''Weathercraft'' is a 2010
graphic novel
A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
by American cartoonist
Jim Woodring
James William Woodring (born October 11, 1952) is an American cartoonist, fine artist, writer and toy designer. He is best known for the dream-based comics he published in his magazine '' Jim'', and as the creator of the anthropomorphic carto ...
, featuring his best-known characters
Frank, Manhog and Whim. While Frank stars in most of Woodring's stories set in the fictional universe of the Unifactor, this book stars Manhog, with Frank making only a brief appearance. Manhog, after trials and tribulations, sets out on a transformative journey, returning to face off against the devilish Whim, who has enslaved and transformed his friends. Like all other stories set in the Unifactor, ''Weathercraft'' unfolds entirely in pictures, with no
dialogue balloons or captions. ''Weathercraft'' was Woodring's first book-length work.
Publication history
''Weathercraft'' was published in book form without previously being serialized, a first for Woodring. Some panels of the book were previewed on Woodring's blog leading up to publication. When asked in an interview with ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cr ...
'' why, after 30 years of doing comics, he had now decided to produce his first graphic novel, he replied:
The
dust jacket
The dust jacket (sometimes book jacket, dust wrapper or dust cover) of a book is the detachable outer cover, usually made of paper and printed with text and illustrations. This outer cover has folded flaps that hold it to the front and back boo ...
was quite verbose, in contrast with the
pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speakin ...
of the book itself. On this he said, "I thought it would be funny to have a book that was almost word-free and a dust jacket that was slathered in copy."
Overview

Weathercraft, like all of the works set in Woodring's Unifactor (the world in which Frank and associated characters appear), is executed in wordless
pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speakin ...
, with no
word balloons or captions of any kind. In contrast, the
dust jacket
The dust jacket (sometimes book jacket, dust wrapper or dust cover) of a book is the detachable outer cover, usually made of paper and printed with text and illustrations. This outer cover has folded flaps that hold it to the front and back boo ...
is quite verbose, and provides clues to the interpretation of the story. "
cyclical telling of Manhog's suffering, punishment and enlightenment", the book actually stars Manhog, with Frank only appearing briefly. Another recurring character, the
devil
A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of ...
ish Whim, also features.
The book is dense and intricate. It rewards (or requires) re-readings,
and "blends
oodring'sunderstanding of Vedantic beliefs with stylized,
Max Fleischer
Max Fleischer (born Majer Fleischer ; July 19, 1883 – September 25, 1972) was an American animator, inventor, film director and producer, and studio founder and owner. Born in Kraków, Fleischer immigrated to the United States where he became ...
nightmare
A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety or great sadness. The dream may contain situations of d ...
s to explore ideas about the evolution of
consciousness
Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...
. As if to hammer home this
mysticism
Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in u ...
, Woodring notes that the
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominalization, nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cul ...
symbol for the sacred syllable
Aum
''Om'' (or ''Aum'') (; sa, ॐ, ओम्, Ōṃ, translit-std=IAST) is a sacred sound, syllable, mantra, or an invocation in Hinduism. ''Om'' is the prime symbol of Hinduism.Krishna Sivaraman (2008), ''Hindu Spirituality Vedas Through Ved ...
[] is hidden on each page."
Every detail of the book has meaning to Woodring, although he accepts and encourages "reader participation" and further or alternate Aesthetic interpretation, interpretations.
Plot
After merging with a
Psychoactive drug, psychoactive plant known as ''
Salvia divinorum
''Salvia divinorum'' (Latin: "sage of the diviners"; also called ska maría pastora, seer's sage, yerba de la pastora, magic mint or simply salvia) is a plant species with transient psychoactive properties when its leaves are consumed by che ...
'',
Whim proceeds to "distort and enslave Frank and his friends". After much suffering, Manhog sets out on a transformative journey, attaining
enlightenment. Manhog then returns for a final encounter with Whim.
Characters
;
Manhog : "
freakish creature that is often depicted as hedonistic villain whenever he isn't being forced to suffer."
With some notable exceptions like the short story ''Gentlemanhog'', Manhog is normally a secondary character in the stories set in the Unifactor, where
Frank is normally the star.
The significant thing for Manhog in ''Weathercraft'', according to Woodring, "is that
anhogfeels morally obligated to clean up after himself" after being "responsible for Whim's acquiring a hallucinogenic plant-body...a first for him. He passes up a chance to enter paradise in order to do the right thing."
;Whim : As in so many other stories, this
devil
A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of ...
ish, perpetually smiling, moon-headed character spends his time tantalizing and torturing the inhabitants of the Unifactor. "
one point
emerges with a psychoactive plant called
Salvia divinorum
''Salvia divinorum'' (Latin: "sage of the diviners"; also called ska maría pastora, seer's sage, yerba de la pastora, magic mint or simply salvia) is a plant species with transient psychoactive properties when its leaves are consumed by che ...
"
and "distorts and enslaves Frank and his friends."
;
Frank : Normally the main character of the stories set in the Unifactor, Frank plays a small but important role in this book, distorted and enslaved by Whim early in the book.
;Pupshaw and Pushpaw : Companions and protectors of Frank, they are distorted and enslaved along with him by the now super powerful Whim.
;Frank's Faux Paw : Quadrupedal "bad conscience" of Frank, he plays a minor but critical role in the book. When participating in a
forced marriage
Forced marriage is a marriage in which one or more of the parties is married without their consent or against their will. A marriage can also become a forced marriage even if both parties enter with full consent if one or both are later forc ...
that is interrupted by Manhog, he reveals the location of the transformed Whim.
;''"Betty and Veronica"'' : Described on the dust jacket as "our grossly inappropriate pet names for the unchristened hags"
who "seem to have elemental control over
anhog'slife".
They are "two bird-like hags that mysteriously propel the story from the sidelines through rituals that alter the weather and, in turn, alter Manhog’s course".
The pet names are taken from the characters
Betty and
Veronica from ''
Archie
Archie is a masculine given name, a diminutive of Archibald. It may refer to:
People Given name or nickname
*Archie Alexander (1888–1958), African-American mathematician, engineer and governor of the US Virgin Islands
* Archie Blake (mathemati ...
'' comic books.
Reception
The book was included on numerous "Best of 2010" lists, including:
* The 2010
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
Book Prize for Graphic Novels (as ''Finalist'')
*
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...
's Best Books of 2010
*
Douglas Wolk
Douglas Wolk (born 1970) is a Portland, Oregon-based author and critic. He has written about comics and popular music for publications including ''The New York Times'', ''Rolling Stone'', ''The Washington Post'', ''The Nation'', ''The New Republ ...
's Best Graphic Novels of 2010 at
TIME.com
''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...
– Techland
(ranked #6)
Foreign editions
See also
*
Alternative comics
Alternative comics cover a range of American comics that have appeared since the 1980s, following the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to mainstream superhero comics which ...
*
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
Weathercraft by Jim Woodring - Video PreviewJim Woodring talks about ''Weathercraft''Interviewat
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cr ...
Reviewat
Comics Alliance
ComicsAlliance was an American website dedicated to covering the comic book industry as well as comic-related media, and is owned by Townsquare Media. The site has been nominated for multiple awards including a 2015 Eisner Award win in the catego ...
{{Fantagraphics comics
2010 graphic novels
2010 comics debuts
American graphic novels
Comics by Jim Woodring
Books by Jim Woodring
Fantagraphics titles