Though a little less anarchic and strange than the previous two works by Anya Davidson I’ve read, School Spirit and Band for Life, Night and Dana is aThough a little less anarchic and strange than the previous two works by Anya Davidson I’ve read, School Spirit and Band for Life, Night and Dana is a strong and perceptive depiction of being a teenager coming of age in an increasingly uncertain, maddening world. Lifelong friends Dana and Lily, bonded over monster movies, comics, and art, begin their senior year planning to leave their quaint Florida resort town and head to NYU together after graduation but their relationship begins to fray while working on a student film as Lily becomes smitten with another classmate, Wye.
Dana, feeling increasingly shut out of Lily’s life, shifts her interests to the local environmental movement protesting the city’s response to the increase of devastating red tides strengthened by climate change. Dana’s angst, even when it makes her not the most sympathetic person, is as understandable as it is realistic and as she works to find herself in the absence of her friend she channels her anger into activism. All in all, Davidson captures the shifting emotions and mix of unwelcome and yearned for changes of growing up, dealt with in both constructive and less mature ways that really brought me back to those years....more
A mildly amusing Halloween diversion, Fangs is a light, creepy cute series of romantic slice-of-life comics (if one can call the daily lives of the unA mildly amusing Halloween diversion, Fangs is a light, creepy cute series of romantic slice-of-life comics (if one can call the daily lives of the undead slice of life, of course) originally published as a webcomic series by Sarah Andersen, best known for her influential Sarah’s Scribbles comics. Fangs is an endearing, sweet read with a patina of darkness appropriate for the slightly goth or fans of What We Do in the Shadows. Following the budding relationship between Elsie, a 300-something year 26 year old vampire and her dreamy man-bunned werewolf bf Jimmy, these two opposites attract partners learning to live with each other’s quirks should appeal to many couples early in a passionate romance. Andersen’s art here is expressive and detailed, quite different from her other work. Its origins as a webcomic are fairly evident with the jokes coming in at a quick pace, some relatable relationships observations, others drawing on silly werewolf/vampire tropes. All in all, a nice way to spend a few minutes in the fall season but not exactly digging new graves in the horror romance category....more
Depicting themselves as encountering beings drawn from Japanese folklore, the French cartoonist team Atelier Sento’s short comic Onibi: Tales of a YokDepicting themselves as encountering beings drawn from Japanese folklore, the French cartoonist team Atelier Sento’s short comic Onibi: Tales of a Yokai Ghost Hunter delves into a unique travelog of the folklore of the Niigata prefecture. Though I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this teen-oriented comic as I began reading it as it itself blurred the boundaries between reality and fiction, it was a rather unique framing for a travel book with each chapter using a folklore story to highlight a certain aspect of the culture of Niigata. Framed around the charming trope of stumbling upon a special camera that detects yokai from an antique store, Sento captures the ways that folkloric entities intersect with daily life in Japanese society. However, while the framing was fun, it made it a little less useful as a guide to the region.
In Manga Yokai Stories, Sean Michael Wilson and artist Inko Ai Takita adapt seven ghostly stories drawn from the works of turn of the twentieth-centurIn Manga Yokai Stories, Sean Michael Wilson and artist Inko Ai Takita adapt seven ghostly stories drawn from the works of turn of the twentieth-century globe-trotting journalist and writer Lafcadio Hearn into short comics. Drawn from Hearn’s works Shadowings, Kwaidan, and A Japanese Miscellany, the collection follows the original stories quite directly, with Takita’s art capturing their eerie nature. Including such influential tales as A Dead Secret, Nuke-kubi, and Reconciliation, this collection strongly showcases the folklore Hearn collected and retold for an international audience, making it an ideal introduction to his work.
Back in 2015, I visited the rural Japanese town of Tono in Iwate prefecture, known as the “City of Folklore,” just a few years after the hundredth annBack in 2015, I visited the rural Japanese town of Tono in Iwate prefecture, known as the “City of Folklore,” just a few years after the hundredth anniversary of the publication of the influential Japanese folklorist Kunio Yanagita’s 1910 masterwork Tono Monogatari, a slim, fascinating collection of 119 short vignettes told to him by local citizen Sasaki Kizen. At the same time, I noted that the acclaimed manga artist Shigeru Mizuki had published a comic adaption of the work to celebrate this anniversary, so when I noticed that it had been recently been translated into English, I was eager to read it. Mizuki takes Yanagita’s spare records of the valley's local stories, and crafts a thoughtful comic as the elderly manga artist depicts himself tramping across the Tono valley in the footsteps of Yanagita and Sasaki, making me feel like I was also visiting again.
As the creator of the seminal manga GeGeGe no Kitaro, Mizuki himself also had a significant role in popularizing the yokai and mystery of Japanese folklore both in Japan and across the world, making him an ideal conduit to explore this standard in Japanese folklore study. Along with background information provided by translator and folklorist Zack Davisson on the Shinto meanings behind these lore, the tales lend themselves to Mizuki’s comical yet grounded style. Both eerie and oddly prosaic, the tales reflect the everyday life and concerns of the people of this remote place, both their fears and their desires. Including legends of the kappa, the tengu, snow women, and other supernatural entities, other tales discuss local landmarks and eccentric townspeople while aspects of daily life like farming and hunting continue throughout. Mizuki’s sympathetic yet questioning musings are an ideal medium for revisiting Yanagita’s work and the integral place it has in Japanese folklore study.
A light and engaging graphic novel, with an emphasis on novel, cartoonist Kate Gavino’s A Career in Books follows three Asian-American college friendsA light and engaging graphic novel, with an emphasis on novel, cartoonist Kate Gavino’s A Career in Books follows three Asian-American college friends and roommates living postgrad in Brooklyn circa 2011 as they follow their dreams (or, what they thought were their dreams) and break into the rarefied world of publishing. Gavino’s text-heavy but snappy dialog balances these three women's lives and their specific hopes and fears, though on occasion her art feels a little flat. As the ambitious type-A Nina (corporate), the writer Sylvia (private small press), and the exuberant Shirin (academic) each experience different aspects of an industry struggling with diversity, they befriend their elderly neighbor, whom they discover to be the acclaimed but neglected booker prize-winning author Veronica Vo. This multigenerational friendship becomes the heart of the work as her influence sparks each to look at their own lives and desires in a new light.
Gavino’s slice of life narrative captures the ambiance of this distinct scene, this mix of millennial anxieties and affirmation that seem common to 20-somethings working in media. From the bands, brands, and references she includes in her diagrams of apartments and offices and her labeling of expensive decor and fashion of coworker, even for someone further away from this world, the work feels real....more
In Feelings, artist Manjit Thapp’s precise, measured line work tells a remote yet intimate story of personal artistic growth and mental health over a In Feelings, artist Manjit Thapp’s precise, measured line work tells a remote yet intimate story of personal artistic growth and mental health over a year in the life of a struggling artist. Tying the mood of the story to the changing of the traditional South Asian seasons made for a very effective theme, as the colors and textures Thapp uses change as the year progresses, evoking shifts in weather and communicating her story even with minimal words. I find the seasons and changes in weather to have a strong effect on my mood as well, and the comic captures this experience well....more
Much of Yumi Sakugawa’s work has an affirming focus, practical yet ethereal, dealing with tools that can be learned to make existence a little easier.Much of Yumi Sakugawa’s work has an affirming focus, practical yet ethereal, dealing with tools that can be learned to make existence a little easier. I have to admit to being a bit of a skeptic when it comes to metaphysical self-help, but her advice in such works as There Is No Right Way to Meditate is a refreshing and whimsical introduction to imaginative mediation. Her work is a helpful reminder to take time to reflect on things when so much is demanding your time and attention.
Sakugawa’s intricate yet simple art in muted pastels, populated with endearing creatures and cosmic shapes complement her inspirational exercises for self-exploration, and her dreamy hatches and lines make considering her advice a pleasant experience. Featuring such allegorical scenes as having your doppelganger extract your bad mood to make sculptures make amusing ways to picture examining your thoughts and learning acceptance.
All in all, these inclusive exercises for reflecting on your connection to the universe can definitely be helpful in building your “inner peace,” especially in such dark times, when you can feel complacent focusing on such individual needs. There is an expanded and updated version of There is No Right Way to Mediate just published, so I’m curious about what Sakugawa added in light of the increased tension and anxiety in everyone’s lives over the past few years....more
Cartoonist Yumi Sakugawa’s Little Book of Life Hacks takes on a variety of simple advice on daily life, featuring affordable and low-tech tricks to heCartoonist Yumi Sakugawa’s Little Book of Life Hacks takes on a variety of simple advice on daily life, featuring affordable and low-tech tricks to help you out from fashion to cleaning to cooking to entertaining, presented in easy diagrams. It’s the kind of stuff you might find online, but it’s a lot more fun to look at than your disorganized bookmarks list. Sakugawa includes a bunch of stuff I would have found very useful in those years when I was first living on my own and dealing with managing my own space.
As a whole, Sakugawa’s work offers thought-provoking but light forays into life improvements and might help out on one of those days when nothing seems to be working out and you need a little pick-me-up....more
Comedy rock band Tenacious D’sPost-Apocalypto is a manic, zany, silly romp that sends Jack Black and Kyle Gass’ alter egos across a post-nuclear wasteComedy rock band Tenacious D’sPost-Apocalypto is a manic, zany, silly romp that sends Jack Black and Kyle Gass’ alter egos across a post-nuclear wasteland full of mutants, Amazonians, and Nazi KKK members led by Donald Trump Jr on a meandering quest for the future. Trading in hypermasculine tropes of wasteland survival, with women often being obstacles to the protagonist's needs, the comic draws deeply from long-standing pop cultural depictions of the end of the world. Delivering Tenacious D’s brand of joyful stoner vulgarity packed with random pop culture parodies drawn in a brightly colored childish mspaint style, it's a pretty inconsequential parody riffing on the power of friendship to solve any problem (along with a helpful Terminator). As a tie-in with the band’s latest album of the same name, the comic definitely misses out on Black and Gass’ expressive vocals and oddly catchy tunes, available to view on YouTube, making it feel less interesting than the sum of its parts.
Inspired by increased tensions between the US and Nort Korea during the Bush administration, a situation that seemed all too familiar early in the TruInspired by increased tensions between the US and Nort Korea during the Bush administration, a situation that seemed all too familiar early in the Trump administration, alt-comics legend Peter Bagge sets his grim but slapstick scenario after Kim Jong Il nukes Seattle, ruining the camping trip of a pair of hapless Microsoft workers. Trading in hypermasculine tropes of wasteland survival, with women often being an obstacle to our protagonists' needs, Bagge draws deeply from long-standing pop cultural depictions of nuclear war and its aftermath. As the situation escalates and our milquetoast IT guys become willing to go to any length to survive, people murder each other over candy bars and pop and begin to rape and pillage at will, a common motif of what happens when society breaks down. Betraying a pretty cynical view of human nature, in Apocalypse Nerd banding together for mutual aid only makes you a bigger target for those more ruthless and violent than yourself.
As always with innovative cartoonist Michael DeForge’s work, Birds of Maine sparks both whimsy and serious reflection. Collecting his most recent webcAs always with innovative cartoonist Michael DeForge’s work, Birds of Maine sparks both whimsy and serious reflection. Collecting his most recent webcomic exploring a future world in which much of the Earth’s avian life has decamped to the Moon to establish their own utopian society, these comics continue DeForge’s exploration of life through his vibrant abstract art and insightful characterizations. In particular, Birds of Maine highlights the impressive range of his creativity, dealing with dozens of intriguing concepts about technology, society, individuality, and community without losing its light tone.
Consisting of six panel comics pages, DeForge demonstrates his easy use of the form, whether through text-heavy exposition as birds discuss their world or spare but colorful images of birds flying through their environments, the comic is a lush artifact to explore, through amusing visual jokes or deep philosophical musings. Even if the main cast consists of cardinals, owls, kiwis, penguins, and other forms of avian life, living in a carefree form of libertarian socialist paradise on the Moon, eating from the universal worm and visiting libraries where they can connect to knowledge from a variety of unique networks (fungal, rot, beetle) their individual concerns feel totally relatable. They just are free not to worry about the occult influence of economics in their bird lives.
As a whole, Birds of Maine serves to put the absurdities of our own world into stark relief, how often we are charged just for being alive, for instance. Of course, they are birds and thus have no use for clothing, cooking, or housing. Still, such a hopeful yet grounded work of art is an inspiration. ...more
While I had not heard of underground MC and rapper billy woods before seeing this fun little alphabet book at a cool local shop, A is for Anarchist isWhile I had not heard of underground MC and rapper billy woods before seeing this fun little alphabet book at a cool local shop, A is for Anarchist is an upbeat, joyful romp through radical ideals. Appropriate for questioning adults or curious kids alike, the affirming ideals expressed here should be common knowledge. The vibrant yet antique-looking artwork of artist and comic artist m. musgrove was a great compliment to woods’ provocative yet clear sentences. I’ll be looking for more of woods’ and musgrove’s work. ...more
A collection of short works of graphic memoir, most having appeared in other publications, As a Cartoonist reflects on prolific and multi-talented carA collection of short works of graphic memoir, most having appeared in other publications, As a Cartoonist reflects on prolific and multi-talented cartoonist Noah Van Sciver’s growth and evolution as an artist. Equal parts contemplative and droll, Van Sciver’s work here reflects the various lenses that he works with, such as the humorous historical pastiches of the 19th Century Master Cartoonist, bittersweet childhood recollections in Mellow Mutt, all bracketed by pieces in which Van Sciver considers his career.
At the same time, he illustrates a kind of culture clash with the contemporary comics genre, finding himself mutually bewildered among other young cartoonists, ambiguous toward their political and artistic interests. There is a bit of an old school style to his work here, harkening back to the heyday of angsty alternative comics, as reflected in the list of influences and recommendations for further reading Van Sciver includes. Like these works, Van Sciver often depicts himself in an unflattering light as he bumbles through awkward comics retreats and readings, seemingly surprised to have gotten to where he is, complaining about his own inability to draw nature, for instance, in panels of lovely Vermont countryside. ...more
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