(Spoiler Alert!) My Friend Dahmer: A Graphic Novel_Review
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Portable_Panther
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(Spoiler Alert!) My Friend Dahmer: A Graphic Novel_Review
My Friend Dahmer is an interesting graphic novel that takes readers into the mind of teenage Jeffrey Dahmer. It is a quick, easy read that provides some insight into the murderer's troubling childhood, allowing readers to understand the environment which may have encouraged Dahmer's violent actions. Derf Backderf provides a unique perspective on the teenage boy who would grow up to become a murderer, allowing readers to contemplate whether biological or environmental forces have more impact on a person's mental stability.
Readers should keep in mind that the author, Backderf, was not what most people would consider Dahmer's "friend." Sadly, Dahmer did not really have any friends that he hung out with after school, except for the occasional visit with the high school's "loony." His sole interaction with his peers was centered around his comical mimicking of his family's decorator's strange movements and speech, although some would later realize he was also mimicking his mother's fits and seizures. Like everyone else, Backderf only visited the Dahmer residence a handful of times throughout his relationship with Jeff. Although he was accepted as somewhat of a clown at school, Jeffrey Dahmer did not have any real friends he could confide his troubles in.
Jeff's childhood seems to have been wrought with negativity. His parents fought constantly, reserving their attention and energy only for their daily arguments. Neither noticed when Dahmer became an alcoholic in his later years of high school, even though it was obvious to many of his fellow students. Furthermore, Dahmer was a closet homosexual and necrophiliac. His urges were very different from his peers' and he was often seen venting his frustration by beating a stick on trees outside.
Although Dahmer would become one of the most notorious murderers in the US, he was not without compassion. When he was young he dissected only roadkill. One particular scene in the book discusses how he captured a stray dog, took it into the woods, and was unable to kill it. His depression and intentional drunkenness were ways Dahmer sought to escape his cruel fantasies so that he did not actually execute them. However, that compassion disappeared as soon as he killed his first victim, a young hitchhiker. Before his death, Dahmer would admit that he wished he had never followed his impulses and that he had wasted what could have been a wonderful life.
My Friend Dahmer is an interesting read if one is brave enough to delve into the mind of a mass murderer. Backderf allows his audience insight into Jeff's twisted childhood, making it a point to help readers understand the killer but also to realize his actions were unforgivable in this world. With intense illustrations, My Friend Dahmer gives one the feeling of reading a comic book--only you can't help but remember it is all only too real.
Readers should keep in mind that the author, Backderf, was not what most people would consider Dahmer's "friend." Sadly, Dahmer did not really have any friends that he hung out with after school, except for the occasional visit with the high school's "loony." His sole interaction with his peers was centered around his comical mimicking of his family's decorator's strange movements and speech, although some would later realize he was also mimicking his mother's fits and seizures. Like everyone else, Backderf only visited the Dahmer residence a handful of times throughout his relationship with Jeff. Although he was accepted as somewhat of a clown at school, Jeffrey Dahmer did not have any real friends he could confide his troubles in.
Jeff's childhood seems to have been wrought with negativity. His parents fought constantly, reserving their attention and energy only for their daily arguments. Neither noticed when Dahmer became an alcoholic in his later years of high school, even though it was obvious to many of his fellow students. Furthermore, Dahmer was a closet homosexual and necrophiliac. His urges were very different from his peers' and he was often seen venting his frustration by beating a stick on trees outside.
Although Dahmer would become one of the most notorious murderers in the US, he was not without compassion. When he was young he dissected only roadkill. One particular scene in the book discusses how he captured a stray dog, took it into the woods, and was unable to kill it. His depression and intentional drunkenness were ways Dahmer sought to escape his cruel fantasies so that he did not actually execute them. However, that compassion disappeared as soon as he killed his first victim, a young hitchhiker. Before his death, Dahmer would admit that he wished he had never followed his impulses and that he had wasted what could have been a wonderful life.
My Friend Dahmer is an interesting read if one is brave enough to delve into the mind of a mass murderer. Backderf allows his audience insight into Jeff's twisted childhood, making it a point to help readers understand the killer but also to realize his actions were unforgivable in this world. With intense illustrations, My Friend Dahmer gives one the feeling of reading a comic book--only you can't help but remember it is all only too real.
