There was a time when every major comic book movie and show reveal was greeted with fanfare. I could not avoid hearing about any of them because every one of them was a huge move forward in the world of comic book culture.
Today I miss things; they fly under my radar. Is it because I spend more time at home and not hanging around the comic shop? Less time on the computer browsing the internet? Am I just getting old and losing it? Probably all of those things, but I think part of it is also due to the fact that none of them is as big of a deal anymore.
When the highest-grossing films are mostly based on superheroes, it isn’t seen as all that important when a little-known comic series from over 10 years ago is adapted for television.
That’s why I was surprised to learn about the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Jeff Lemire’s “Sweet Tooth,” a truly unusual book and the last thing I expected to make it to the small screen, but here we are.
With that in mind, I would like to revisit the series because it is certainly one worth revisiting time and again, especially in the light of the last year. After all, “Sweet Tooth” is the story of a man and a deer-boy hybrid trying to make their way through a post-apocalyptic world after a global pandemic.
In the case of “Sweet Tooth,” the mysterious virus that decimated the human population of the planet also fundamentally altered it with Gus, the titular Sweet Tooth, being an example of what has been wrought upon humanity by nature, or humanity.
Lemire writes, draws and inks each issue of “Sweet Tooth” with colors being handled by fellow Eisner Award winner Jose Villarubia. Lemire’s creative style evokes not only the haunting reality of Gus’ world but also the nature of memory.
Told from Gus’ point of view, the story does not flow smoothly from panel to panel but instead shifts from one moment of clarity to the next as significant events register in the young hybrid’s mind. The reader, rather than watching from on high with an omniscient narrator, observes each action as if it were a story being told many years after all has been said and done with only the most important points being recounted.
Though unconventional, this narrative method is incredibly immersive and places the reader firmly in the shoes of the little hybrid boy and leaves a lasting impact.
Lasting for 46 issues, “Sweet Tooth” is far too complex to summarize in a single column. It is a story of love, growth, betrayal and redemption. At times it is downright heart-wrenching, leaving the reader both enraged at the actions of a character that Lemire works to imbue with not only flaws, but a deep and abiding humanity and tenderness despite the initial impression he leaves on us. That’s without even talking about the innocent and naive young Gus, who comes to represent hope and the possibility of change and growth.
Likewise, it would be impossible to cram the entirety of the series into a single movie, making the choice of an adaptation as a multi-episode series appropriate. With only one trailer released so far, it’s difficult to say exactly how well the series will bring the comic to life, but what we have seen does elicit similar emotions as those the comic brought to the fore while presenting a somewhat more positive overall theme.
Regardless of how the show treats the series, it is something well worth reading before the Netflix release on June 4.
Originally published under the Vertigo Comics banner, “Sweet Tooth” is still easily found at your local comic shop, online or in bookstores, in small collected editions or as one massive volume published under DC Comics’ Black Label imprint.
As a single series contained in its own world, it is unlikely that viewers will need to read “Sweet Tooth” before watching it, but to not do so would be a disservice to yourself and one of Lemire’s best works.
William Kulesa can be reached at jjournalcomicbox@gmail.com.
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May 22, 2021 at 09:05PM
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