Lights, Planets, People! Reviewed
How about a poignant, delicate pastel palette, colour pencil wonder presentation of the story of one woman's battle with herself and her perceived pressure of inspiring ambitious young women? Molly Naylor and Lizzy Stewarts 'Lights, Planets, People!' is a completely beautiful tale of self-realisation and interstellar exploration.
When it comes to heartfelt, heart-tugging, thought-provoking comics, Avery Hill Publishing curate some of the finest indie creators comics have to offer. Publishing the formidable works of Charlot Kristensen, Zoe Thorogood and Tillie Waldon to name just a few. These artists that we admire, whose work is so special prove the level of geniuses Avery Hill helps nurture. Amongst this dynamic collective Lizzy Stewart has resided since her first adult book Walking Distance was published in 2019. She returns here now in a collaboration with Molly Naylor on the graphic novel adaptation of Molly’s Norfolk Arts Award-winning play Lights, Planets, People! This is an intimidatingly talented pair, providing poignant ponderings on mental health, communication and sense of self.
So, let’s start with the art. Lizzy Stewart is a renowned and exceptional artist with a body of work that’s intensely accomplished. In Lights, Planets, People! Lizzy provided me with an experience I’ve never felt in a graphic novel before. The experience was cognitive dissonance. The reason, on one full page, number 37 of the digital copy to be exact, there is the rendition of Tamara de Lempicka's self-portrait Tamara in a green Bugatti. Lizzy captures the essence of that piece and manages it with coloured pencils. That’s right, you read correctly. I’m almost positive that’s the medium. Being the untrained, undereducated, slightly evolved bald ape that I am, my mind is struggling to get past the idea of a Crayola colour pencil and this stirring interpretation of Art Deco masterwork. So yes cognitive dissonance thank you, Lizzy. How astonishingly talented can and must an artist be to manage that?
What’s more, that's not even my favourite page! There's the colour distinctions for the three main settings with the blues and greys even traditional colours tied to the emotions of the relationship, orange for the difficult to manage talk or the pinks for the even more difficult therapy session. There's the section of Maggie sinking and drowning in her depression which I thought was an inspired way to capture that emotion. The toilet scene as well, with its visual of the barrier faced by women and the exposure and judgment that is portrayed, gave me empathy and a sense of the difficulty faced. It’s not something I can fully understand due to my demographic. I’ll never know what that feels like, but to gain a sense across two pages illuminates the strength of the images. I have to say, and it’s most likely the sci-fi geek in me, but I got a lot of enjoyment from the final page and Lizzy's image of the Earth. The sense of perspective was lovely, not an important image but as I said this sci-fi geek really liked that.
Ok, right on to the story. Molly Naylor presents the story of Maggie. Maggie is a very intelligent woman who defines herself by her analytical mind and chosen career. Maggie is an astronomer dedicated to the pursuit of the discovery of Exoplanets. A lifelong effort that would leave a legacy that in Maggie's eyes would justify any and all sacrifices made in the pursuit of this goal. There is more to Maggie though, not that she would admit it, but she is human after all. As such, there is a want for companionship, love, relationships but Maggie can quantify and excuse her failings in this regard in two ways. Firstly her Bi-polar Disorder, which she confidently claims to have a mastery of. Secondly, the example of her last and probably most significant romantic relationship with a woman named Jane.
A bout of depression has pushed Maggie into the lecture circuit where she attempts to inspire future scientists. This is Mollys jumping-off point. Maggie is struggling with this new life direction with panic attacks dominating her capability to perform. Through the platform of a therapy session, Molly delivers a story of exploration and realisation as Maggie is led through this conversation into re-evaluating her views of herself and the definitions she puts on her world. This is a beautiful story that handles mental health, personal identity, human relationships and the pressure of expectations while offering a slice of good science. Molly's approach to exploring these themes plays out across 132 pages of impactful realisation that is sure to move, entertain and provoke introspection in a beguiling fashion.
For fans of the exploration of self, driven women of exceptional intelligence, those wishing to explore mental health, the universal nature of love, the campsite rule, lost relationships and blindsided need for control through dedication to work you want the exceptionally impactful Lights, Planets, People! Available through Avery Hills website here. Where you can also get a signed bookplate edition if you're one of the first 200.
Review: 5+/5
