This is a truly impressive little comic, consisting of single drawings or images on each page mingled with the hand-lettered narrative. The story revolves around a defunct Montreal techno club called Akka that the author worked at a couple years ago, and some of the anecdotes and dramas which unfolded around that time. The pictures and text interrelate well, as a graphic novel should — the text spares detailed descriptions when the drawings take care of it, and occasional pages consisting of photos with word balloons hint at a plot development ahead. After one strange evening where someone sneaks a poison toad into the club, Beirut and a friend of hers, Pasha, get caught up discussing, arguing and wandering around after closing time. One thing leads to another and before you know it, there are explosions and police, and it’s all quite believable. The story’s ending is a bit weak, I thought, but then again, it is supposed to be a true story — if that’s how it ended then that’s how it ended. If this is McKinnon’s first try at a self-produced zine, I can only hope it isn’t her last. (Louis Rastelli)
comic/ graphic novel, 52 pgs, $4, Beirut McKinnon, Montreal, [email protected]