Comic Solutions

Black and White

Screen Shot 2016-08-07 at 10.29.05 AMBlack and White (Dahlov Ipcar Collection)
Dahlov Ipcar
Flying Eye Books
9781909263444
April 2015

This review is going to be different, because this is a different type of story, and this is different era than what it was and what it will be. This is a story of black and white written and drawn during the early 1960’s. When the Civil Rights movement was in full swing and there seemed to be so much darkness and hate in the world. Much like today. When a new Civil Rights movement is standing and asking the world to remember that “black lives matter” too. And to remember that there was once a dream by a man where all would join together at the table of brotherhood in shared hands.

Two little dogs, one black and one white, frolic and play out in the snow in the woods near their home. Though each can go far and hide, one in the white winter snow and the other in the black night, they each came back to each other. And that was all right. They each went home and they dreamed dreams of a world that was like them, but mixed with the other. For neither could exist without the other and no creature looked right without the other. And they woke up and shared their dreams of a world mixed together in harmony.

I’ll say nothing of the story, because I’ve already said it. Of the illustrations though they are evocative and move like music across the page. Hand painted in a particular color palette consisting of black, white, pinks and yellows, blue and greens, and subtle blending to create a world like no other and like our own world. Each works together in harmony to create a more visually breathtaking and heartbreaking image of the world at large, of two dogs at play.

Two little dogs, one back and one white, frolic and play together. They each came back to each other for they were better that way. And that was all right.

Leave a Reply