The sales copy for the book reads, in part, "Drawing upon her own bereavement, renowned comics artist and writer Carol Tyler emerges from a decade long period of grief to create an allegorical masterpiece. During collisions between life and death, estrangement and loss, Carol Tyler turned to her pen to face facts and extract meaning from the oddly sacred experience." Because of that, I went into the book assuming she would mostly be discussing living with and then losing her husband Justin Green, a notable cartoonist in his own right who passed away in 2022. I thought it odd that Fantagraphics didn't name-drop Green anywhere in the promotional copy in order that they might pick up a few more sales, but I'm told Tyler had some strong opinions on that point and, given the particular nature of this work, I understand why everyone respected it. Because Green's passing is hardly mentioned at all here. You'll note that I said the book largely covers Tyler's life up to 2017; she has plans for a second half to this story to come out in 2027. This first volume is about all the other loss she experienced before that.
And that's not insubstantial. Early in the book, Tyler offers a simple list of those she lost in this short six year period: her mother, her father, her sister, her brother-in-law, a close cousin, her dog, the child of some friends, the "nice kid next door" and his father, one of her editors... in addition to a number of other friends both in and out of comics. It's a daunting list, frankly. I'm old enough to have seen many friends and relatives pass away -- some under very ugly circumstances -- but I can't say I could pull out any six year period that densely packed with funerals, much less so many significant ones.
The first part of the book discusses how Tyler looks at grief more broadly. It's definitely the more pensive part of the book, and offers some reflection on how people can process grief in different ways and how she herself processes it. If you're familiar with Tyler's work, it should come as no surprise that she relies heavily on metaphors. She receives a deed to a parcel of land in Griefville in which instead of a house, she finds her Grandma Theola's Mourning Bonnet. It is within the bonnet that she can work to process her grief -- or simply try to take a moment's comfort -- in whatever manner she needs. However, without a Guide Book, she's at a bit of a loss.
From there Tyler goes on to relay her life from 2011 onwards. Dealing with her ailing parents, trying to shield them from the ravages of cancer that are killing her sister, protecting her daughter from the repercussions of her daughter's boyfriend's dealings with some local low-level drug dealers... On top of the more day-to-day stressors like helping one neighbor to bury their dog, her own aging that's led to not only your run-of-the-mill creaky joints but also a bout of tinnitus, her husband's ongoing challenges with OCD, being forced to teach her college classes in a hallway, and -- perhaps most insidiously of all -- always having to say "fine, thanks" and pretend she really is every time someone asks, "how are you doing?"
It's a lot for anyone to deal with and she retreats to Griefville on more than a couple occassions. Hell, I had to put the book aside repeatedly because it was a lot just to read about! Tyler puts herself very much on open display for readers here, but it never feels like she's doing it to expressly gain sympathy. It's hard for me to pinpoint how, but it very much seems like Tyler was using the pages to process her grief as it continued to mount and drawing comics was the only way she knew how. Having it published seems like a "sure, fuck it -- whatever!" response to someone else's suggestion. And because of that, it's very raw and emotional. Tyler lays herself bare for the reader with an exhausted honesty and integrity that I suspect can only come from having to deal with so much death.
Look, I don't have to sell you on this book. It's Carol Tyler. If you're reading this blog, you at least are nominally familiar with her name and her reputation. There's a good chance you've read some of her work already, and there's even a half-decent chance you know her personally. This is everything you'd expect from Tyler and more; I'd certainly rank it as the best single piece from her that I've ever read. The Ephemerata: Shaping the Exquisite Nature of Grief is being published by Fantagraphics and should be available in your favorite bookstore next month. You can pre-order it now -- it retails in hardcover for $39.99 US. The publisher provided me with an advance copy for this review.
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