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2024
https://hyperallergic.com/881264/12-graphic-novels-to-read-spring-2024/
In Damnation Diaries, Peter Rostovsky invites us into a vividly rendered and pleasurably sardonic underworld. The titular diaries are patiently typed out by Fred Greenberg, hell’s only therapist, who is counseling inmate PKRx354, a suffering adjunct art professor. What’s the source of our hero’s chronic unhappiness? It’s not the regular flayings and saltings, nor the whirring saw blades. It’s not even his diabolical job: assembling brushed aluminum panels into endless luxury condos that topple to rubble each year. It’s something deeper — something many readers will find cruelly familiar.
Two aspects of the novel make it a work for the ages. First is the old-world draftsmanship. Rostovsky, a realist painter, hints at the musculature beneath each figure’s tortured skin (the residents of hell are naked) with exquisite hatching. His demons resemble Italian Renaissance grotteschi. When the camera pans out, it’s as if Caspar David Friedrich descended to a subterranean Alps and painted an infernal sublime.
It’s also a nuanced work of politics. Witty advertisements world-build hell’s bleak debtor capitalism that oppresses torturers and inmates alike. When the drumbeat of revolution reverberates, is anyone uncompromised enough to answer its call? Damnation Diaries is a bravely personal vision — I found it strangely comforting. —Noah Fischer