The underwater welder

Review

Jeff Lemire presents the story of a man literally and figuratively under pressure. An underwater welder by trade, Jack is used to working on the seabed in a pressure suit. But as he anticipates becoming a father, he finds himself haunted by unresolved issues from his childhood involving his relationship with his own father, an alcoholic who disappeared when he was a boy. Lemire's black and white artwork is spare but compelling, and he makes excellent use of panel structure to convey Jack's feelings of isolation and emotional distance from his wife and the world around him. An outstanding example of the format, this is one of the best graphic novels of 2012.