Are You My Mother?; Alison Bechdel

The most anticipated graphic novel of the year has arrived! Said graphic novel is Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel, her first new long form sequential art memoir since her highly acclaimed Fun Home (which is mostly about her father, who was a closeted homosexual, and how it was growing up within a family that owned a funeral home) back in 2006. Having finished reading Are You My Mother? this past Sunday, I'm here to tell you that Alison Bechdel's new graphic novel memoir, which is mostly about her relationship with her mother, is every bit as excellent as Fun Home.

One of the reasons for the long interim between Fun Home and Are You My Mother? is, if I could be permitted to speculate, Alison Bechdel's wrestling with her relationship with her mother and how to best convey their divisions in a graphic novel memoir (additionally, while Bechdel's cartooning art style is very appealing to the eye, drawing is something that is a VERY long process for her). Another large aspect of Are You My Mother? is Alison Bechdel's sessions with therapists she's gone to and an examination of psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott.

Are You My Mother? does have odd traces of humor throughout, but ultimately, Are You My Mother? is Alison Bechdel's highly personal account of the difficulty her and her mother have relating to each other. While reading and upon finishing Are You My Mother?, you'll think about your own relationship with your mother, and while reflecting upon this isn't always as rewarding as you'd like, Are You My Mother? may very well help you better process your relationship with your mother as well as being a rich, engrossing look into Alison Bechdel and her mother's relationship. I give Are You My Mother? Ich Liebe Comics! highest recommendation (and I'll have more copies of Fun Home in next week)!