Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley reviewed by Sergio Ragno
Seconds is the newest graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley, the man behind the illustrious Scott Pilgrim series and the underrated Lost At Sea. O’Malley tells a less epic tale in this outing, but it is just as masterfully executed as his other works, emotional and relatable. Seconds is an adventure about pursuing your dreams and the importance of the little missteps along the way.
Seconds is the newest graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley, the man behind the illustrious Scott Pilgrim series and the underrated Lost At Sea. O’Malley tells a less epic tale in this outing, but it is just as masterfully executed as his other works, emotional and relatable. Seconds is an adventure about pursuing your dreams and the importance of the little missteps along the way.
Seconds follows Katie, a talented chef aspiring to own her own restaurant, but struggling to make ends meet financially towards that end. Not to say Katie is poor, she is a talented chef at the restaurant Seconds that, while not technically her restaurant, is hers as far as anyone is concerned, and that even goes for the guy who actually holds the deed. Katie’s skills have made her a local celebrity, but while these accolades are important to her, they pale in comparison to her love for Lucknow, the building destined to be her very own restaurant, and longing for her past love Max. Just as Max steps back into her life and the certainty of owning the Lucknow becomes more and more hazy, Katie’s current relationship takes a turn for the worst when her actions lead to a waitress badly burning herself. It is then that Katie discovers a mysterious red capped mushroom and a note:
1. Write Your Mistake
2. Ingest One Mushroom
3. Go to Sleep
4. Wake Up Anew.
It is inevitable that Seconds will draw comparisons with Scott Pilgrim as the work has become somewhat legendary, which is unfortunate because while Seconds does not have as epic a scope as Scott Pilgrim, it is excellent in its own regard but will still feel wanting regardless. One thing Seconds can definitely go toe to toe with Scott Pilgrim on is the tension. When things go bad for Katie they go really bad and there is a point where her helplessness to the circumstances she has brought upon herself is palpable, arguably more so than the threat of the love of Scott’s life slipping through his fingers. With that said, the conflict is resolved fairly easily, so much so that it may take you by surprise. Seconds manages to be a satiating read and over before you know it all at the same time, if that makes any sense.
Bryan Lee O’Malley’s art is wonderful throughout the entirety of Seconds. In particular I was blown away by his attention to detail in the scenery and the food, which is apt as the two restaurants, Seconds and Lucknow, are prominent characters in the story at hand and O’Malley gives them as much attention as he does Katie or Max. That is not to say the humans in Seconds receive any less attention by contrast. O’Malley’s character designs in Seconds are all distinct and fun in their own way. Katie’s hair is emulative of flames, making her almost a literal hot head in addition to a figurative one. Her small stature makes the respect and admiration she receives from almost everyone in her life all the more impressive and her evocative face makes her many emotional tribulations all the more intense. Hazel’s hair is fitting of a fairy tale and her wardrobe is wild and almost always in flux, not only is it entertaining to take it all in and admire the order O’Malley weaves with threads of chaos but it makes her role as emissary of the fantastical all the more fitting. Even Max was a character whom I found O’Malley designed with great intent, a lot of his design reminded me of Scott Pilgrim’s Envy Adams, such as the adonisy figure and details like the upper lip, which always made me unsure whether to believe in his feelings for Katie and I believe that was the intent. Not only could Seconds only exist as a comic, Seconds could only exist as a comic crafted by Bryan Lee O’Malley. That’s the sign of a master piece if you ask me.
Drawing one final comparison to Scott Pilgrim, the message behind the work is not quite as substantial. It’s fairly obvious by the premise that the lesson Katie needs to learn is to accept her mistakes and roll with them as they define her just as crucially as her successes do (this moral denotes O’Malley’s own personal experiences working in restaurants as this life lesson is one of the many foundations in any chef worth their salt. Seconds was indeed inspired by an acquaintance of O’Malley’s in the restaurant business). While astute, it is not as probing as Scott Pilgrim’s examination of the role ego plays as both a catalyst and an obstacle in our relationships (an argument that actually encompasses the moral of Seconds via devices such as “Nega Scott”). Again, it is unfair to compare the two as Seconds was never intended to be as epic as its predecessor, but it is hard to ignore this. That said, the message is very satisfying and poignant.
Bryan Lee O’Malley masterfully weaves a magical and charming tale with Seconds. It promises to be an instant classic and is a must read for any fan of comics, food, and dreams.
5/5 Stars
