The Eternal Smile: Three Stories (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Eternal Smile: Three Stories Karen Coats Yang, Gene Luen. The Eternal Smile: Three Stories; illus. by Derek Kirk Kim. First Second, 2009 170p. Paper ed. ISBN 978-1-59643-156-0 $16.95 R Gr. 6–9 Deploying three very different artistic styles, Yang and Kim present three graphic tales that explore the ethical border between fantasy and reality. In the first story, medievalist heroic fantasy meets teenage ninja turtles when a young man must kill the Frog King in order to marry the princess he loves, but a mysterious cola bottle lures him on to further deeds of heroism—and revelations about his identity. Deep browns and blacks predominate in the fight scenes and dream sequences, alternating with sunnier scenes that celebrate the young hero’s provisional victories. The second story follows the fate of a con-artist frog who tries to capitalize on a mysterious smile that appears in the sky. Stylistic nods to mid-century Disney and Warner Bros. comics combine with a high-tech storyline that is at once humorous, satirical, and sad. Finally, a bored and underappreciated office worker indulges herself by pretending to believe that a Nigerian prince really does need her help transferring his fortune into an American bank account. Her fantasy is complemented by her depiction as a pudgy, doll-like figure moving through panels of grayed purple against a pale yellow background; her fantasy scenes then come to life in dreamy, pastel-hued watercolors. In each story, the punchline tips the fantasy back to a surprising reality that is ultimately affirmative for the characters in different ways. In the first instance, the boy abandons his fantasy for an unpleasant reality in which he must accept his responsibility; in the second, the frog is liberated from his enslavement in someone else’s fantasy; and in the third, the young woman’s fantasy strengthens her ability to cope with her real life. Taken together, the stories offer opportunities for discussion about the multiple ways fantasy can enrich our lives, as well as some of its attendant dangers. Copyright © 2009 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois