By: Jenny Avendaño
From the brilliant mind that brought forth the Eisner Award-nominated Ice Cream Man series comes Haha #1. “I don’t like clowns, so I thought it’d be a good idea to write about them,” W. Maxwell Prince reveals to Image Comics. This issue alone comes with tons of variants brought forth by some of the best artists in the comic industry like Nimit Malavia, Jason Shawn Alexander, Casey Parson, Tyler Kirkham, Megan Hutchinson, and John Gallagher. Featuring artistic talent by Vanesa Del Rey with colors by Chris O’ Halloran and lettering by Good Old Neon, this tale brings forth Bartelby, the seemingly pathetic clown.
Prince initiates this issue with one of his deeply insightful captions presented in the past tense and full of optimism, “I’m the luckiest guy there ever was.” However, to complicate the previous statement, the reader catches a glimpse of Bartelby’s pitiful life, “You’re a goddamn clown at a rinky-dink amusement park that’s about to shutter the windows for good. Your job is a joke.” Our fool’s family is indifferent and shows no respect towards his “profession.” To make matters worse, the clown gets fired and then robbed by his best friend, adding to a downward spiral of tragic events.
Next, Bartelby is caught in an armed robbery and is shot by one of these ruthless villains. Yet Bartelby rejects the premise of his failure insisting on looking at the bright side, “The sun, my god, the way it gives life to all the things of the world; every moment of kindness ever given or received. Wow! How lucky am I?” In other words, the clown’s jolliness transcends the magnitude of his misery, entertaining others like a good comedian and embodying happiness even when it is not entirely true. Nevertheless, should the reader condemn Bartelby for his quixotic outlook on life?
On the surface, this idea seems absurd and detrimental, like choosing a lie over the truth. However, the clown earnestly encourages the reader to bask in the simple pleasures of life that are often overlooked by the weight of hardship. Bartelby extends an invitation for everyone to celebrate the riches that cannot be bought and everyday delights that are easily missed. This conceit aligns with the spirit of the age and the unpredictability of 2020 since finding goodness amidst the chaos is a virtuous mantra forgotten by the typical individual driven by societal gain.
The concept of the clown seesawing between complete genius and idiocy is an archetype that can also be found in the tradition of the “Shakespearean Fool,” or the commoner who outwits individuals of higher social status. The presentation of this character type alleviates the seriousness of the context with its mere presence. Bartelby also echoes the characteristics of Arlecchino (Harlequin) from La Commedia dell’arte, a character who is a master of improvisation exhibiting sheer comic relief filled with human truth.
Overall, the clown strikes pathos as the medium itself serves as one of the simple pleasures that should not be taken for granted by the spectator. For instance, the artwork itself juggles between a sinister and jovial representation of this tale. Obscure gutters and black pigmentation successfully offset the whimsical saturation of Bartelby, providing a visual contradiction to the essence of the clown. Is it a dream or a nightmare? Perhaps modernity consists of both; it all just depends on one’s outlook, “Sometimes you just gotta laugh… because otherwise, you might cry.”
