With grace and clarity

Bryan Talbot's The Tale of One Bad Rat is a prime example of comics dealing with the darkest of subject matter - here, child abuse - with both grace and clarity. Heavily referencing the work of Beatrix Potter, the story sees teenager Helen Potter running away from home following eight years of sexual abuse by her father. Making her way north, drawn by its connection to her beloved literary namesake, she gradually deals with the traumas of her young life. Beautifully rendered in a naturalistic style, accentuated with painted colours and with all the figures taken from real life, this book brims with profoundly striking and affecting images.

Danny Graydon