Shes back! This is a Lynda Barry double-tall: the long-awaited collection of the best strips from her syndicated comics. Way back in the mid-1980s, comic illustrator and writer Lynda Barry introduced the character of Marlys Mullen, her crazy groovy teenage sister Maybonne, her sensitive and strange little brother Freddie, a mother like no other, and an array of cousins and friends from the hood. This oversized book presents the long strange journey through puberty and life that Marlys and company have experienced. Marlyss universe and galaxy are funny, rude, disturbing, tearful . . . in short, very, very Lynda Barry.

On the down side, I felt that some really good comics from the early 90's were left out, specifically the ones where Maybonne sees her friend being molested; those left an impact. But I guess it's the best of Marlys, so we can only hope for the best of Maybonne collection later.

The BIG plus of this collection is that Marlys is hilarious. Sometimes tragic-hilarious or poignant-hilarious, but almost always making me laugh. Some random quotes for your pleasure:

"Watch my magic finger." - Marlys, teaching a song "Watch my magic butt." - The great Arnold #1

"I hate you Squanto" - hand turkey, being shot by a Pilgrim with the help of Squanto.


Visualize ten stars...   January 27, 2001
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Lynda Berry -- like Carson McCullers, Dorothy Allison and Earl Thompson -- writes brilliantly about the world of cast-off and broken children. [read her "The Freddie Stories" and "Cruddy" to see this world at its most tragic and beautiful.] But The! Great! MARLYS! is the sainted warrior of these damaged kids. It is through Marlys that Berry voices the finest of herself: her joy and genius and innocence. Marlys is the classic resiliant child and a beacon for kids who grow up with four strikes against them. She is one of the most heroic figures I have found in fiction.


Hilarious and Touching   July 19, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I love Marlys and her goofiness. She is alternately hilarious (as when she describes all the different methods of fake smoking, such as the gum cigarrette with its realistic coughing, or a hot dog, for when you're having hobo feelings) and touching (as when she describes her sister's threat to kill herself when the tree outside loses its last leaf - which prompts Marlys to glue a bunch of leaves back onto the tree). I love how she reminds me so poignantly of the bossy kid that I was, and the wacky things that kids think. This book is way worth it.


Childhood so real.   January 14, 2001
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

No one can catch the poignant, perfect, sometimes heartbreaking, and usually funny in retrospect side of childhood like Lynda Barry. We all were Arna, Freddie, Arnold, Maybonne, and Marlys during some point in our youth as much as we might like to deny it! As I read these comics, the stories bring back the exact feelings I had when it was me doing the hand-turkey drawings, making shoe-box dioramas, and dancing in front of the mirror. If you want to relive the trauma, deliriousness, and great, great fun of being a child, Marlys and friends will bring it all back to you!