Comic Con Odds and Ends - Part 4

There is a section on the exhibit floor of the Comic Con called artists alley. This is where artists can rent a table and setup shop to sell sketches, books or whatever. When I wandered this area I saw a book that I have reviewed previously and liked a lot titles The Eternal Smile. So I went over and met Derek Kirk Kim. I told him how much I liked the book and how I picked it up for the library and try to get people to check it out all the time. He seemed flatted and humble with my fanboy ramblings. I bought his comic Lowbright #1 and read it that evening when I got home from the Con.

Lowbright is a collection of Dereks comic strips and sketches that he has made over the last couple years. It was a small comic book that was self published. (Looks like it was color photocopied) The book is mostly one page comic gags about his virginity and how he can't meet the right girl. But the first story is about 5 pages long and its about the 10 reasons he has not had sex yet. It made me laugh out loud, but also made me feel for him. This was an unexpected gem that I found at the Comic Con this year.

Review - The Eternal Smile

This is an older review I wrote June 2nd, 2009.

The Eternal Smile : Three Stories
by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim
First Second

This is a book I ordered for the library since I really enjoyed American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. (which the library also owns) The Eternal Smile is actually three stories, each with their own style. But each of the stories are related thematically, about awareness and acceptance of your surroundings and yourself. I know. This describes just about every story ever written, but these stories are different enough where the reader is basically led to the same feeling, but by very different paths.

The first story, "Duncan's Kingdom", is about a young man who must kill the monster to marry the princess. But the lines are blurred between reality and imagination. The second story was my favorite. Basically set in the world of Disney's Uncle Scrooge, but with frogs instead of ducks. Entitled "Gran'pa Greenbax and The Eternal Smile", this story is a parody of the Carl Barks Duckville stories. But as Gran'pa Greenbax tries to make more money, he realizes that there is more than just the town he lives in and his money pond. The final story, called "Urgent Request" is about a shy, lonely office worker who asks for a raise. After being rejected, she finds solace emailing a Nigerian prince. She dreams of being swept away to Africa and becoming a princess.

After reading this book, it wasn't obvious to me that there were thematic elements consistent between the three stories. But as I pondered them while sitting on the reference desk, I realized that all of them had placed the characters into positions where they were forced to ask the deep questions concerning their identity and their need to use imagination to go beyond their lives. And the different art styles help convey the feelings of each story. With the fantasy, almost manga, style of "Duncan's Kingdom" and the practically monochrome, cartoon look of "Urgent Request", the artists have integrated the art into the feelings of the stories in a dramatic manner.

So, this graphic novel is one of the better ones the library received and is a definite read for everyone.