A few days after reading Jim Woodring's Weathercraft, I moved onto another strange tale in the Frank universe—this time it was The Portable Frank. Unlike the first Frank comic I read, which is a full-length graphic novel with a cohesive plot through and through, The Portable Frank is a more typical book in the Frank universe because it contains various vignettes that are only tangentially related to one another.
This book's description reads:
[A] unique, visionary comic, exquisitely drawn and so fully realized that adults and children alike find themselves drawn deeply into Woodring's hallucinatory landscape. The stories, almost entirely wordless, unravel like a good puzzle, rewarding re-reading, providing an experience as immersive as that first love affair, that first samadhi, or that first breath. Simply put, the world of Frank must be experienced to be understood.
I couldn't put it better myself. The Portable Frank is a special book, capable of launching readers on a journey into outer (and inner) space without the use of any psychoactive substances. The main character, who goes by the name of Frank, is a fun-loving anthropomorph that looks like a cross between Mickey Mouse and Goofy. Frank lives in a peculiar landscape called the Unifactor, where he wanders around on surreal adventures with his housedog-like pet Pupshaw. On their way, they encounter Manhog, the main character from Weathercraft, as well a variety of several other creatures ranging from adorable to downright terrifying.
I really enjoyed this book and I imagine if I read it a few more times I'd probably love it even more. If you're into weird art of the mind-bending variety, then you should get your hands on a copy of The Portable Frank.
4/5 stars. 200 pages.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy my reviews of Weathercraft and Fran.