In They Hurt, They Scar, They Shoot, They Kill: Toxic Characters in Young Adult Fiction, Joni Richards Bodart examines works of fiction that feature characters who threaten the psychological and physical well-being of teens and their friends and families. Most teens understand this, and they want books, television shows, and films to reflect the reality of their world-the bad along with the good.
No matter their ethnicity, social class, or economic status, teens must know how to survive the perils that may await them. Young adults live in a violent culture, so trying to protect them from the world they live in is not only futile but can also be dangerous. Backderf is quite skilled in using comics to tell this tale of a truly weird and sinister 1970s adolescent world."?R.
A moving book that qualifies as one of the great graphic novels, a work of art."?Creative Loafing "A well-told, powerful story. Yet it's empathy and nuance, not gore, that put My Friend Dahmer alongside Alison Bechdel's Fun Home and David Small's Stitches in the annals of illustrated literature."?Cleveland Plain Dealer "A new classic of the graphic novel genre. There's something about Dahmer's life and crimes that seems almost crafted for treatment in the murky world of comix.
a rich tale full of complexity and sensitivity. An exemplary demonstration of the transformative possibilities of graphic narrative."?Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Masterful.
Its insight sharedinsight arriving too late to save Dahmers victims, let alone Jeff himself, but perhaps soon enough to remind both teens and their caretakers that questioning peculiar behavior might be a better tack than ignoring or exploiting it."? School Library Journal? "Fortunately, cartoonist Derf Backderf isn't one to avoid the troubling, even terrifying, truths that lurk in the dark recesses of that notorious serial killer's early lifeand modern American life itself."? Foreword Reviews "A powerful, unsettling use of the graphic medium to share a profoundly disturbing story. Highly recommended for professionals as well as true crime readers."?Library Journal "This isnt a cautionary tale. A small, dark classic."?Publishers Weekly (starred review)? "One of the best graphic novels I've read this year."? USA Today's PopCandy "One of the most thought-provoking comics released in a long time."? "Carefully researched and sourced with ample back matter, Backderf's tragic chronicle of what shouldn't have been is a real butt-kicker for educators and youth counselors as well as peers of other potential Dahmers.
Backderf's writing is impeccably honest in not exculpating his own misdeeds. Praise for My Friend Dahmer: "The tone is sympathetic and enraged ('Where were the damn adults?'), while not excusing or making the story unduly fascinating. With profound insight, what emerges is a Jeffrey Dahmer that few ever really knew, and one readers will never forget. In My Friend Dahmer, a haunting and original graphic novel, writer-artist Backderf creates a surprisingly sympathetic portrait of a disturbed young man struggling against the morbid urges emanating from the deep recesses of his psyche?a shy kid, a teenage alcoholic, and a goofball who never quite fit in with his classmates. To Derf Backderf, "Jeff" was a much more complex figure: a high school friend with whom he had shared classrooms, hallways, and car rides. To the public, Dahmer was a monster who committed unthinkable atrocities. In 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer?the most notorious serial killer since Jack the Ripper?seared himself into the American consciousness. This new paperback edition will coincide with the release of the movie adaptation of My Friend Dahmer and will include additional bonus content from the author archives. With profound insight, what emerges is a Jeffrey Dahmer that few ever really knew, and readers will never forget. In My Friend Dahmer, a haunting and original graphic novel, writer-artist Backderf creates a surprisingly sympathetic portrait of a disturbed young man struggling against the morbid urges emanating from the deep recesses of his psyche-a shy kid, a teenage alcoholic, and a goofball who never quite fit in with his classmates. To Derf Backderf, Dahmer was a much more complex figure: a high school friend with whom he had shared classrooms, hallways, and car rides. In 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer-the most notorious serial killer since Jack the Ripper-seared himself into the American consciousness. Club, comiXology, Boing Boing, Publishers Weekly, MTV Geek, and more! “ASTOUNDING.â€? -Lev Grossman, Time You only think you know this story. Crumb NATIONAL BESTSELLER Named a BEST OF 2012 by Time, The Village Voice, A.V. Backderf is quite skilled in using comics to tell this tale of a truly weird and sinister 1970s adolescent world.â€? -R.