Rooftop Blues by Ethan Deal is the second edition of a graphic novel; a short, sweet dark romance. Chuck, a young man fighting psychosis, meets a young woman – Tallulah Bell –  on top of a building. The two of them are facing their own dark personal struggles, and the chance meeting creates an unexpected yet strong connection between them. They had both climbed to the rooftop to do the unthinkable – to jump – but their newfound love causes them to delay their decision time and time  again. Chuck and Tallulah may have found the strength together to brave another day, but will love be enough to fight back their demons? 

I felt that the romance between Chuck and Tallulah was genuinely sweet, and their banter was charming and – in parts – very humorous. There’s a very genuine and dry sense of humour that is consistent throughout Rooftop Blues that I enjoyed. One panel of a priest’s reaction to Chuck and Tallulah was especially funny to me!

When it comes to the art of Rooftop Blues, I liked the design of the two main characters; I liked Tallulah’s dress she finds, and I liked the design of the priest, Father Sampson. Some of the transitions between panels are awkward, with some panels not having enough difference or action in them to really contribute to the story. There are some static frames of close-ups of characters’ faces, which often don’t convey much of a reaction or emotion – these feel, again, a little awkward. I did think that the way Chuck’s thoughts manifest around himself was a really creative and effective choice.

I felt that there was a lack of context provided for the reader on some of the core issues in the book. While, for the majority of the book, Tallulah seems to have a strong understanding and awareness of how Chuck’s delusions manifest, there’s a scene where she is very confused and taken aback by Chuck’s sudden paranoia. While Chuck is implied to be handling his schizophrenia a lot better towards the end of the story, too much of this is accredited to the relationship he has found with Tallulah. Additionally, at the mid-way point, the two confess to each other that they no longer want to die, but after the wedding scene they head up to the rooftop to carry out their plan. 

I think that Rooftop Blues has a lot of potential, and that the above issues only stem from a lack of context. It feels like the reader is missing out on some important information; why, after their confession that they no longer want to die, do they agree to fulfil their deal anyway? This is something that feels like a conversation that has been skipped. Chuck’s improved mental state at the end of the book happens with very little friction, and a more realistic way to show this might be to make it clear some time has passed since the wedding, or for Chuck to discuss his relationships with his ‘demons’ a little further with Tallulah. 

Overall, Rooftop Blues is a story that I would like to have seen a lot more of. The reason the ending feels so abrupt and unearned is that the reader is told, not shown, too much for a graphic novel. Such a serious subject matter needs to be handled with a lot of care, as some readers are likely to resonate with Chuck and Tallulah and share their struggles. I think this is a really important story with two characters that I wanted to root for, but the story as it is now doesn’t feel cohesive enough for me to recommend.

I give Rooftop Blues 2.5/5 stars. You can find Rooftop Blues for sale here.