Bone: Out From Boneville

By Alex De-Gruchy
January 25, 2006

Jeff Smith's famous comic book saga Bone ran for 55 issues, beginning in 1991 and wrapping up in 2004, picking up several awards - including 9 Eisner Awards - along the way. The series is a charming, all-ages adventure mixing light-hearted comedy with sprawling, epic fantasy. This opening volume - Out From Boneville - collects the first six issues of the black-and-white series.

Plot

Bone: Out From Boneville introduces us to Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, three cousins chased out of their home town of Boneville by their fellow villagers because of the shady business dealings of the unscrupulous Phoney Bone. Two weeks out of Boneville and the cousins are suddenly separated, each one finding himself in a different part of a valley inhabited by a variety of strange people and creatures.

The main character is Fone Bone, who finds himself alone in the valley and sets out to find his cousins so they can go home to Boneville. However, when winter sets in, Fone is forced to stay in the valley, and he makes several friends such as Ted the bug, The Great Red Dragon, and Miz Possum. Most importantly he meets Thorn, a young girl who lives in a cottage with her grandmother, Gran'ma Ben. Fone stays at their home while he works on how to find his cousins.

However, not everyone in the valley is friendly, as Fone soon discovers when he is attacked by two rat creatures, which pervade the surrounding hills and forests. These rat creatures attack Fone several times during the story, but we learn it is actually a case of mistaken identity when we are introduced to The Hooded One, the evil leader of the thousands-strong army of rat creatures in the valley. The Hooded One reveals that it is actually Phoney Bone who he has ordered his rat creatures to hunt for, although his motives are a mystery. Fone is eventually reunited with Smiley and Phoney Bone, but the reunion may not be a happy one for too long, as The Hooded One elects to hide in the shadows for now, waiting to make his move.

In terms of plot, Out From Boneville does an excellent job of introducing all of the characters and the world they live in, as well as establishing several important relationships between some of the main characters. By the end of the story, enough seeds have been planted to make you want to read the next part of the adventure to learn where these characters and their plans go from here.

Characterisation

The three Bone cousins may look similar, but each one has their own distinct personality. Fone Bone is the kind, thoughtful one who just wants to make sure his cousins are safe and able to get home. He loves to read, carrying a copy of Moby Dick with him wherever he goes. He also falls head-over-heels for Thorn, the beautiful young girl who befriends him. As the main protagonist of the story, Fone is a likable character who, despite his simple desires, seems destined to become caught up in the events going on around him. With The Hooded One watching from the shadows, it seems that Fone has a long road ahead of him before he can go home.

Smiley Bone is the tallest of the three cousins, a cigar-smoker who is constantly cheerful, taking life in stride. Phoney Bone is arrogant, manipulative and scheming, money being the most important thing to him in the world. He does care about his cousins, but it's not easy to see. The end of the story sees Phoney - with Smiley in tow - planning a scheme to rip off the inhabitants of a local village. Let's just say it involves Smiley wearing a cow suit...

Out From Boneville introduces a wide range of interesting supporting characters who get involved with the Bone cousins. There's The Great Red Dragon, who saves Fone from the rat creatures on more than one occasion; Ted the bug, a friend to many in the valley; Thorn, a girl who befriends Fone and helps him against the rat creatures; and then there is Gran'ma Ben, Thorn's grandmother and a tough old woman who can easily handle herself in a fight. On the flip side, there are the supporting characters who stand against the Bone cousins and their newfound friends - the hordes of Rat Creatures, who aren't too smart, but are vicious and have strength in numbers; Kingdok, the largest of the rat creatures who stands at the right hand of The Hooded One; and finally, there is The Hooded One himself, the leader of the rat creatures who wants the Bone cousins dead, particularly Phoney Bone, for reasons we have yet to understand.

Art

Pencilled and inked by Jeff Smith, the black-and-white art in Out From Boneville is fantastic. Smith employs differing styles to great effect - whereas the Bone cousins and other characters such as The Great Red Dragon and the rat creatures are drawn in a more cartoon style, the backgrounds and scenery are drawn in a slightly more realistic and detailed manner. This detailed style is also used for certain characters such as The Hooded one, Thorn, and other human characters throughout the story. Even when the two different styles are up against one another - such as scenes between Fone Bone and Thorn, for example - the effect is never jarring, and both the characters and the world around them remain consistent and believable.

Even though some of the characters are drawn in the cartoon style, this never makes them any less expressive - their body language and facial expressions are always clear, and perfectly capture the events that occur with any particular character. When the characters are in movement within the panels, they have a very animated quality that ensures smooth panel transition and continuity, which provides an extra layer of believability.

Overall

Bone: Out From Boneville is an extremely entertaining and captivating beginning to the saga of Fone Bone, his two cousins and the other inhabitants of the valley. The cast of characters is a varied and entertaining one, with each individual adding to the tale. There are many light-hearted moments and comedic elements to the story, and the humour mixes well with the action and adventure. The end of the story also hints that there is much more to come. Although a swift glance might give the impression that Bone is a story aimed at kids, this isn't the case - it is a story suitable for all ages, with enough intelligence and depth to make it essential reading for any adult looking for an entertaining adventure.

Publisher: Cartoon Books
Writing and Art: Jeff Smith
Collects Bone Issues #1-6