Olympia #3: We Need to Talk about Kirby

The beginning of Olympian #3 has a small note with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. This, in one small section of text, sets the tone entirely for the issue that is to follow. It puts me in a very unusual spot as a reviewer as well. I feel sympathy for the situation of Curt and Tony Pires as people and authors. I feel for everyone who goes through the situations that the character of Kirby Spiegelman is enduring on the pages of Olympia #3. I understand that sort of pain that they are attempting to portray in the story of Olympia, as well as the intention they have to write it as a wistful love letter to the genre.

I am beginning to think my problem is not with Olympia itself as a concept. Rather, I am beginning to think it is the execution. This is a story that is straining to fit inside the five issues it has been given. I do not know that extra issues would help with the perceived problems I have with writing style or certain characterization pieces, but it certainly would give the story more room to breathe and less room to continually (perhaps unintentionally) slap the viewers with emotional whiplash and constantly changing characterizations. 

On the flip side, it might expose even more flaws with the writing. The difficulty I had with this issue wasn’t necessarily that is was sad or upsetting, rather it was…well, predictable in many ways. Part of that predictability comes from being somewhat relatable–many people have gone through awkward divorces, lost jobs, and deaths of relatives. Unfortunately, something about this relatability falls flat for me. I know that the authors have gone through real and genuine pain, likely in similar ways to the character of Kirby Spiegelman, but there is a certain disconnect between the lived experience and what is shown on the page. The art of Alex Diotto is what makes this disconnect less apparent. While I am not the biggest fan of the style, the blocking of each scene does create emotional depth that wouldn’t otherwise be there.

I want to be perfectly clear about something: I want to cheer for this comic. I still hold out hope with each passing issue that something will change that will make me see it in a wholly positive light. There are two issues left to impress me, and while each one has gotten marginally better, it is not yet to a point that I feel like I could honestly say I think this book is worthy of praise. I can tell the authors are putting a great deal of thought and effort into its creation, which matters a good deal. The artist pulls the book along with excellent blocking skills. It’s just not enough yet. 

I hope that it will shock me and turn me around by issue #5.