Never Goodnight

September 7, 2015
Seven years after its initial Swedish publication—and two after the release of the critically acclaimed film it inspired, We Are the Best—this graphic memoir finally gets its first official American release. A portrait of Moodyson the artist as a young Stockholm punk rocker during the early 1980s, it’s as much the tale of teenage female friendship as it is a snapshot of punk’s formative years in the Scandinavian music scene—sort of a Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains that never really gets off the musical runway. Ultimately, Moodysson’s band is virtually inconsequential, playing a couple opening gigs that culminate in the group getting booed of the stage by rowdy teenage punks. But the friendships stay strong through the musical dissolution, uneven home lives, bad boyfriends, and overdrinking. Never Goodnight is a delightful look at teenage rebellion, told through Moodysson’s simple, unrefined artwork, which perfectly complements the limitless sense of possibility that helped the DIY movement invigorate a generation.

This collection of strips from The Boston Phoenix features a combination of extended stories and one-page gags from collaborators Turner and Stevens (Failure) about life in the early 2000s (when the material was created). “Succe$$,” the feature story, is a slightly surreal take on the booming businesses at the time, with references to the Iraq war and the dark underbelly of corporate culture. Steven’s lines look equally at home in black and white or in color, with all the characters looking as if they could walk out of the panel, though his apparent use of photos as references feels a bit stiff and frozen in time. There’s a definite resemblance to Eddie Campbell’s work, both in the characterization and the fictionalized evocation of an era. The best strips are those that make fun of Stevens’s art style or lampoon daily life. This material is a product of its time, and those looking for a window into the recent past will find it reflected back at them.