ine Review:
The Work of a Young, Unfed and Unknown Cartoonist
Set in Denver, this somewhat manic collection of short comics is equal parts observation and autobiography, with occasional absurd flourishes. Author and protagonist Noah Van Sciver (pronounced sky-ver) spends much of his time trying to insulate himself, often unsuccessfully, from the various offences of other Colorado residents, and he has a talent for distilling situations and personalities to their recognisable essentials without descending into stereotype. His panels sometimes incline toward the grotesque (“That guy’s wart is crying!”), but one suspects he is simply being true to life. Memorable moments include an abruptly violent anecdote from the author’s childhood, an odd allegory of working in the service industry, in which an ill-tempered submarine sandwich gets its comeuppance, and the farcical fantasy sequence “I Wish I Was Friends with Bob Dylan.” (Daniel Marrone)
comic zine, Noah Van Sciver, $1, www.noahvansciver.com, 1638 Franklin St. Denver, CO, 80218 USA