The Closet ‘Volume 1’ Graphic Novel

The Closet: ‘Volume 1’ is a graphic novel from the creative team of Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino, the Eisner-winning creative team behind Gideon Falls and Primordial.

The story follows a young man named Tom, who is struggling to understand his sexuality in a world where it is not accepted. As Tom’s journey of self-discovery leads him down a dark path, he must confront the secrets of his past if he is to ever find peace.

The book design of ‘Volume 1’ carefully crafts a mood, setting up for the rhythms of the comic to follow. Andrea Sorrentino’s page layouts, combined with Steve Wands’ lettering, add to the storytelling of the comic.

Through visual elements like Tom’s constant dream of being in a closet, and a page of solid black, the reader is drawn into an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue. Jeff Lemire’s writing gives very little in the way of explicit details, and so the reader’s feelings become their primary way of navigating the story.

This is a key component of queer literature, where the reader is usually denied understanding. As the story progresses, the reader is presented with visual motifs, color associations, and echoes in page layouts. These elements help to build a feeling of unease and dread as the story moves towards its conclusion.