TGBTWE is exactly what one would expect: a beard is trying to destroy a whole town’s way of life. The story opens on an isolated island called Here, where routine, neatness, control and order rule and anything even remotely disorganized is feared and shunned. So when Dave’s beard starts growing uncontrollably and threatening to take over the whole town by simply existing, his life reaches a fantastic state of disarray (not to mention fame on TV – for all the wrong reasons). As a result, the whole town comes together to try to contain the “evil” growth which is ruining everyone’s life. That skeletal summation of the plot in itself sounds like a book worth checking out, but what makes this truly great is the backdrop in which the story happens. Told with the sort of narrative which normally appears in heavy fairy tales and children’s books, Collins has managed to tell a story that’s both sweet and Tim Burton-esque in how haunting it is.
And don’t get me started on the art. Childlike yet tight and neat, Collins’ art has somehow perfectly captured the mood of the story and created visuals (not to mention character design) which make this book an even more pleasant and unique experience.
One of the greats of 2014.
Artist:
www.stephencollinsillustration.com/
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Gigantic-Beard-That-Was-Evil/
www.twitter.com/stephen_collins
Novel:
The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil is out now. Buy it here on Amazon .