Blankets

Blankets
Cover art by Craig Thompson.
Publication information
Publisher	Top Shelf Productions
Genre	Autobiography Romance Drama
Publication date	July 23, 2003
Creative team
Writer(s)	Craig Thompson
Artist(s)	Craig Thompson
Collected editions
Paperback	ISBN 1891830430

Blankets is an autobiographical graphic novel by Craig Thompson, published in 2003 by Top Shelf Productions. As a coming-of-age autobiography, the book tells the story of Thompson's childhood in an Evangelical Christian family, his first love, and his early adulthood. Thompson has said that the novel grew out of a simple idea: to describe what it feels like to sleep next to someone for the first time. Time magazine named Blankets as one of the Top Ten Graphic Novels of All Time.^[1]

Main Characters

Craig Thompson- Protagonist
Phil- Craig's younger brother
Raina- Craig's first love
Ben- Raina's mentally disabled adopted brother
Laura- Raina's mentally disabled adopted sister

Plot synopsis

While the majority of Blankets is illustrated in a more literal (though still very symbolic) style, scenes involving the imagination are much more abstract, such as with this childhood scene where Craig and his brother find a pair of animal skulls.

Blankets chronicles the episodes between Craig Thompson's adolescence and young adulthood. Though written chronologically, Thompson uses flashbacks as a literary and artistic device in order to parallel young adult experience with past childhood experience. Major themes of the work include: first love, child and adult sexuality, spirituality, sibling relationships, and coming of age.

Thompson introduces us to the harsh Wisconsin winter that sets the stage for his childhood, growing up alongside his younger brother Phil. Thompson's childhood is rife with struggle and turmoil that takes shape in the form of a sexually abusive babysitter, a strained relationship with both of his parents, and a constant questioning of his own spirituality. An unconventional preteen, Thompson is a mis-fit at school, unable to connect or feel comfortable with his mid-western conservative peers. Thompson uses art as a means of escape and solace. At Bible Camp, Thompson meets Raina, another teen outcast. They find companionship in each other and develop a relationship that is a defining characteristic of their adolescent lives and provides a sense of stability in their tumultuous lives. Thompson travels to Michigan to stay with Raina and her family during a Spring Break where their relationship deepens. During the stay Thompson discovers his own sexuality and falls in love with Raina. Thompson and Raina's relationship is tested by Raina's parents' recent divorce and they eventually become estranged. Thompson acknowledges his deep connection with his first love by saving a memento of their relationship; a quilt blanket that Raina made for him. As an adult, Thompson comes to terms with his spirituality, after moving away from home for a period of time, and is finally able to confront his parents about the disparity between their beliefs. The autobiography ends with Thompson's decision to follow his own path in life.

Critical reception

Blankets received considerable attention in the comics and mainstream book press; it was extremely well-received and eventually won numerous awards (see below). Most critics considered it a milestone in the progress of the American graphic novel, not only in length but also in visual grace and technique. Critics have further hailed it as one of the best graphic novels in recent years, claiming that the book will be remembered for its superb execution a decade after publication. The Bloomsbury Review called it "a superb example of the art of cartooning: the blending of word and picture to achieve an effect that neither is capable of without the other." Time stated that Thompson's work "has set new bars for the medium not just in length, but breadth" and listed it as #1 in its annual Best Comix of the Year list.^[2] The book was called a "magnum opus" in the inaugural issue of (Cult)ure Magazine.^[3]

Awards

• 2004 Harvey Awards: Best Artist, Best Graphic Album of Original Work and Best Cartoonist
• 2004 Eisner Awards: Best Graphic Album and Best Writer/Artist
• 2004 Ignatz Awards: Outstanding Artist and Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection
• 2005 Prix de la critique

Public response

In October 2006, a resident of Marshall, Missouri, attempted to have Blankets and Fun Home by Alison Bechdel removed from the city's public library.^[4] Supporters of the books' removal characterized them as "pornography" and expressed concern that they would be read by children.^[5] Marshall Public Library Director Amy Crump defended the books as having been well-reviewed in "reputable, professional book review journals," and characterized the removal attempt as a step towards "the slippery slope of censorship".^[4][5] On October 11, 2006, the library's board appointed a committee to create a materials selection policy, and removed Blankets and Fun Home from circulation until the new policy was approved.^[6][7] The committee "decided not to assign a prejudicial label or segregate [the books] by a prejudicial system",^[8] and presented a materials selection policy to the board.^[9] On March 14, 2007, the Marshall Public Library Board of Trustees voted to return both Blankets and Fun Home to the library's shelves.^[10]

Editions

Covers of the French, Spanish and Italian editions of Blankets (from left to right)

Editions are available in English, Catalan, French, Spanish, German, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Czech, Polish, Slovenian, Greek, Norwegian and Portuguese. Additionally, the English and Dutch^[11] versions were available in a limited-edition hardcover volume and Polish was available with special cover jacket for those who preordered the book. There is also an accompanying soundtrack, recorded by the Portland, Oregon-based band, Tracker. The French, Spanish and Italian editions all have different cover art. First Italian edition has a red spine, while subsequent editions have a blue one.

• Blankets (English paperback edition) ISBN 1-891830-43-0, Top Shelf Productions

• Blankets - Manteau de Neige (French edition) ISBN 2-203-39608-3, Casterman, March 2004
• Blankets (Spanish edition) ISBN 84-95825-63-5, Astiberri Ediciones, April 2004
• Blankets (Catalan edition) ISBN 84-95825-67-8 Astiberri Ediciones, April 2004
• Blankets (German edition) ISBN 3-936068-96-8, Speed Comics, May 2004
• Een Deken Van Sneeuw (Dutch edition) ISBN 90-5492-119-6, Oog & Blik, May 2004
• Blankets (Italian edition) ISBN 88-88063-97-8, Coconino Press, November 2004
• Pod dekou (Czech edition) ISBN 80-7341-603-4, BB Art, November 2005
• Blankets. Pod śnieżną kołderką (Polish edition) ISBN 83-922963-7-0, Timof i Cisi Wspólnicy, December 2006
• Blankets (Greek edition) ISBN 9608945356, Εκδόσεις ΚΨΜ, March 2007
• Tepper (Norwegian edition) ISBN 978-82-429-3051-4 Egmont Serieforlaget AS, 2006
• Retalhos (Brazilian edition)ISBN 978-85-359-1448-1 Cia das Letras, 2009

References