Out from Boneville is the first story arc in the Bone series, one of the most amazing and critically acclaimed comicbook series that has ever been published. The series was written and drawn by the extremely talented Jeff Smith over a period of 12 years. Out from Boneville is a collection of the first six issues of the series and follows the story of three cousins from the Bone family. Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone talk and think like humans do, but are colourless, bald, and look suspiciously similar to Casper, of the friendly ghost fame. The cousins get lost in a desert and wander into a world completely different from theirs (Boneville); a world ridden with 'rat-creatures', a gigantic, friendly dragon, and inhabitants who have never seen money in their lives.
The series has often being compared to Lord Of The Rings and the comic strip Pogo but of course Jeff Smith clearly cites LOTR and Walt Kelly as his influences. However, if one really had to make comparisons, Bone is more like Walt Disney's version of LOTR, combined with the mad humor of Terry Pratchett. Monstrous, evil things, chase good, amiable denizens, down precarious cliffs but Smith cheekily inserts something incredibly funny and out-of-tune in between the whole scene and you are forced to pause, laugh hastily, and only then continue reading.
Out from Boneville, gives us a great insight into all the characters of this trippy, highly original series. Phoney Bone is a mean, crude, scheming monster in comparison with Smiley and Fone, who are loveable, endearing fellows.The three cousins are befriended by Thorn, a young, beautiful, and mysterious girl and her gruff, awesome grandma. Fone Bone is the quintessential protagonist; sweet, simple, and always finding himself in trouble for no fault of his. But, the rat-creatures, much like our friendly Orcs from Mordor, are obviously the award winners. Their presence in any panel increases the fun-factor tenfold.
Published originally in simple black and white, the series is now being released in colour in the hope that this will probably give the series the readership it truly deserves. Jeff Smith is himself known to have accepted how brilliant his artwork looks in colour. Smith’s artwork is simple but apt. His discreet backgrounds suit the scenes perfectly and he ends up making the reader concentrate on the most important aspect of the panel without taking any attention away from the pleasant drawings. The style is set at an optimum level for this grand epic.
Despite the fact that Bone is clearly for kids, Smith doesn’t take the level of his writing or ideas down even by a notch. Kids will love this mad, entertaining adventure and adults will appreciate the wide coverage of basic human emotions (Phoney Bone is the definition of greed and corruption and Fone, or perhaps everyone other than Phoney, is the acme of nice). In fact, the detailed characterisation and the brilliantly whimsical plot are enough to get you hooked onto this series. Winner of several Harvey and Eisner awards, Bone is a legend and a must-read.
The action really builds up much later, but the first volume is an excellent way to get into the Bone Series. It has the benefit of being lighthearted and fresh, and also has sufficiently comforting quantities of adventure and drama. Smith hands out generous dollops of good natured humour every once in a while unlike the later volumes of the series where the seriousness of the situation and the intensity of the plot automatically lessens frivolity. Smith lays out the plot for the bigger scene vividly and perfectly. There are a lot of unanswered questions and this makes you ache to read the next volume.
Out from Boneville introduces you to a crazy, imaginative, fantastic world and because of this, is a complete delight to read.
— sneha.nagesh@gmail.com
