When you craft a deeply moving, bittersweet, painfully resonant, obviously allegorical fable that features a protagonist who isn’t human, that’s one thing. When it features a protagonist who isn’t human and isn’t even alive yet? That’s something else altogether. In fact, it’s downright amazing.

And that’s absolutely what Jenny Zervakis’ 2016 (although it’s only just now getting some distribution) self-published mini, Out Of The Nest, is. Ostensibly a simple, somewhat sad tale of a wayward birds’ egg that rolls out of its — you guessed it —nest, in actuality this is a poignant rumination on safety and security of both the physical and emotional varieties, the fragility of life and the relationships we have during (or before) it, and loss. If that sounds like a lot to accomplish in 16 single-panel pages, well, it is — but it’s a task Zervakis accomplishes not so much with ease, but most definitely with grace.

That’s a key word to hone in on, as a kind of powerfully understated grace has always been at the beating heart of Zervakis’ work in her long-running, visually poetic Strange Growths autobio comics ‘zine. Illustrated with clean, simple, unassuming lines that nevertheless evince an intuitive understanding of cartooning fundamentals matched with a keen awareness of emotional focus, she translates that ability into a new venue here, her very own journey “out of the nest,” and the results are glorious. If you’re looking for something that “hits you right in the feels,” seriously — look no further.

And these aren’t cheap, sentimental, syrupy “feels,” either — this is the real thing, the kind of art that makes you re-examine fundamental precepts of your own life, to reflect on where you’ve been, where you hoped to be, and what was lost along the way. The things you’ve carried with you and the things you’ve let slip through your metaphorical fingers. The life that could have been, the life that is, and the miracle it took for either/or/both to even happen. It might even be enough to make a vegetarian out of you, or at least to get you to swear off eggs.

Not that I ever liked ’em, but that’s entirely beside the point. And truth be told, that’s about the only point that isn’t touched on in this masterfully expansive little comic. Out Of The Nest will absolutely knock your socks off, burrow its way right into your heart, and stay there for a long time. It’s available for the criminally low price of two bucks from John Porcellino’s Spit And A Half comics distro site (which is also, full disclosure, where I poached these scans from), and while you’re there you’d also do well to check out Jenny’s career-spanning The Complete Strange Growths, 1991-1997, which John not only sells, but also published. Here’s a handy link :http://www.spitandahalf.com/product-tag/jenny-zervakis/

And while we’re on the subject of links, it’s my pleasure (is that the right word?) to announce that I now have a Patreon, where I’ll be doing thrice-weekly updates on the worlds of comics, film, television, and literature written from a “deep dive” perspective that helps you, dear reader, navigate today’s cluttered media landscape, focus on what’s important, and decipher what it all means to you and your life. I’d be honored to have your support as I undertake this new venture, so check it out at https://www.patreon.com/fourcolorapocalypse

A brief introduction to the Patreon follows here :

Let’s talk about the big picture.

I’ve been toiling away as a critic — first of films,later comics — for going on a decade now and, arrogant as it no doubt sounds, I’m starting to think I’ve got some stuff figured out. About how and art communicates specific ideas in specific ways at specific times. About how corporate media bosses do the same. About this ever-moving and ever-tenuous intersection where art, commerce, politics, even spirituality converge and how they either form temporary allegiances in order to co-exist, or flip each other off and head in opposite directions. About how said actions or reactions end up mixed together in the always-combustible cauldron we call the cultural zeitgeist. And how, if we learn to read between the lines about where we are now, who knows? We might even be able to intuit where we’re going.

Here’s what’s in it for you if you sign on around here : smart, insightful, entertaining commentary. Really. If I’m not writing the best stuff you read week in, week out, then I’m not doing my job.There’ll be movie talk. Comics talk. Book talk. Television talk. And probably plenty about real life too, now that our media consumption informs so much of what and even who we are.

This is no small project. No simple string of commentaries. This is where the jigsaw pieces get put together, starting from the corners, working our way in, until we see the puzzle’s actually been a mirror all along, and now we’re finally called upon to swallow up our courage and take a good, hard, sobering (but funny, I promise!) look at our collective reflection. So sign up, read my posts, leave comments, let’s see if we can’t make this some kind of — dare I say — community?

Sound good? Sign up!