One Week In The Library

December 5, 2016
In a new story from the creators of Judas: The Last Days, Allen, the narrator, is both librarian and prisoner in a library variously described as “the sum total of its innumerable stories” and as housing “all narratives, in all their possible shapes.” When the books seem to be rebelling, Allen lives through a week of stories including one with familiar storybook characters, a brief sojourn in a literally colorless office, and a final tête-à-tête with the author. Amor, with colorist Kathryn Layno, produces kaleidoscopic and hallucinogenic images that pair perfectly with Prince’s experimental tale, with looming book stacks giving way to bizarre creatures and handy infographics as needed. In the final fourth wall–breaking scene, Prince confesses to his character that he hopes that this work “will give the reader the impression that I’m a bright guy,” and it certainly does that. Amor’s art is filled with references to pop culture, and it may take a few readings to get all of them.