The Mysteries

Of course it’s not Calvin and Hobbes, that has already been done over 30 years ago. This is “The Mysteries”. Waterson’s and Kascht‘s collaboration has resulted in a wholly unique art form. To truly appreciate this monumental achievement, do yourself a favor and watch “Collaborating on The Mysteries – Bill Waterson and John Kascht” on YouTube.Is this book brief as in the number of pages? Yes, but not brief in content. Can one read this book in 10 minutes? Yes, but it was surely not the author’s intent for this to be a quick read. Instead, contemplate each page and get lost in the artwork for some time. I also recommend several helpings!The artwork is a departure from what each artist is famous for which is obviously Waterson’s comic strip, and John Kascht is known for his watercolor caricature paintings. Kascht’s contributions are not paintings, they are actually clay and mixed media sculptures that have been photographed! And they are spectacular.Waterson’s writing style here reflects his sparse visual offerings as the viewer and reader must use their own imagination to fill in the gaps. This leaves the story open to many possible interpretations.

Beautifully succinct. Perfectly weird. Amazingly detailed… and wonderfully mysterious.Knowing now, what went into this absolute masterpiece, I am so, so very proud to wield The Mysteries, by Bill and John; a whole year of collaborative push and pull, only to say, “NO - We can do better.”The binding is exquisite. The weight and level of page gloss is right on. The type face/font is aptly chosen and placed, apropos of the minimal quantity of dialogue - which, I thought was also excellent.The story… yes. Exactly what it needed to be… that’s the beautifully succinct and perfectly weird. I loved it.The artwork… my God, the artwork.. The amazingly detailed.Just… every page. Every page was true mastery. I found myself shivering and shaking my head, smiling; “How did they DO this?”As an artist, myself, having grown up, thriving and literally surviving grade school and high school from one week to the next on Bill’s colorful and flawless art, and wacky, lovingly hilarious and engaging stories … and making it through and enduring adult life, marveling at the befittingly detailed and unbelievably accurate and chaotically ironic portrait work of cultural icons defining today by John - I’ve gotta say… a more perfect artistic collaborative effort, you would be hard pressed to find.My wife purchased this book for me through her account, which is why I’m the one leaving the review… I waited a few days to let it sink in… and read and perused The Mysteries no less then ten times before writing this…But this review isn’t for readers, or even for those looking for some guidance or reassurance as to whether or not to purchase this book…This is an open letter to the authors, Bill Watterson and John Kascht…Thank you.Thank you so much. This was exactly what I was looking for. I knew this book was coming out, and so, I read no reviews previous to the purchase or even before asking my Honey Bunny to buy it for me, and abandoned all preconceived notions or assumptions as to what The Mysteries was going to be like.And yet…It was exactly what I needed, and precisely what I knew it was going to be - beautifully succinct, perfectly weird, and amazingly detailed.Thank you.- Mike Leporati

Artful in every detail, The Mysteries is both a timeless and timely parable. A little book with a big message.It invites us to look within.This is a cautionary tale of few words. The text is concise and accessible. I would think that anyone over the age of eight would find it easy going. It seems to me to be an enjoyable and worthwhile read for children and adults.The format serves well the telling. Against a stark, white background each line of the unfolding story appears in the center of its own left-hand page. On the right, a full page image illuminates the words, like pictorial adjectives and adverbs. The largely white pages to the left juxtaposed with the richly detailed full page pictures on the right is striking.Those who give these wonderful images no more than a cursory glance will be missing much. Cast in black & white and shades between, the pictures are on the dark side, as befits the fable, but they’re certainly not dreary!I found myself chuckling at the outlandish characters who inhabit this land, at once far off and close by.With their hyperbolic heads—the facial expressions alone are worth the price of admission—and their peculiarly proportioned bodies, along with their various and sundry personal effects, the figures are fantastical and filled with humor.I loved The Mysteries and it has left me thinking, not necessarily of things I’ve not thought of before, but thinking, nonetheless. The Mysteries are not so mysterious, after all.

Not your usual style from Waterson. But different.

Fantastic illustrations and an intriguing philosophical story.

Ese hombre es una leyenda

...something completely different.Is it what I expected it to be, when I preordered it at the first announcement? No, absolutely not.Is it short? Text- and pagewise: Yes.But the impressions this book might leave in your mind are deep and last long.Going through it is like having a strange dream.I don't know, how often I read this book now, but it still gives me the same feelings I had at the first time.For me, it's an absolutely awesome piece of art.A big "Thank you!" from the bottom of my heart to Bill Watterson and John Kascht!

This is a very short read - 400 words, at most - seemingly a very nihilistic tale about the folly of man and his rise out of ignorance, into arrogance. At first glance is seems very superficial but the longer I dwell on it, the more layers of commentary surface, and none of it very positive (and all in so few words). Where Calvin & Hobbes was a beautiful juxtaposition between wonder and innocence on one hand, and cynicism and misanthropy on the other, The Mysteries is purely the latter. The artwork is wonderful with a bleak, dark dystopian atmosphere - it reminds me of grainy, black & white stop-motion animation set to music in an eerie minor key. I can't shake the idea that this was written as an admission of the authors losing hope for mankind, while at the same time, being at peace with that. If the goal of art is to move the viewer, then this has succeeded; leaving me with a deep melancholy and feelings of insignificance.