty, visits Portugal, buys an iMac, and drinks a lot. 455 pages. ""Absolutely impossible to encapsulate into a single review, Kochalka's eminently likeable SKETCHBOOK DIARIES are a singular experience in the world of comics ... Comics' foremost optimist, Kochalka really distinguishes himself from his fellow cartoonists not only through deceptively simple and wonderful art, but also with a goofy, vulnerable cheerfulness. In a medium where many creators find life unbearably and predictably painful, he finds the extraordinary in the ordinary."" -- 4-Color Review ""By focusing on the tiniest moments -- a second gazing at the moon, a thought over breakfast -- readers come to know what truly goes on inside the author's head."" -- Whitney Matheson, USA Today ""James Kochalka is my autobiographical idol."" -- Alison Bechdel (creator of Dykes to Watch Out For and Fun Home) ""James Kochalka draws beautiful music."" -- Nicholas Gurewitch (creator of The Perry Bible Fellowship) AMERICAN ELF: THE COLLECTED SKETCHBOOK DIARIES OF JAMES KOCHALKA (October 26, 1998 to December 31, 2003)Kochalka's diaries have utterly redefined the daily comic strip. His attempt to document the minutia of his life results in work that explores the full spectrum of human emotions. Drawn with verve and confidence by a cartoonist at the height of his powers, it is ambitious, hilarious, moving, and quite addictive! This astounding book follows the ups and downs of Kochalka's life through 5 full years of the strip, plus also includes 32 full color pages of supplementary comics and other artwork. Quite simply, this is Kochalka's masterpiece. -- 520 pages"
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