2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
"This book will save lives."
- This is a quote from author Jarrett J. Krosoczka, that is on the cover of the copy of 'Flamer' that I have.
I don't think it's hyperbolic.
It is potent and vital. Everyone should read this comic, especially teenagers.
WARNING: This review is NOT for children to read.
'Flamer' is like a boy-centric version of Melanie Gillman's 'As the Crow Flies', which is also a YA coming-of-age comic about a young teen going camping and discovering and/or exploring their sexuality in an environment that is legitimately unsafe for them, due to people - and society in general - around them expressing insecurity and hostility towards them just for being queer. And not white. And not thin.
In my opinion, 'Flamer' handles these issues better, and more realistically and honestly, than 'As the Crow Flies' does. It doesn't shy away from how disgusting and shitty young boys can be to each other, even to those they claim are their friends, entrenched in toxic masculinity culture, and rape culture and "locker room talk", that they are. Excessive penis humour, swearing, and an obsession with genitalia and derrieres, both their own and other guys' - but they're totally not gay shuttup you're gay! gay! gay! gay! everything's gay! gay! they love using that single syllable word twisted into an insult but they're not manically insecure shuttup you're gay! - are apparently what is required in order to become "manly". And that's the least harmful of it.
When things get aggressive and physically violent, boys like fourteen-year-old Aiden Navarro, no matter how much they may desperately try to hide their true selves (even from themselves), are in danger, especially when adults are complacent and do nothing about it. "Boys will be boys" and all that.
'Flamer' is set in 1995 to boot, so everything is extra aggressive, and the "boys will be boys" "humour" is extra homophobic and racist.
The pressure to be "normal" is overwhelming. Damaging. What happens when Aiden, who comes from a religious background and is scared for his future - is feeling utterly alone in the world - can't take it anymore?
The characters are well defined, fleshed out and engrossing, even the ones that are most definitely not likeable, such as the bullies. Aiden is adorable; he isn't defined by how "tragic" it is that he is a self-discovering gay boy in the nineties. He is depressed and confused, but he also likes superhero comics (mad respect that Jean Grey is his favourite X-Man). He daydreams about being a medieval damsel in a dress, he genuinely enjoys camping activities, like singing at the campfire, and he has ambitions of becoming a priest. He may be in denial about his orientation at first, but he's never understood why him being seen as "flamboyant" and "girly" in his idiosyncrasies is a bad thing (he's apparently got a high pitched voice that other boys are bothered about - I mean, how pathetic can you get?).
His relationship with the closeted but awesome and funny camp counsellor Ted is wholesome and sweet. I wish them both the best in the future.
Aiden also writes letters to his best friend, Violet, who is Christian, while he is Catholic; different churches, but they don't care. It is great that Aiden has a female confidante and influence in his life. It's a healthy, equal, well balanced and loving relationship; their letters to each other are beautiful, supportive.
I really liked learning about the activities and tasks done in summer camp, such as canoeing, archery, weaving baskets and bracelets, chopping wood, knotting wood together to build gate and bridges, orienteering with a compass, and tending a campfire so it doesn't spread and burn down the whole camp. (I barely got to do any of this stuff when I was a kid).
And that ending. Holy shit. What a stab through the heart. Yet it also sings to your heart, and your tear ducts. What powerful imagery. What a powerful message, that really could save lives.
'Flamer' is semi-autobiographical, and it is very real, filled with reflections of real lives.
And real hope.
Aiden, like all people who are alive no matter what they are going through, has a spark, a lifeforce, inside of him, that no one can extinguish. He is in charge of his life, and his destiny. He is him; screw anyone who will have a problem with that.
He matters. He is enough.
His fire of life - his soul - is represented as a superpower, and it is fire, and will defend itself. His soul is a superhero - he is a superhero, like Jean Grey. In an inspired and ingenious subversion of the classic comics, Aiden's Phoenix, unlike Jean Grey's, is not portrayed as a problem, as a bad thing needing to be extinguished for the good of mankind and the universe, killing him in the process. It's just the opposite. Aiden's Phoenix is powerful - blazing - for he is powerful, and strong, not dangerous or scary at all. It is who he is, and it is heroic.
It is enough.
There is nothing wrong with him. He is not broken.
He is loved. No matter how painful his situation is, he is not alone.
'Flamer' is a marvellous and life affirming LBGTQ comic. The sketchy, cartoony black and white art, with added red for the fire and other symbolic features and panels, is deceptively simple. True power lies underneath the surface level, after all.
It loses a star mainly because, whilst reading, it was difficult for me to get into the "boyish" humour. It is set in an all-boys' summer camp. The type of humour on display here isn't merely cringey; it is, objectively, absolutely disgusting. Weiner jokes, penetration jokes, gay jokes (of course), misogynistic language (they are not jokes, they're just misogynistic), fart jokes, "your mom" jokes, and "taking care of business" - meaning, a group of boys ejaculating into a bottle and the person who doesn't cum has to drink it - jeeeeeeeeeeeebuuuuuuuuussssssssssssssss!!! Were boys really like this in the nineties? Are they STILL like this?! At the very least, I hope they don't still casually call each other homophobic slurs as much as they would call each other "pal" and "dude". Hurtful, hateful, vile slurs have no place in any society.
Toxic masculinity has some serious complexes and issues it needs to sort out! It literally makes no sense.
'Flamer' does highlight healthy ways in which young people can discover masturbation, however, and even when it is framed through the perspective of the sheltered and scared Aiden, the comic makes it clear that it is normal, and not shameful or embarrassing or sinful.
Additionally, Aiden's situation at home involving his abusive father, and how he and his mother and younger siblings practically live in fear of him, isn't really resolved, sadly. It is one thing that might never get better overtime, the longer Aiden stays in it.
But overall, 'Flamer' is brilliant.
'I know I'm not gay. Gay boys like other boys. I HATE boys. They're mean, and scary, and they're always destroying something or saying something dumb or both.'
'I hate bullies. I don't understand what they get out of it.'
'I hate that word. Gay. It makes me feel...unsafe.'
'I wish I were like Jean Grey [...] Although, if I were Wolverine, I could trim off my fat and instantly heal! Screw dieting!'
'[...] this fire isn't done burning.'
Final Score: 4/5
