Monday, April 26, 2010

Graphic Novel Monday: Kimmie66, by Aaron Alexovich


Kimmie66, by Aaron Alexovich. Published 2007 by Minx, an imprint of DC Comics.

Kimmie66 was the next in my to-be-read pile of Minx comics, a defunct series produced by DC Comics and aimed primarily at adolescent girls. Due to lack of promotion and (some would say) general lack of quality, the series was discontinued the year it started, and while it's readily available in most libraries, it's hard to find Minx books in stores these days. I've reviewed two other titles in the series (Token and Confessions of a Blabbermouth) and hope to get to all of them eventually.

Kimmie66 is set in a futuristic, slightly dystopian world where people spend most of their time in online communities called lairs and invent detailed personae and lives there. Books and libraries are virtually nonexistent, non-holographic movies are called "flatties" and crossing between lairs can get you imprisoned. Telly is a teenage girl who idolizes a beautiful older girl who goes by the online moniker Kimmie66. Kimmie66 has announced that she's going to kill herself; distraught, Telly decides to go online to find her. What happens next is something no one expects, probably least of all Kimmie66 herself.

Going in, it's important to understand that none of the Minx books are what I'd call serious graphic literature in line with Persepolis or Fun Home. They're fluffy books for teens, sometimes light and fun and sometimes, as with Kimmie66, darker and heavier. Kimmie66 is about the dark side of online culture and that coupled with themes of suicide and loss make it one of the more serious books in the series. Having said that, I liked the twists and turns in the plot, and even if I couldn't quite get into the characters I found Telly to be appealing and easy to relate to. I also like author and illustrator Aaron Alexovich's outlandish artwork; its energy does a lot to keep the story moving. There's some food for thought here and I think Kimmie66 would be a fine easy read for a teen but it wasn't engaging enough for me to recommend to adult readers.

Rating: BACKLIST

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review from the publisher.

4 comments:

Zibilee said...

A world without books and libraries? Sounds terrible! I think these graphic novels might appeal to my teenage daughter. She is just starting to get interested in the genre, and I have been looking for some good ones for her. Thanks, Marie, for the heads up on this book. I will have to investigate further!

Lenore Appelhans said...

Even though I don't read enough graphic novels, I was pretty sad to hear the Minx folded.

I was just wondering in the shower the other day if it was still possible to get copies of Minx books.

Marie Cloutier said...

Lenore: I don't know if you can still order them from DC but you can find them from time to time in comics shops. I get a lot of mine at record stores that sell books and graphic novels and try to pick them up whenever I see them.

Anonymous said...

Good review...and you are always so honest in your assessements, and that is one thing I admire about you.