By Kirin Xin — In the words of writer Hilaire Belloc, ‘We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfilment.’

And I think we all can agree that ideally your twenties are a time for both wandering and traveling. If you have made it through them without fantasizing of escaping to another country and living out a Sundance Festival film, you’re likely one of two kinds of people: Either an ‘indoorsy’ type who fantasizes more about the soft glow of a good movie than city lights, or actually rich enough to make your own Sundance Festival film.

For a fortunate third type however, who did manage to do so, whether traveling under the guise of educational pursuits, or just by careful saving and a little luck, the concept of worldly travel as a young adult may have a slightly different tinge to it. Not exactly less lustrous, just more real, like many dreams lived out. A good and bad time, with the best parts colored in. And one of the best comics to illustrate this concept in recent years is The Contradictions by Sophie Yanow.

The Contradictions is an attractive comic on the surface. A distinctive style reminiscent of DIY comic zines pairs perfectly with the striking liner inks of each panel. It feels fresh with a touch of funky nostalgia. But the story immediately asserts itself as more than a quick, refreshing read with the author and main character, Sophie, reminding herself to ‘not be such a tourist’ in Paris, even though she is just that. 

This sets the stage and tone for the rest of the comic. As a student studying abroad, Sophie feels familiar to anyone who has ever lived through their twenties: trying to look cool to fit in, while also trying to seem like she’s too cool to try to fit in. Within the early parts of the story, idle thoughts about how to hold a wine glass or whether a fixed gear bike means someone is queer, mount to her meeting of Zena, a self-described vegan anarchist also studying abroad. Together, the two strike up something that feels less like a friendship than it does an edgy secret club where few are allowed to join, and fewer are allowed to stay, as long as they follow all the right rules.

While her own convictions lie not fully explored, Sophie finds herself attaching to Zena’s in a clear attempt to impress her. From going hungry to align with Zena’s dietary restrictions, to turning the other way on shoplifting, even though it makes her nervous, Sophie shifts and bends to the will of her new grounding point in an effort to be seen and heard, or at least feel like she belongs. And when Zena suggests they hitchhike around Europe as part of their spring break, Sophie only continues down a tunnel of moral flexibility.

Playing out against the simple but recognizable scenes of Europe, Sophie’s journey to find her own convictions and shake those she took on for a sake of kinship dips into the concept of what makes someone actually cool. Is it following a strict moral code to a T? Is it being open to new ideas, even if they don’t particularly align with your beliefs? Is it learning not to trust someone who shit-talks their roommate to a total stranger? It may be all of those things. But one thing is for certain, The Contradictions discusses it well.

It’s a comic about growing up just a little bit. Learning that places, as well as people, have real, inner cores beyond their shiny, attractive surfaces. Not all of them are for you, and you are not for all of them. Not so much a cautionary tale as much as a truth about your twenties, it leaves you with a sense of both distraction and fulfillment, and says that holding on too strongly to convictions that you think make you look ‘cool,’ can really get in the way of enjoying your life.

And sometimes ‘cool’ people are actually just tools.

Graphic Novel Review: The Contradictions by Sophie Yanow

The Contradictions
Writer/Artist: Sophie Yanow
Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly
Price: $24.95
Sophie’s young and queer and into feminist theory. She decides to study abroad, choosing Paris for no firm reason beyond liking French comics. Feeling a bit lonely and out of place, she’s desperate for community and a sense of belonging. She stumbles into what/who she’s looking for when she meets Zena. An anarchist student-activist committed to veganism and shoplifting, Zena offers Sophie a whole new political ideology that feels electric. Enamored—of Zena, of the idea of living more righteously—Sophie finds herself swept up in a whirlwind friendship that blows her even farther from her rural Californian roots as they embark on a disastrous hitchhiking trip to Amsterdam and Berlin full of couch surfing, drug tripping, and radical book fairs. 
Capturing that time in your life where you’re meeting new people and learning about the world—when everything feels vital and urgent—The Contradictions is Sophie Yanow’s fictionalized coming-of-age story. Sophie’s attempts at ideological purity are challenged time and again, putting into question the plausibility of a life of dogma in a world filled with contradictions. Keenly observed, frank, and very funny, The Contradictions speaks to a specific reality while also being incredibly relatable, reminding us that we are all imperfect people in an imperfect world.
Release Date: September 8, 2020

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Kirin Xin is a graphic designer, band freak, and comics writer and illustrator working out of the Midwest. They could have been prom king but devoted their life to making comic books. They can be found at kirixin.com or on social media @kirixin