“Local” #9 set in Norman!
Norman is the heart of a new comic book from Oni Press already being hailed as one of the best of the year. Bizzell Memorial Library on the University of Oklahoma campus is prominently featured on the cover of “Local†No. 9, titled “Wish You Were Here.â€
The issue, written by Brian Wood and illustrated by Ryan Kelly, chronicles the physical and emotional journey of the main character, Megan. Megan has just gotten news of her mother’s death. After discovering a 30-year-old photo of her parents in front of Bizzell Library, she travels to Norman to experience the town where her mother and father met.
Annette Price, owner of Speeding Bullet Comics, 614 N. Porter Ave., worked closely with Wood and Kelly to help them translate the quiet details of Norman into the story.
“Introducing Brian to Norman was much like when a friend visits town for the first time, except their schedule meant a trip to Norman was out of the question,†Price said.
“Brian already had a good idea of the types of settings he wanted for his story. For instance, he wanted to use a restaurant or coffee shop where Megan’s parents may have gone 30 years ago. The Mont worked beautifully due to its beautiful imagery, long history in Norman, and proximity to campus.â€
Each issue of the 12-part series is a stand-alone short story, taking place in a different town across North America. Norman was chosen in part for its strong support of comics.
Price, who graduated from OU with a journalism degree in 1997, used her background in photography to supply the creators with reference photos.
“I shot close to 100 photos of everything from can’t-miss landmarks like Bizzell to subtle details like the foliage on Flood Street. From the moment when the main character breezes into town and sees the “Welcome to Norman†sign on Main Street, readers, particularly those who live and work in Norman, will connect immediately with this book,†Price said.
Reviewer Ryan Day at Metamorphostuff.blogspot.com calls “Local†No. 9 “the best issue of the series to date, and quite likely the best single issue of a comic I’ve read this year.”
Brendan McGuirk of PopCultureShock.com praised Kelly’s art. “Ryan Kelly deserves any gig in comics he wants, and his emotional range is stunning. I don’t even want to talk about the story, because it is such an easy journey to identify with.”
In the back of the comic, Wood calls the Norman issue his favorite so far.
“Friends of mine have told me how sad this issue is,†Wood wrote at www.brianwood.com. “Certainly grieving the loss of a parent is not a happy thing, having done it myself twice, but I think this issue is bittersweet at worst, and quite uplifting at best.â€
“Local†No. 9 is now available in comic shops, and is suggested for mature readers.
