Autobiographies can be tough to read when not scripted by a gifted storyteller. While the comics community has witnessed many great interview books and compilations in recent years, autobiographies have been a different story… until now.

Confabulation: An Anecdotal Autobiography, written by comic creator Dave Gibbons and published by Dark Horse Books, is an extremely unique book. Most biographies start at the beginning – with birth, school, etc. – and move through the individual’s career and accomplishments, but Gibbons deviates from this model. While acknowledging the vanity of an autobiography, he instead takes different subjects and gives his take on them. Arranged from A to Z, his musings begin with Aliens and ends with Zarga – Man of Mystery. Want to know Gibbons’ take on Superman? Go to the “S” section on page 189. How about different comic creators? John Byrne can be found on pages 31-32 while Alan Moore can be found on pages 148 – 155. There are sections of the Before Watchmen series, as well as the controversy surrounding the Watchmen novelization. Also included is a ton of great Gibbons artwork and photographs and a timeline of his published works starting in 1971.

Confabulation belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in how comics are made and the people involved. It is both different and wonderful while avoiding the cliché of being a self-centered chronological take on Gibbons’ life. It pulls back the curtain on the comics industry in a unique way. Gibbons is a legend, as are the people he speaks of and the projects he’s worked on. This book is a must-have.

Highly Recommended – 4 out of 4 stars

Creative Team: Dave Gibbons with Tim Pilcher
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Click here to purchase.