When the Wind Blows review
I'm rarely moved to review anything I read outside of year-end best-of lists, but this time I really feel like it. A couple years ago I bought and read Gentleman Jim by Raymond Briggs, republished by Drawn & Quarterly. I then read about When the Wind Blows, which for all intents and purposes is a follow-up to Gentleman Jim, using the same characters and setting. After a long search I happened upon it by pure chance last week at Pulp Fiction, here in Vancouver.
(Minor spoilers, but not really, since it's the whole plot of the thing.)
It's from the early 80s and is an anti-nuclear-war parable relating to the Cold War. Raymond Briggs' humour is engaging and genuinely comforting in Gentleman Jim and the beginning of When the Wind Blows, but it quickly gets blacker, as we the reader know of an impending nuclear attack against England. It's truly humourous watching James and his wife talking about the last war, constantly confusing the Russians for the Germans, and attempting to figure out how to put up a make-shift shelter.
But then early on, the bomb goes off... and what follows is simultaneously funny, touching, and intensely depressing as they unknowingly suffer the fall-out to it's natural conclusion. I had trouble sleeping afterwards, affected more than I thought I would be. I can't recommend it enough, but ESPECIALLY if you liked Gentleman Jim. It's very 80s, but still great. I hope someone tracks down this gem and enjoys it as much as I did.
Also, there was a feature film made of it. It has terrific animation from what I've seen so far, and an original song by David Bowie. It's on YouTube HERE.