Daytripper Review

Image Vertigo Comics

Daytripper is unlike any graphic novel I’ve ever read before. As broad and generic as that statement may be, I sincerely mean it. Twin Brazilian brother team Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá have created something truly magical here.  

Daytripper takes a step back from reality and offers us brief windows into the life of Brás de Oliva Domingos, the son of a famous writer who lands a dead-end job writing obituaries. The novel places a heavy emphasis on death—in fact, at the end of every chapter Brás dies in some fashion. However, wherever death lurks, life begins. Daytripper is a novel about mortality, of life, and of the magical moments that make it all worthwhile.

The Good ✓

The Writing: Holy crap, the writing in Daytripper is fantastic. Moon does an excellent job bringing his characters to life and making you give a damn about them. Brás proves to be an interesting character, a relatable everyman with a certain likeable twist. In other kinds of fiction, it would be all too easy to get “bored” with this kind of character; but Moon does a fantastic job in making us care for Brás, the people around him, and the relationships he fosters. Brás is also a deeply complex character. Daytripper encompasses all aspects of his life, from childhood to old age, and as a result, we see multiple sides to his personality, and how it changes from chapter to chapter. The supporting characters are fantastic as well, especially Brás’ best friend Jorge and his father. Of course, every supporting character plays a major role—there’s no wasted space in Daytripper’s rich story.

Image Vertigo Comics

The Illustrations: Beautiful. Simply beautiful. Bá’s artwork makes Daytripper spring to life, the perfect accomplice to Moon’s writing. You can feel the brothers' love for their home country of Brazil in each and every panel of this novel. The pages are saturated with rich colors and Brazilian themes—from cities to beaches and specific locales, the reader gets a clear view of Brazil’s nature. Each panel stands by itself in quality alone, and utilize a variety of colors instead of simply sticking to one theme and going with it for the entirety of the graphic novel. Daytripper possesses some of the greatest illustrations I’ve ever seen in the medium.

The Story: The story presented in Daytripper is unique and often requires some thought to comprehend. This is a good thing. Each life event of Brás’ is carefully woven into a much larger tapestry of life and death, pain and happiness, and personal growth. Each and every chapter is engaging, and builds off one another, though years apart. It’s an interesting premise, and one that has truly stood out to me amongst a sea of other graphic novels.

The Bad ✗

It’s Not For Everyone: Daytripper, while possessing a fantastic and colorful story, isn’t for everyone. The theme is initially an odd one, with the protagonist dying in each chapter and whatnot. Daytripper isn’t about action or brooding, intense characters, thought. The goal of Daytripper, I believe, is to leave an impression upon the reader; to make one contemplate life through death. This isn’t a read for everybody, but I highly recommend giving it a try.

Overall Rating:

✓

Bá and Moon have created something truly special here. It’s not often that a graphic novel leaves such a massive impression on me as this one did. Even if you’re initially put off by the premise, give Daytripper a try. The beautiful art, engaging story, and lasting appeal won’t leave you disappointed.