Monday, May 11, 2020

Pollock Confidential: A Graphic Novel

Pollock Confidential is a graphic novel biography of a period of Jackson Pollock's life. Originally published in 2018, this English translation released 7th April 2020 by Laurence King is 112 pages and available in hardcover format.

This biography takes a look via flashbacks and interludes at Pollock's influence and interactions with the CIA during operation "long leash" as part of the American cultural cold war with the Soviet Union. It was a relationship of which I was previously unaware although the broad strokes of his life, battles with substance abuse, and insecurities I had already known about. A fair bit of the biography narrative is fictionalised, but the framework is there.

The art is quite good, the recognizable major players are displayed against monotone backgrounds of some of Pollock's work as well as having some of the story panels inset into color versions of his work. The art is quite good and the text translation is seamless.

Four stars. A quick, interesting, and worthwhile read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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