Description

In a fluid recollection of events in her life, Cathy Hannah grapples with what it means to be an adult in modern America in her minicomic series, Alas. In her 30’s, Cathy feels like she should have “being an adult” figured out by now, but she sees her failings more easily than her successes. She can’t find a steady job, or a steady relationship, and can’t figure out how her peers have figured it out. Different story lines ebb and flow into each other in this ongoing, complex, and emotional autobiographical comic.

In This Issue: Cathy concludes Alas by telling the story of her aunt, Marjorie. Aunt Marjorie passed away when Cathy was very young, and so Cathy really only knows her through stories her father would tell of his older sister. Marjorie’s daughter was also a major influence on Cathy, acting as the cooler older cousin Cathy hoped to impress.

Cathy compares herself to idealized versions of her aunt, cousin and father. But as the pages wind down, Cathy finds unconditional love from her mother, and humility from her father that help put things into perspective.