Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“Trick Pony”, the graphic novel by Greg Lockard follows Jimmy Thomas, an extroverted and unapologetically gay rodeo star whose career is nearing its end. As he mulls calling it quits, he heads to his hometown after decades to visit his ailing father and maybe hang his boots for good. Instead of going by car, train, or bus like regular people would, Jimmy decides to ride his loyal pony all the way home and confronts his turbulent past along the way, with Greg Lockard mixing magical realism and nightmares into the mix.
It’s funny how I kept thinking of the Lil Nas X song “Old Town Road” while reading this graphic novel. You know, the one with the lyrics, “I’m gonna take my horse to the old town road, I’m gonna ride till I can’t no more.” It could’ve been the perfect track for Jimmy Thomas if the songwriters had written it for Lil Nas X after he came out of the closet. Jimmy is like the gay Casanova of the rodeo world, moving from one lover to another like a hungry man at a buffet. However, flashbacks reveal how an accident forced him to part ways with his first love when he was much younger. The memories of Jimmy’s younger self are slightly reminiscent of some scenes from “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” which followed the budding romance between two teen boys.
Much like Greg Lockard’s previous graphic novel “Liebestrasse,” the color scheme in “Trick Pony” was annoying to the eye, and even the artwork wasn’t very visually appealing. There are many magical elements in the story that the artwork isn’t able to do justice to. Illustrations in the style of Tula Lotay (“Barnstormers”) or Rafael Albuquerque (“Duck & Cover“) would have complemented a story like “Trick Pony” much better.
Despite the unimpressive art style, “Trick Pony” was an interesting read for me because I don’t usually explore books with cowboys and rodeos as the central theme. Jimmy’s life felt like an entirely new world. It parallels stories about actors who enjoy a glamorous life at the peak of their fame, only to quietly retire back to their hometown when the fame, money, and excitement of youth fade away.
Rating: 3 on 5. “Trick Pony” is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
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