Review of American Elf: The Collected Sketchbook Diaries of James Kochalka V2
American Elf Volume 2 is far from being a standard autobiographical comic. Cartoonist James Kochalka isn’t trying to dig deep into his past to explore its ramifications on his present. He’s not trying to tell a narrative while developing themes around his life experiences. He’s not even really trying to tell a cohesive story anymore than anyone’s life may be considered a cohesive story. In his short strips, he’s showing a moment from his day that has stuck in his mind and tickled his imagination enough to warrant a cartoon.
On a daily basis, Kochalka puts all of his joys, fears, desires, triumphs and defeats on display. The strip can go from pure joy to utter dread all in the span of a day and sometimes even within the same strip. The fluidity of Kochalka’s vision and storytelling drives the charm of this book. You never feel like you’re reading about the same thing over and over again except for the rare instances where Kochalka realizes he still has something to say about the previous day’s strip.
