Supper Club: A Comic Worth Savoring

While Supper Club’s comforting cover may suggest a light read, it’s much heartier fare than first meets the eye. The graphic novel tells the story of Nora, Lili, and Iris: three teenage girls struggling to maintain their friendship in the final year of high school. Together, they decide to form a Supper Club: gathering together (along with a few other friends) to share food and time as their lives carry them in different directions. Not always certain of how to share their struggles with one another, it seems as if their friendships will crumble apart. 

Jackie Morrow’s many drawings of food look mouth-wateringly delicious, to be sure, and some readers will no doubt be delighted by the recipes at the back of the book. But Morrow’s skill as an artist isn’t limited to tasty food: the artwork at Supper Club is expressive, colorful, humorous, and sometimes surprisingly devastating. Contrasted by tasty pictures of Italian rainbow cookies and braised short ribs are stories of Lili being overwhelmed by the weight of her mother’s expectations, Iris coming to terms with her father’s serious illness, and Nora navigating panic attacks. Scenes showing Nora’s first panic attack–as the line art separates into glitching red and blue layers–and a scene of another protagonist’s seaside mental breakdown are particularly memorable. Because Morrow and accompanying colorist Allie Pipitone also know when to hold back, sometimes to single-color backgrounds, these visually complex and high-impact moments pack an even more satisfying punch. While Supper Club may not feed you physically, it (similar to food movies like Chef and Big Night) will certainly leave you feeling nourished.