Capote In Kansas

Murder, ripped straight from the pages of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, begins Capote in Kansas, the engaging work from writer Ande Parks and illustrator Chris Samnee. Based on the research period of Capote's "non-fiction novel," the story introduces the reader to Capote, the flamboyant, arguably-overconfident, writer who steps into a world of brutal homicide, centered around the deaths of four members of a prominent Holcomb farming family-Kansans Herb, Bonnie, Nancy, and Kenyon Clutter. In his story, Parks takes the reader cyclically from death to death, filling it in with what perhaps is his strongest talent, the ability to create telling human relationships. It's not the believability of Capote as a socialite character that draws readers in, but rather his vulnerability. While it becomes difficult to believe some of Capote's actions (the naïve waltz into the police station, the expectation of assistance from the police) one does not question the more intimate moments of his life, especially not Capote's childhood. Capote's solid friendship with Harper Lee only reinforces the strength of this scene creating a relationship that foreshadows Capote's later one with Perry. Still, for all the success of Parks' characters, one cannot help but find fault in Nancy Clutter, the ghost who seems no more than a device for sentimentality. While she might have been a powerful illustration of Capote's psychological struggle to unravel the history of the Clutter family, Nancy comes off more as a confidante and a contrivance to humanize Capote. It appears, at times, that Parks' may have intended Nancy to be something closer to the illustration of the struggle, but it never quite settles into that. This sentimentality goes on to haunt Parks' narration, especially in the scenes with Capote and Nancy in the rain, and Capote hugging Perry in prison. Still, applause should certainly follow Parks' depiction of homosexual relationships. Not only does he shy away from overt stereotype, but in the letters and back-and-forthing between Capote and Jack, readers have the opportunity to see love. Parks does not dwell on Capote's infidelity either, acts which may not make for a likeable character, but nevertheless a believable one (Capote having had several relationships with arguably-heterosexual men). That he treats homosexuals as people, however, and not types exploitable for comic value is a testament to Parks' maturity as a writer. And accompanying Parks' tale, Samnee lends his talents for stunning illustration. With careful attention to negative space, and a degree of control that would make Frank Miller proud, Samnee creates highly-detailed images with particular expertise at group scenes (the funeral, arrest of the suspects), parties, banquets, and landscapes. His depictions of anticipation, remorse, happiness, and sly wit are unquestionably authentic with his management of sequencing tracking the progression of emotion beautifully in scenes like Capote's childh

Capote in Kansas is a perfect companion piece to In Cold Blood. Ande Park's graphic novel parallels Capote's work providing interesting details and the inner most thoughts of the main character(s) while developing the supporting characters, showing how their lives are touched and how their lives touch the main character, yet carves its own path along the way. This is a gorgeously illustrated novel with an eye catching cover. How Ande was able to get Chris Samnee is beyond me, I'm thinking he lost big to Ande in a poker match and this was the only way he could pay his debt. Ande Parks has provided his readers with a hundred and twenty pages of solid writing with no wasted page or panel leaving the reader wanting another hundred and twenty. I highly recommend Capote in Kansas. This graphic novel and its creators are definitely worthy of an Eisner nomination.