DiSCONNECT
Two friends deal with the loss of their former bandmate in Magnus Merklin’s moving graphic novel DiSCONNECT.
After forming their band in high school, three twenty-year-old friends look forward to the future. But one dies, and a year later the other two still struggle to move on from their loss. After not seeing each other for some time, they reunite at the house where they used to record and listen to an unfinished track. Recording new music and talking about their absent friend, they realize what he meant to them and what they still mean to each other.
The characters are unnamed, resulting in the voyeuristic intimacy of overheard private conversations. The experience of playing and listening to music is integral to the story: Specific songs carry the weight of the past; others are insights into the men’s personalities and senses of humor, as when one plays the Beatles’ “Fixing a Hole” as they fix a leaky roof.
The black-and-white art is expressive, with a chaotic edge indicative of the unpolished vitality of youth. Flashes of color provide additional emphasis, showing the impact of music in beautiful visuals. Standout composition is shown in several exquisite full-page illustrations that could serve as stand-alone art posters.
DiSCONNECT is a touching graphic novel about music lovers in mourning and the always changing nature of friendship.
Reviewed by
Peter Dabbene
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
