And Then I Read: CONFABULATION by Dave Gibbons

Published by Dark Horse, 2023

Considering we live on different continents, I’ve spent a fair amount of time with Dave Gibbons. We got together on each of my five visits to England, and I’ve also been able to chat and catch up at numerous comics conventions. Ellen and I enjoyed one of his St. Albans hometown tours in 1987, and on our 1999 visit to London, we talked him into taking a tourist cruise on the Thames with us to the house that inspired Toad Hall in “Wind in the Willows.” Dave had us laughing often on that trip. Before all that, I first met Dave on the phone in 1982 when editor Ernie Colón had us work out a Green Lantern Corps story plot at that first meeting, and I loved the story that came from it. I’ve written a bit about that HERE. All this is to preface my reading of his new autobiographical book, which is really a series of anecdotes and stories about people and projects and interests that Dave wanted to share.

The format of the book is unusual, in that it’s alphabetical by topic rather than chronological. At times that worked fine, other times it meant flipping back and finding previous sections to connect events, but Dave is an excellent storyteller, both in person and in print, and I enjoyed reading the book as he chose to present it. One advantage for me is that I can hear Dave’s voice in the written text quite often, and that made it all the more fun. An audio book would be a good option, Dave! There were some stories here I’d heard, but plenty I hadn’t, and Dave’s slightly irreverent approach to everything, and his humor, made it all the more fun.

Highly recommended.

Confabulation by Dave Gibbons

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