Graphic Novel Review: Evelyn Evelyn by Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley

I had the pleasure of sitting down and reading the newest thing from the two members of the Dresden Dolls, Amanda Palmer (aka Mrs. Neil Gaiman) and Jason Webley and illustrated wonderfully by Cynthia von Buhler. A graphic novel titled Evelyn Evelyn, which came into creation from a Dresden Dolls song that first introduced the title characters.

”Enthusiasts of genuine tragedy and celebrity intrigue, gird your mental loins for an authentic tale of unbelievable hardship and epic catastrophe! This wholly true and accurate account details the extraordinary lives of Evelyn and Evelyn, a darling but unfortunate pair of conjoined twins who brave extreme circumstances of calamity and adversity, such as: the bizarre and bloody night of their birth and subsequent orphaning; their early years on a chicken farm; shocking encounters with depraved gentlemen; life in the circus; the terrible fates of their dearest friends; and concluding with the sisters' rise to international fame via the internet!“

The story as mentioned, follows the tragic and extraordinary lives of identical conjoined twins, Evelyn and Evelyn. The book is divided up into a few parts that more or less correspond to the beginning of the girls’ lives, the middle and where they end up.

The story is dark and twisted and is clearly written by an eccentric mind, but it is fantastic nonetheless. An interesting and original read that doesn’t disappoint if you’re familiar with Amanda Palmer, Jason Webley and/or the Dresden Dolls.

Evelyn Evelyn was a nice quick read as well and I was able to get through it fairly quickly and, while the illustrations could be a bit strange to match the strange vibe of the story, its perfectly brought to life with the images that Cynthia von Buhler provides. Neil Gaiman graces the afterword of the graphic novel, telling us how he first met Amanda Palmer and he initially heard about Evelyn Evelyn. Amanda Palmer apparently claims that the sisters exist and that she and Jason help them create their music. Whether they really exist or not, the story is an incredible work of eccentric genius and I highly recommend it for anyone... even if you aren't familiar with Palmer, Webley, the Dresden Dolls or Evelyn and Evelyn.

Evelyn Evelyn is being published by Dark Horse Comics and while it's not released to the general public yet, will be available for purchase this fall on October 5th.

Enjoy this amazing stop-motion animation of the song Evelyn Evelyn as song by the Dresden Dolls and brought to life by artist Chiara Ambrosia.