The Fabulous Book With The Funny Name
There comes a time every so often that my diet of ultra-violent media leaves me cold. When watching a roomful of hapless extras dance in a hail of bullets like blind men with beehives on their heads can draw nary a giggle of delight, when I roll my eyes and yawn as the villain does the same with a scream as he's swallowed in the explosion of his hideout, when digesting the lurid exploits of heroes - be they super, anti, or even sandwich just makes my stomach turn.

Come those times, I like to embrace the simpler things in life. Like Bone.

I'll wait until you stop snickering to continue. Honestly, I thought I was writing for adults here. And no, Dad, I'm not trying to tell you something in that sentence, okay? Some of us don't need to define ourselves through relationships.

Bone is, in the words of its creator, Jeff Smith, "Bugs Bunny meets Lord of the Rings." The man hit the concept straight on the head, tweeting birds and all; at it's best, the story seems no less than a bizarre collaboration between Mel Blanc and J.R.R. Tolkien. Believe me, I've tried to come up with my own interpretation of the series, and I'm at a rare loss for words.

Out From Boneville
The tale starts with the three Bone cousins, Fone, Phoney, and Smiley. Fone is the kind-hearted soul who mainly ends up saving his cousins; the tall, dim-but-good-natured Smiley and Phoney, the greedy schemer (there's one in every family) from trouble. And trouble is immediately where we find the Bone boys at the outset of the story - after one of Phoney's trademark shady deals goes awry, the trio are forced to flee into the desert from their home town of Boneville, which I can only imagine as a less annoying Smurf Village. Hopelessly lost and soon separated, the three soon find their way into a mysterious valley.

With no clue of how to get home or even which direction home lies, the Bones settle into this awkward new world of talking wildlife and suspicious villagers. While being chased by the sinister yet dim Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures, or making valuable friends like the kindly Thorn and her venerable guardian Gran'ma Ben, it is hinted that far more is going on in the shadows of the valley. Why is a huge red dragon following and protecting our heroes? Who is the force invading the dreams of our heroes? What is the deal with Fone Bone's obsession with Moby Dick (no snickering!). And what does all of this have to do with the mysterious "One Who Bears The Star", desperately sought by the Rats?

Fine Lines
These questions and the answers are woven within an epic journey into darkness. Never sickly sweet cute or doom and gloom, the balance between comedy and drama shifts as the tone of the story necessitates. And not just in the dialogue or plot - Jeff Smith makes sure his actions match his words. Between scene-setting panoramic spreads of the valley, art of the cast of characters and their interactions seem like animation cels stolen to make a tale that neither Disney nor Don Bluth had the competence to do. Even the expressions of characters, rendered in simple black and white, are some of the most powerful imagery I've seen in this particular medium.

Drawing Conclusions
The word along the comic book grapevine is that Bone is finally winding to a close next year, after its decade-long run since the early 90's. Once completed, the 9 volumes will break into 3 separate parts (what is it about trilogies and fantasy/sci-fi?). With the series ending soon, now's the perfect time to catch up and hop on the bandwagon. Sure, there's the occasional outbreak of violence, but should you be tired of the predictable fights of the action genre, Bone is an excellent treat for the kid in everyone...

...assuming that your inner child is mature enough to keep from laughing at the title.