“The Answer”

The first character to discover what’s really going on is Bang.  Having been observed by the aliens since she was 8 years old (as shown on the very first page of the book), Bang realizes it is the aliens who have been pulling the strings all along.  Since she is the only one who retains any memory of the aliens and their plan, Bang has taken over for Fritz and is working as a psychotherapist.  On page 69, after a sexual encounter with Dr. Bang frees her mind, Fritz finally understands “the answer.”

According to Fritz, it is “tho thimple; the anthwer ith in everything, in everyday object, but it ith tho hard for the average citithen to recognithe the thignth, let alone remember them.”  This single line of dialogue is as close to a statement of personal philosophy as readers get in Birdland, but it is more than enough. Through Fritz, Hernandez is arguing that the presence of God is all around us; that the beauty of everyday objects and people are evidence of this, and that love is much more important in a person’s overall sense of happiness than their sexual activity.  Unfortunately, as Fritz points out, most people are blinded to this simple truth, and don’t want to take anything on faith.  Rather, they need proof, tangible scientific evidence of a higher power, thus they foolishly find comfort and solace in things like Reich’s concept of orgone energy.  To Gilbert, this is a delusion, a fantasy and a philosophical cop-out.

Once Fritz realizes this truth, she returns to normal, transforming back to a woman.  But while she has reached enlightenment, she realizes that her work is far from finished.  All of the other characters (with the exception of Bang) as well the readers, have yet to come to this same realization.  Addressing the readers, she says that “We all have tho much work ahead of uth, my dear, but we can’t get thtarted until you’re set free ath well …”

To be continued.

Images [©1994 Gilbert Hernandez]