Clyde Fans

BEAUTIFUL. HEARTBREAKING. REAL. Two Brothers. A business. Pain. Sumptuous, Precise, Clean-line illustration.What can one say about the truly inimitable Seth -- one of the finest sequential ARTISTS striding this globe, mighty pen, and ever-clean-line, in hand, today?Truly, here, in “Clyde Fans,” we take a deep, sonorous—for even its main characters’ speech patterns befit life's uncanny music in internal monologue, dialogue, and soliloquy of the uncompromising sort that lays the heart bare…without giving way to cloying cliché, and absent the tempting sugarcoating of tough reality, as two brothers who seemingly could not be less alike attend, across years, to their father’s electric fan business, first dying, and then soon dead, due to the upstart advent of affordable air-conditioning units, with their father’s considerable misapprehension that such units would never prosper and flower….The fan itself is a kind of art object now, as evidenced by my favorite collectors, Mike and Frank, of History Channel’s “American Pickers,” who recently mined the work of a fan connoisseur—for such things, indeed, exist, in the same way Robert Crumb doted on old Vinyl, and I cannot sacrifice comics and books and toys, items I share with my children to tell the story of, in my case, an America, passed. In “Clyde Fans,” I gratefully land on subject matter generally regarded, or one may presume, as anathema, to the comics medium, saturated with its spandex heroes.The towns housing fan stores, and shoe repair stores, and privately owned VHS shops, reveal a Main Street—here, in Seth’s work—in Canada, that makes me want to move away from chains and superstores, no matter the price losses.But Seth’s unflinching sensitivity to both what makes for great art as well as what makes a great human reserves his nostalgia for the factories and towns, the lost diners, and simple general stores—he has even reconstructed a town that went on display in a San Francisco (?) art gallery, I believe. He seems to like “star anchors,” and sound brick buildings the way I do—which is also to say he in unafraid to show the brothers’ broken relationships: with one a salesman who does not enjoy people, and the other a neurotic, troubled “younger brother,” in the parlance of “The Parable of the Two Brothers,” a man in search of a calling who never escapes his older brother’s suffocating, controlling nature, with his declarative statements, “I do not believe you are ready (or will prosper) for sales.” Painful.It can be hard seeing the younger brother, so fascinated with a certain kind of unique postcard that the book he writes about this odd medium only to abandon it -- is his one true self-expression, and still he never sees it blossom into that which could have, perhaps, saved some part of his soul ... his yearning .. his needs.The clean-line illustration, the exactitude of the rendering—this is where Seth makes me very happy. Happy I found his work. Thank you, Seth.

Some people say a picture says a thousand words. Fair enough, however with Seth you would have to double that. In the print media we have seen many classics especially in the standard printed novel media. Many literature classics as the big fat novels written by Charles Dickens seem to take forever to develop a plot and to reach a viable and entertaining conclusion. Other writers such as Hemingway are able to make short work with their prose and are to be commended. In Seth's graphic depiction of Clyde Fans Book One, we see the very best of all print media. Seth divides his work into two sections. The first book introduces the reader to Clyde Fans Company in 1997 through the narration of Abraham Matchcard and Seth's haunting graphic depiction of the old Company offices, apartment and city scenes. In utilizing old man Abraham ,Seth does remind me of what Thorton Wilder utilized in the use of the Stage Manager in his three act play "Our Town". Seth's prose and graphic scenes of Book One sets the scene for the subsequent Book Two set 40 years before in 1957 with the actions of his brother Simon . With Seth many of his scenes don't even need words, the graphic depictions hauntingly tell the story. This brings up another media comparison with Seth. His graphics are the best of all in the graphic novel genre. His background scenes of 1957 make you think you were living in that era. In fact his graphic illustrations can be compared to Edward Hopper. It's not that his art is like Hopper's but he brings the sense of isolation, loneliness and deep thought in all his illustrations. This sense of graphic illustration involves deep thought which emanates from the talented pen of Seth. I am looking forward to Book 2 of Clyde Fans. Seth sets the standard of all graphic novelists/artists. 10 Stars!! No Problem!!!

If you've never read Seth before, this is a great place to start. Clyde Fans is a deep, thoughtful story about a family business, well, about the family as much as the business. It took Seth years and years (and years) to complete this tome. We are fortunate to be alive to see it in this amazing deluxe hardcover edition. Calling it gorgeous would be a disservice and an understatement. I would argue that Seth is the most important cartoonist of the last fifty years. His work is simply that good, and the stories he tells are treasures to behold. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Pretty good got it for class I recommend this book

Seth is a genius. This is a classic.

Muted, deep and completely absorbing. Give yourself over to this quiet little masterpiece for a day or two and emerge a better person.

Incredible drawings and story. Transports you completely to a different place and time.

Beautifully written and drawn by a true master.

I was eyeing this book for many years but never really managed to convince myself to buy it. The reviews keep on telling how it's a masterpiece. So one day while ordering other books I impulse-bought this one.The drawing is nice and I understand some people like the many items "placed" in the panels, like a small car, an old radio etc. Unfortunately I didn't care for them. As for the story itself, I was expecting it to be epic, considering its length. But no, it's just monotone. There are two brothers and each section is about one of them going on a lengthy monologue about something. One brother is a salesman, so he talks about being a salesman. The other brother collects cards, so he talks about cards. This is as if I, who being a software developer, talks about programming languages. Sure it might be interesting to a niche audience, but to everyone else it would be boring.So unfortunately, this book was boring for me. I read it till the end, but I was waiting it to be over and I don't think I'll re-read it again.

"Clyde Fans, Book 1" is the first part of Seth's masterpiece. It follows the fortunes of the two Matchcard brothers in the fan business. The book is divided into two parts with the first part set in the present following the Clyde Fans business with the confident brother, Abraham Matchcard, talking to the reader about the business, how it started, how it fared, his life now, and his relationship with his brother.The second part is set in the past with Simon Matchcard, the shy brother, trying to become successful as a fan salesman like his brother and how he fares along the way. Simon's lack of experience shows and he doesn't sell any fans and hides out in a hotel. This second part is almost entirely wordless compared to the first part with masses of dialogue from Abraham. The ending leaves the reader wanting to see what Simon does as he ends up at night on an empty "Crazy Golf" course.I don't really want to criticise Seth as I adore his work. "It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken" is brilliant, and "Wimbledon Green" is a comic masterwork. "Vernacular Drawings" is a gorgeously produced book of the artist's paintings and I can't wait to read "George Sprott" which is on order."Clyde Fans" though is a bit so so. Abraham's story is a bit mundane and follows the usual Seth gripe of "things were better in the past even though I know they probably weren't" and so we get anecdotes about how business was good and how technology has moved on and left small businesses in the dust, real John Steinbeck type stuff.But the artwork is as wonderful as always, especially in Simon's story where there are haunting images, perhaps indicative of Simon's state of mind, of ordinary landscapes given surreal beauty by Seth's hand. I guess I'm saying I liked it but it wasn't a gripping read. It is the first part mind and so sets up the story for the next part but as for it being Seth's supposed masterpiece, well, I'm hoping Part 2 picks up the pace a bit.

Seth, to his fans, is a genius, though he would probably deny it.

Item as described. Quick delivery. Friendly communication. Seller attentive to their customer’s need.Highly suggested to comics and books lovers.

Excellent