Burma Chronicles

Another graphic novel from my school library. I'm trying to get as many of these read as I can (along with everything else I have to read!) before we leave.

Title: Burma Chronicles
Date: 2009
Company: Drawn & Quarterly
Writer: Guy DeLisle
Artist: Guy DeLisle

Cartoonist Guy Delisle tells the story of his year spent in Myanmar (Burma) under the dictatorial rule of the military junta that has controlled the nation since the 1960s.

Doing his cartooning and taking care of his baby son while his wife works for Medecins Sans Frontieres, he has time to explore the neighborhoods around him, as well as examining different sides of the NGO expat community in Burma.

The book is loaded with details, and the visuals are great, especially on some of the wordless sequences that he uses to show sightseeing trips around the country or little adventures walking or biking in Rangoon.

There are some politics, both the politics of Myanmar, and the political realities facing aid organizations attempting to work in the country.

There were also a lot of scenes that I could relate to as an expat experiencing life in Southeast Asia. Little absurdities and quirks are found on every page in the story and in the art.

The one area where I felt the book fell short is that it sticks so strongly to the expat perspective that there were times when the Burmese voices seemed entirely missing.

Still, there was a lot going on in this story and it was a fun and thought-provoking read.

Rating: 7.5/10

Palookaville #1 10th Anniversary Special Re-Issue

From the random undread comics stack. This was published in 2001, but I have no idea where or when I got it.

Title: Palookaville
Issue: 1 (10th Anniversary Special Re-Issue)
Date: April, 2001
Company: Drawn & Quarterly
Writer: Seth
Artist: Seth

Reprinting the debut issue of Palookaville from 1991. Framed by the narrator reminiscing on his life in Toronto in the 1980s, the story in this issue centers on him becoming the victim of an anti-gay beating by a group of homophobic attackers on the Toronto subway system.

Introspective and disturbingly real, the story follows the aftermath of the beating and the responses of the narrator's friends as he seeks help. The supporting cast is quirky and it is their kindness that shines through the bad situation.

Interestingly, the editorial by Seth for the anniversary edition indicates that he doesn't think this story was very good work as he looks back on it. For me, it captured my attention, was loaded with great details, and featured and intriguing cast of characters.

Rating: 8/10

Gekiga! Drawn & Quarterly Free Comic Book Day 2008

Drawn & Quarterly's book from 2008's Free Comic Book Day.

Title: Gekiga! Drawn & Quarterly Free Comic Book Day 2008
Date: 2008
Company: Drawn & Quarterly
Writer: Seiichi Hayashi, Yoshihiro Tatsumi
Artist: Seiichi Hayashi, Yoshihiro Tatsumi

This book hits a really interesting subgenre that doesn't normally get much attention: Japanese underground comics from the 1960s and 1970s.

Two excerpts are included here, both taken from longer works that Drawn & Quarterly has reprinted and translated.

First up is Seiichi Hayashi's Red Colored Elegy, originally published in the 1960s. The story centers on a comic artist and his girlfriend as they face a time of political and personal turmoil. This excerpt involves the main character's reaction to his father's death. The artwork is haunting and stark, and the dialogue sparse. The whole thing had a very lonely and hopeless feel to it, which left an impression despite the fact that I lost hold of what was going on in the last few pages.

The second excerpt is from Yoshihiro Tatsu's Good-Bye, which tells the story of the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing through one man's obsession with a photo he took in the ruins. Excellent artwork, with a more traditional look, and a very strong sense of plot. This one really hooked me, and I'm intrigued with where it is heading.

This was a good effective preview book, and a fascinating look at some early manga.

Rating: 7.5/10