‘Confabulation: An Anecdotal Biography’ (review)

Confabulation: An Anecdotal Biography
Written and Illustrated by Dave Gibbons
Published by Dark Horse Comics

Dave Gibbons is a comic book creator without parallel. He has been in the industry longer than most fans have been alive. His work has always been great and it reached it’s zenith with the Watchmen limited series (or graphic novel, depending on your style) back in the mid 1980’s.

Yet, Gibbons is more than just the artist for that series.

This book here shows that and goes into great lengths to illuminate the different worlds that he helped create.

This book is immensely packed with lots of anecdotes. They are all done with a subject line in alphabetical order.

For instance, there is a whole section about Gibbons and his relationship with artist Brian Bolland. The story he tells about their relationship and friendship is something that the general public is not privy to. It is also something  that is highly entertaining.

Reading the book in this piecemeal way can get a bit harrowing. It comes across more of a puzzle that the reader has to put together, rather than a straightforward autobiography. Those willing to invest the time will be rewarded, however, as the stories are rich, dense, and historical.

You do get to learn more about Dave Gibbons and the people he knows and worked with in a very intimate way. You also get to learn a lot about his creative process as a whole.

The draw for a lot of people to this book is the Watchmen section, particularly about Alan Moore. The book reveals in detail why the pair of them no longer are on speaking terms. It is an honest account from reading these events and it’s a shame. These two creators worked so amazingly together that you can only wonder what could have been if things worked out differently.

This is the ultimate book for any fans of Dave Gibbons. In fact, I would consider it essential.

It explores the many facets of his creativity and shows you his work in a different light. The format for this book is beautiful as well and the whole thing is a nice package for any fans of the man’s immense body of comic book work.

RATING: A