comic, Jessica Bromley Bartram, 19 pgs, Sea Beast Books, jessicabartram.ca
There are days filled with small annoyances that add up to a general feeling of frustration. On these days, it is nice to take a small break from the world and gaze upon cute animal pictures. A baby elephant joyously playing in the water. A dog napping in the sun. It is almost as if you can feel your blood pressure relax as you take in the animal world. Jessica Bromley Bartram’s beautiful risograph comic zine had this exact effect on me.
The zine itself celebrates the risograph printing technique by focusing on tones of blue and green to create the underwater world of otters. A wordless zine, the story focuses on a day in the life of a Sea Otter Witch. The fantastical world Bartram creates showcases harmony in the animal kingdom as we join the Sea Witch in her activities to bring food and joy to otters. If you work at a desk, this zine would be handy to keep. When you are feeling a little too much stress, pull out Otter Days, and let the illustrations bring you a short moment of peace. (Kim Hornak)