[2023 EDIT: Having reread the comic, and 'Whisper', I can now say that 'Elf Deafo' is 1000x better than 'Whisper'. F*&$!*k 'Whisper'. See my rereview of that atrocity for more.]
The author, Cece Bell, recounts her childhood, from becoming deaf after contracting meningitis at age four, to her middle school days. Her work of art is about growing up different. Heck, 'El Deafo' isn't only about deafness; anyone who has ever been considered different as a child can relate to Cece. I know I did.
I have never been deaf, so I can't pretend to understand everything that Cece has gone through, nor can I make any assumptions. But the pain of isolation and loneliness at school, and bemoaning the fact that these issues are not talked about as much as they should, it is all real and universal.
Any harmless differences should be treated as normal, as a nonissue. "Differences", and "marginalized" communities, are what make humans varied and interesting. Treating them, especially children, as abnormal, as someone to be ignored or teased or worse, is backwards, nonsensical, cruel and sickening. But here we are: we don't live in that world, where talking about accepting people for their uniqueness isn't a priority.
The true superpower of 'El Deafo' is that it has cartoon rabbits that make you feel like an outcast child again, dreading the next day at the conformity and bully breeding ground that is called school.
'El Deafo' is also about friendship - a huge theme -and family, learning about the life and daily experiences of a deaf person, finding yourself, finding out what makes you happy, and imagination. Throughout the bad times, young Cece imagines herself as the confident, no-nonsense, all-mighty superhero El Deafo.
I felt for Cece the more into the story I got. I forgot I was reading a colourful kiddie comic and was invested in what it is meant to be. It is hard not to sympathise with and root for the lovely kid. Cece really does remind me of my own childhood self. Like I said, I have never been hard of hearing, but I was also an insecure, rather naïve crybaby with a head full of imagination, and a history of bungled-up friendships that came and went, unrequited crushes, and alone times. I watched too much television, too. Bunny Cece even has similar hair to mine.
Dissimilar to myself but still important and all-encompassing: Cece is also shortsighted and wears glasses. She is happy and comfortable with herself - now that she can both hear and see better at school. It is beyond uplifting.
The reason 'El Deafo' loses a star for me is because I thought the ending could have wrapped more things up, such as an issue involving Cece's classmates using and taking advantage of her because of the "superpowers" of her Phonic Ear (her hearing aid) that's not resolved. There's her easily forgiving an old "friend" who hasn't really done anything to earn it, and it all seems a little rushed. Is there a sequel coming up?
But I'm happy that Cece makes up with one of her genuinely good friends at the end. The handmade warm fuzzies from school are a fantastic treat, and fit into the overall story and its messages. I seem to recall also making crafts like that in middle school.
Huggable, funny, and tearful, 'El Deafo' is a beautiful nostalgic experience of a graphic novel. An abundance of lessons can be learned from it, and everything in it actually happened. I recommend it to everyone, for we have all felt different and suffered low self-esteem at at least one time in our lives.
For whatever makes us "different" is what makes us beautiful, and worth it.
Final Score: 4/5
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