Thoughts & life experiences of a Chicago area graphic artist

12 November 2019

7-Point Rave: "Freddie & Me" Comic by Mike Dawson & a Quick Take on Selected Works



7 Things I Love About Mike Dawson’s Comic Memoir
“Freddie & Me”:


1. I’m fascinated by all things British!

     Generally I love diversity and cultural variety, to be honest. But as I have traced my ancestry on my dad's side to England (from the Mid-1700s), I get a particular enjoyment out of learning what life is like there and imagining what it would have been like if I had been born in the U.K.

2. Powerful emotional story telling 

     Mike skillfully conveys his love of music, his experience adjusting as a kid to moving to another culture and his family's ups and downs. I nearly cried when he described the loss of a loved one in the book (I won't give away who, tho').

3. His skillful, dramatic use of black

    Do a Google image search on "Freddie & Me by Mike Dawson" and you'll see sample pages that show rich, solid black accents, back-grounds and shading that make his pages pop!

4. Mention & discussion of the Beat Generation Classic masterpiece “On the Road”
by Jack Kerouac

    I LOOOOVE that classic road trip novel! (I recommend the audiobook read by actor Matt Dillon.) Big points of respect from me to anyone who shares my appreciation for Kerouac's most famous work.

5. The exploration of memory and perception/perspective 

    Mike's depiction of multiple perspectives shows an ability every writer should exercise and possess. We all can learn from that skill.
   
6. Clever use of imaginative fictional narrative within his memoir

     I got a big kick out of Mike's flights of fanciful, wishful thinking. It conveys his total immersion in his love of music and his favorite band like nothing else!

7. The tender, compassionate depiction of his family

    I gotta say this: You're gonna love Mikes Mom, Dad and siblings! He wrote with humanity and care about them with an economy of visual story telling that reveals true heart!



Link to 'Freddie & Me' page on Amazon


UPDATE: Another of Mike Dawson's books that I enjoyed --


UPDATE:  Mike is posting excellent web comics on his Instagram account!

Click on Instagram link below to see the rest of this comic!
Mike's Instagram Comic! -- One of many!


UPDATE: Check out news of Mike Dawson's Zine! This guy does it all!

Click on Twitter Link below to learn more about Mike's Zine!
"My newest FUN TIME ‘zine will be arriving at my house from the printer’s this Tuesday. Support me on Patreon today and get one of the first copies" https://t.co/ICs5QJsZZO pic.twitter.com/hTPLjrLsUP
 


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