La malédiction du parapluie collects 100+ casual one page autobiographical comics drawn by Lewis Trondheim and it's a very enjoyable collection. A very good mix of stuff, with nice drawing, nice humor and a nice variety of observations - a sweet way of looking at the world. I guess I could see how that soft edge could get on some people's nerves (people who only like their comics humor a little more aggressive and challenging), but I feel a real affinity for the magic Trondheim has done here. It makes for an interesting contrast with the Doucet book reviewed below - as both feature one page long autobiographical comics, but Doucet's are whiny and inward looking to the point one can't be interested in what she is writing and drawing about, while with La malédiction du parapluie Trondheim is looking out at the world and reflecting on the different things he sees in a funny way that really draws the reader in. He's the star, but not the center - the center is everything else in the world - the people who he knows, the things he looks at, his wife & kids, the places he travels, the strangers whose paths he crosses, a sky filled with birds, an umbrella he finds in the street during a rainstorm that seems to change his luck. He shows that this one page format of loosely drawn comics is indeed a valid way to tell interesting stories - especially reading all the strips together as a whole. A lot of stories there. One should also mention the nice use of watercolor to make the drawings live even more - similar a bit to Joann Sfar (though Trondheim's cartooning is much tighter and more traditional). A second collection is out already in France and I can't wait to pick it up. This first volume is available now in English from NBM (I think), under the title Little Nothings: The Curse of the Umbrella.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
La malédiction du parapluie
La malédiction du parapluie collects 100+ casual one page autobiographical comics drawn by Lewis Trondheim and it's a very enjoyable collection. A very good mix of stuff, with nice drawing, nice humor and a nice variety of observations - a sweet way of looking at the world. I guess I could see how that soft edge could get on some people's nerves (people who only like their comics humor a little more aggressive and challenging), but I feel a real affinity for the magic Trondheim has done here. It makes for an interesting contrast with the Doucet book reviewed below - as both feature one page long autobiographical comics, but Doucet's are whiny and inward looking to the point one can't be interested in what she is writing and drawing about, while with La malédiction du parapluie Trondheim is looking out at the world and reflecting on the different things he sees in a funny way that really draws the reader in. He's the star, but not the center - the center is everything else in the world - the people who he knows, the things he looks at, his wife & kids, the places he travels, the strangers whose paths he crosses, a sky filled with birds, an umbrella he finds in the street during a rainstorm that seems to change his luck. He shows that this one page format of loosely drawn comics is indeed a valid way to tell interesting stories - especially reading all the strips together as a whole. A lot of stories there. One should also mention the nice use of watercolor to make the drawings live even more - similar a bit to Joann Sfar (though Trondheim's cartooning is much tighter and more traditional). A second collection is out already in France and I can't wait to pick it up. This first volume is available now in English from NBM (I think), under the title Little Nothings: The Curse of the Umbrella.
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