I admit, I wasn't looking forward to this, but it wasn't that bad... However, I'm not planning to read it again anytime soon. I was also glad it wasn't super violent as I was bracing myself for. I think Derf's art stylization really works with the story in an unsettling type of way --because it is an unsettling type of story. Part of me thinks that Derf is trying to absolve himself of some guilt he may have about not doing anything --never saying anything to authority figures or teachers ... He says in the intro that perhaps Dahmer could have gone down a different path with the intervention of the adults in his life. However, I agree that in the end, Dahmer himself is responsible for his actions. I was also really impressed with the notes and bibliography Backderf includes at the end. These aren't just his recollections --he did a lot of research to create this graphic novel. If you know the name Jeffery Dahmer, you know he was one of the worst serial killers in America. And people seem to say the same about him as they do about other serial killers who are finally caught: "He didn't seem to have any problems. I never suspected." This graphic novel is written about Dahmer from the perspective of one of his high school friends, someone who actually knew him and hung out with him before he started killing. And he seemed like a pretty normal guy; he was quiet, and had a mom with issues, and started drinking heavily in high school, but otherwise, no different than other guys his age. But Dahmer had secrets and urges that pushed him to do the unthinkable and heinous acts he was found guilty of later in life. This book was an interesting look at Dahmer before he started his major killing spree, and it revealed a few details I didn't know about him. It is always interesting to me to see what people are like before they begin their lives of crime, to see what pushed them over the edge.
What do You think about Mein Freund Dahmer: Graphic Novel (German Edition) (2012)?
Rather disturbing and quick read in graphic novel form of a notorious man.
—angel_broken_halo
Just not very interesting to anyone but the author himself.
—Tereses
