Published in paper via kickstarter by Iron Circus Comics for the first time in 2017, As the Crow Flies focuses on Charlie Lamonte who is attending a Christian youth backpacking camp. She is black and thirteen years old, surrounded by women and girls who are looking to empower themselves … and are also all white. Engaging, heartfelt and insightful, Gillman’s graphic novel touches on feeling out of place, the emotional toll of microaggressions and the isolation of being highly (in)visible. Charlie is a great main character – sympathetic, kind and questioning but not insecure. The novel shuns the stereotypical portrayal of teenagers and young people to give us a protagonist who has a more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of complex real-world concerns than some of the adults in her summer camp.
The lush, warm artwork contributes to the novel’s intimate atmosphere and adds symbolism to Charlie’s journey. Through its near exclusive use of coloured pencils, the art allows the wide, expansive landscapes come to life by adding layers of texture and colour that feel very different from some of the digitally rendered art we’ve seen in previous recommendations. Reading this novel and looking at its art can be a very peaceful experience.
The webcomic As the Crow Flies has received plenty of critical acclaim throughout the years, long before its first volume was gathered up in graphic novel format. It was nominated for the Slate Cartoonist Studio Prize in 2013 and the incredibly prestigious Eisner Award in 2014. It was also nominated for an Ignatz in 2016 and won a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators in the same year. While the David Wilson library does not have a copy, the webcomic still exists and can be accessed here.
