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The best word I can think of to describe this work by Italian comics creator Gipi is honest. This is a graphic novel whose story and characters feel very honest - even if all their actions are not. Perhaps “authentic�� might be a better word then.

The narrative revolves around four young men in modern Italy trying to get there garage band off the ground and onto the scene. But each member has different pressures and responsibilities at home, and widely divergent personalities and ways of handling their obstacles. Still, they manage to keep their music and their friendship at the forefront and Garage Band manages to explore this in a way that doesn’t feel cheesy or like Gipi is trying to hard. Rather, everything flows very naturally, and I can completely understand why each boy thinks and acts they way they do throughout - I don’t agree with them most of the time (and often the characters and others in their lives don’t agree with each other either) but I understand. And Gipi writes and illustrates everything in a very compelling way. I came to really care about this little group and was wishing for their eventual success in the end.

Concerning the art itself, Gipi’s style is not the cute or highly-stylized art I tend to praise quite a bit in my reviews. But it’s very energetic and well-suited to Gipi’s storytelling. I also love the controlled messiness of it. I’m also a huge fan of watercolors and inks so the bleeding, watery look to some of the art was a plus for me. I also think that contributed a lot to the feeling of the music that the raggazzi are trying to create together.

Overall, super pleased I found this and took the time to read it.