Our Lady
Comic, Wenting Li, 20 pgs, wentingli.com, printed by Pindot Press, $8
Two women find a giant woman — the eponymous “Our Lady” — in the sand of a beach and bring her home. They feed her, tell her about their days, and spend time with her as sparse lines of narration reflect on the nature of their relationship with Our Lady.
Toronto-based artist Wenting Li has a thin and cool line. Clothing drapes and envelopes the characters, and feet and hands occasionally just end as tiny point, with backgrounds occasionally being “suggested” more than they are present. The Risograph-printed comic’s various shades of green create a homey and warm feel, as the women nurture and feed Our Lady, making their home into hers, and perhaps even into ours. There’s a calmness to the comic, with the open scenes and cool colours making things feel pleasantly serene. If I have to nitpick, the comic’s narration, with its sparse lines reflecting on the nature of the women’s relationship with Our Lady, could feel at odds with the art. But it doesn’t detract from the complete package. There’s a definitive mood through-out, and the you’ll deeply feel the bond the women have with Our Lady. It’s a view into a new and rewarding relationship, and one that may make you consider some of your own.
