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CBG SATELLITES
The ADD Blog by Alan David Doane
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Mome Vol.
3: Winter 2006
Despite being the first volume in the series to not feature perennial
ADD fave Paul
Hornschemeier, the Winter 2006 edition stands out to me as
probably the strongest volume yet in what was already a very good
anthology series.
David B.'s contribution is a lengthy parable about religious fervor,
kind of a Louis Riel about naked Christians instead of Canadian
radicals. While
B.'s autobiographical material to date has been powerful and
effective, it's refreshing here to see him exercise slightly different
muscles, to wildly different
effect. Jeffrey Brown's anthology contributions aren't usually as
strong as his standalone graphic novels, but here he describes the
landmines along the way to
possibly selling one of his books to be produced as an independent
film. Despite the success of Ghost World and American
Splendor, Brown's
blunt description of the irksome hoops he had to jump through
(ultimately for nothing) once again prove that artists should beware
empty promises.
Kurt Wolfgang's Peter Bagge-inspired style is growing on me, in large
part because of its more naturalistic depiction of relationships and
day-to-day
aggravations. He's also the subject of a good interview conducted by
co-editor Gary Groth.
Other really strong contributions this time out include offerings from
Gabrielle Bell (a somewhat metatextual exercise that is a delight to
experience), Part
Three of David Heatley's bizarre and beautiful "Overpeck," and
multiple strips featuring Martin Cendreda's Matthew and Buster.
Cendreda seems to have
absorbed equal influences from Dan Clowes and Harvey Comics, and I
could lose myself in his gorgeous, full-colour strips all day long.
It's been a great year for artcomix so far, from outstanding single
issues like Ganges #1, Schizo #4, Acme Novelty
Library #16 and
The Science Fair #4 to graphic novels like The Fate of the
Artist and The Ticking, both facing imminent release (and
both works of
wonder and delight). But the future health of comics is often best
predicted by the state of its anthologies, and the Winter, 2006 volume
of Mome uses
great stories right now to indicate great things in the months and
years ahead from some of the brightest minds working in the medium.
Grade: 4.5/5
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