Is it possible to disappear in a world where everyone is connected by technology? The unnamed everyman at the heart of illustrator Si Smith’s debut graphic novel manages to leave his life behind after the death of his father, but escaping his own thoughts proves more problematic. As his outer world diminishes, his inner world takes over, emerging through ever more elaborate murals on the dank walls of the deserted inner-city office he calls home.
With its multi-layered illustrations of contemporary Leeds, using real locations and real people, How to Disappear Completely provides an intriguing, previously uncharted landscape that bears repeated exploration.
There’s something new to discover with every reading, about art, theology, pop culture and music, and how they can each shed a little light in dark times and provide fleeting but crucial hints of hope.