Inside Moebius, Part 2

September 1, 2018

In the year 2000, internationally acclaimed French cartoonist Jean Giraud, better known as Moebius (The World of Edena), started illustrating a diary about his decision to stop smoking marijuana. Within a few pages, this record of his impressions of sobriety quickly gave way to a narrative of the artist drawing his wanderings through a vast desert, interacting with various figures from his past, modern culture (Osama bin Laden features in a memorable and extremely bizarre cameo), and, most important, his own creations, who view him as both godlike and a total nuisance. The result is an intriguing meditation on aging, death, sex, religion, and the creative process, as Moebius crafts a sometimes uncomfortably intimate and self-reflective portrait. These two volumes are rounded out with interviews with the artist and commentary from friends and editors, with the promise of a third and final volume completing the story later this year. VERDICT While some knowledge of Moebius's oeuvre is required to grasp fully what's going on here, even those previously unfamiliar with the author will be quickly drawn in by his gorgeous illustrations and probing exploration of universal themes.--TB

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