Cyclopedia Exotica

Cyclopedia Exotica is an amazing graphic novel that explores issues of identity in an intriguing way. The book starts off as a series of encyclopedia entries on cyclopes, their biology, and their history as a race. However, once it touches on the life of Etna, a model who became a sensation when she posed nude for a men's magazine, the book becomes an immersive look into the lives of contemporary cyclopes and all that they entail. After reading this book, I was struck by just how deft it is in creating a parallel world based on a fantastic premise and then immediately normalizing that premise. It makes the cyclopes so human and relatable that they actually seem a real ethnic group, and also acts like an extended metaphor for Orientalism.

What I find most charming and provocative about this book is how subtly it tells a long form narrative through a series of short episodes that read like an amalgamation of gag strips and short stories. Each one is finely crafted, sometimes resulting in a chuckle but more often in a poignant moment or insight into being a frequently fetishized minority. This book operates almost like a pointillist painting, with each tiny detail contributing to an artful, moving portrait of a people.

Ostensibly a book about mythological creatures, it actually has lots of insight into modern humanity and the many choices we face. Over the course of the book, I got to know each character and how they cope with the world. Some, become twin artists who make plenty of conceptual pieces that cast an interesting light on the ways cyclopes are and are not incorporated into human society. Others are trying to make their way in the world with romantic relationships, either with cyclopes or humans. Some of the characters try to do things to "pass," from having elective surgery to become a "two-eye" to wearing special clothing that shapes their bodies to be more ideally human. And one cyclop woman has to make some hard choices between being a parent and re-entering the work force. 

I loved getting to know the world and characters in this book, and the slight consolation I had when it ended were the very informative entries about each character, why they were named as they were, and the author's intentions with their plots and sub-plots. This book is so fully realized and thoughtful, and it calls to mind poet Marianne Moore's line about "imaginary gardens with real toads in them" with how much the artful fiction evokes reality.

Cyclopedia Exotica is the creation of Aminder Dhaliwal, an animator who has worked for a number of major studios. Her debut graphic novel, Woman World was nominated for a 2019 Ignatz Award. She also has published the graphic novella Dead End Jobs for Ghosts. The coloring of this book was done by Nikolas Ilic, a production artist who specializes in character design. Dhaliwal speaks about her work on the book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book sing its praises. Carmen Maria Machado wrote that "the characters in Dhaliwal’s stories sparkle. They’re tenderly rendered and their problems are real." Oliver Sava was impressed by how she tackled "complicated subject matter with empathy and humor, offering ample social critique while keeping the focus on how these characters connect with each other—and learn how to love themselves." Jeff Provine opined, "The emotional touches with the engaging characters brings the reader along through quick comic stories, always wanting more even after the final page."

Cyclopedia Exotica was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they offer a preview and much more here.

Meeting Comics

There are plenty of comics set in workplaces, but none, for my money, is as funny or consistently excellent as Meeting Comics. These comics are published three times a week online, originally on Instagram, but now exclusively via Patreon. They are collected bi-monthly into mini-comics/PDFs, and they are currently up to #17. This book collects the first six issues, a whole bunch of comics that show the progress of the series. At first it is more sketchy with each comic literally drawn over a lunch break, but later entries are more more polished and feature recurring characters.

Over time, we come to know Kevin, the radical guy in that cartoon above, and he is sort of the moral center of the book. Other characters include the human resources robot (literally) Rob, the office queen/diva Val, aged boss Don (who once starred in a sci-fi/action TV series Namdroid as a younger man), and Thomas, who seems milquetoast but leads a double life as the vigilante known as Ribbon Cutter. They are a diverse cast, in multiple sense of the word, and watching them play off of each other is a delight.

The humor in this series is random, sometimes topical, sometimes political, and often laugh-out-loud funny. I love how over time the characters grow and we learn about their quite complex and surprising back-stories. Along with the workplace humor, there is also a healthy dose of mature themes, including sex, drugs, and profanity, but I feel all of it contributes to making these bombastic, silly characters all the more human and relatable. Like all good comic strips, this one features real life dialed up to the extreme, but it has a lot of heart, and it's easy to fall in love with these folx.

Meeting Comics are written and drawn by Andrew Neal, former comic shop employee/owner and current comics creator. He speaks extensively about his work on Meeting Comics in this interview (with my friend, Craig Fischer. Hi Craig!).

I have not be able to find many reviews of this book, which is a criminal shame. The ones I have seen have been extremely positive though. Chris from Zine Cuisine called it a "personal fave." Goodreads currently has it rated 4.5 (out of 5) stars.

Meeting Comics was published by Adhouse Books, and they offer a preview and more here. You can check out the further adventures of these characters via the official page or by subscribing to Neal's Patreon (like I do!). Some of the later strips are also serialized in SOLRAD.

Over Easy

Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and even though I was not around when much of the book takes place, Over Easy really brought me back to my restaurant roots. Although it is a fictionalized autobiography, so much of it is based on real events that it features a great sense of verisimilitude. Set in Oakland in the 1970s, the narrative follows Margaret, a recent art school graduate in her 20s as she finds her way in the world. Low on funds and prospects, she finds herself frequenting diners and drawing in her sketchbook.

Margaret ends up with a job in the restaurant, working first as a dishwasher and then moving to the front of the house as a waitress. What really stood out to me was the realism and vitality of the characters and situations. The tumultuous relationships between cooks and waitresses, the vulgar banter, the periodic romantic dalliances, the annoying customers, and the regulars with their unique personalities all combine to create a community, which is lovingly and intricately captured here.

But this book is not just a version of Kitchen Confidential, it is also a time capsule for the period, a look at a time of cultural transformation. I appreciate the blast from the past, but I also see a vibrant cast of characters in almost soap operatic situations. Over Easy is a wonderful concoction of history, high and low culture, and a coming-of-age tale all told in masterful and expressive drawings and monochromatic watercolors. The flourishes of creativity and energy in the artwork complement the narrative expertly.

The creator of this book is Mimi Pond, a writer and artist with multiple magazine credits and also a writer for TV shows like Designing Women, Pee Wee's Playhouse, and The Simpsons (the very first full episode). You can read more about her in this profile at the LA Times. She reveals more about this book and her career in this interview with Publishers Weekly. Or if you prefer to listen to a podcast interview, there is this one from Virtual Memories.

Reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Los Angeles Review of Books' MariNaomi found much to relate to. Shathley Q summed up that this book "simply comes with the highest praise, and quite simply, deserves to be read." Jeff Provine commented that Pond depicted "life in the restaurant realistically yet magically." NPR's Etelka Lehoczky called this book "a sweet tribute."

A preview and more are available here from Over Easy's publisher Drawn & Quarterly.

The Line, Volume 1

As someone who grew up in a family who owns a restaurant (if you are ever in New Windsor, NY, go visit!), I can vouch for some of the insanity that goes on behind the scenes in your favorite kitchens. The mix of interesting and diverse personalities, languages, customers, and stresses can make for a dynamic and even explosive combination. This webcomic collection well captures that energy as well as the idiosyncrasies of working in a restaurant. Also, although it does flirt with stereotypes, it quickly fleshes out its cast into strong and unique characters.

The Line, Volume 1 follows Linda Park, the hostess and newest employee at Chef Paul Greenfield's new restaurant. The chef is an egomaniac who does not even remember hiring her. Chase Harvey, the manager, is a heavy drinker who has no time for training rookies or dealing with most problems. As they all navigate the opening of this new restaurant, they have to deal with some major obstacles, including nearly killing their first reviewer, some dangerous and unsanitary kitchen activity, and mishaps with coupons offered via a social networking site.

The Line is written by Kevin Church and drawn by Paul Salvi. Church is building up a strong cache of work called Agreeable Comics. Included in these comics are series set in the same universe as The Line, including The Rack, which is set in the comic store, and Lydia, which follows Linda's sister at a corporate job. Other series he has written include The Loneliest Astronauts, about a couple of unfortunate people involved in a botched space mission, and the mystery story She Died in Terrabone.

I have not found many reviews of this comic online yet, but it has been covered at CBR's Comics Should Be Good blog. There Brian Cronin praised Paul Salvi for his story-telling and his "bang-up job of conveying the precise mood of each character, just by their expressions." He also added that "Church’s humor in this strip is very character-driven, so being able to convey emotions is key."

The Line is an ongoing comic and more recent storylines can be found here. This print collection offers a number of extra features, including guest strips, pin-ups, early development art, and a short strip where Chef Paul teaches how to properly season and bake a chicken. You can buy a copy of the book here.

In all, I felt this was a very hip, human, and humorous comics collection. I'll definitely be back for seconds. (Sorry I could not resist that horrible, horrible, obvious, and horrible pun.)

Thank you, Kevin Church, for the review copy PDF!

Multiplex Book 1: Enjoy Your Show

This book is a collection of Gordon McAlpin's webcomic, which has been regularly published on Mondays and Thursdays since 2005. It follows the employees of a local movie theater, chronicling their interactions with customers and each other, and there are lots of movie-based jokes, pranks, and fumbling attempts at romance. The main characters are: Kurt, the jokester manager; Jason, the ticket-taker with highfalutin tastes; Becky, the projectionist with a heart of gold; and Melissa, another projectionist and Kurt's girlfriend, who is often the voice of reason.

Aside from capturing the flavor of working in a customer service job, McAlpin also does a great job with the characterization of people growing up and finding their places in the world. He is an illustrator who specializes in digital publications who also does work in printing and advertising. Multiplex has been his long-term project, and thus far he has 5 books available online. He funded publication of this book by raising funds using Kickstarter. McAlpin talks about why he decided to do a print version of his work in this Newsarama interview.

This first book is full of the early entries in the series, with McAlpin offering commentary on his creative decisions. From the reviews, it seems that this comic's appeal depends on its audience. Johanna Draper Carlson reviewed the book and saw some features that could use improvement. She also commented on how the strip evolved over time for the better but also speaks to how some of the characters seemed stereotypical to her. On a different note, Jason Sacks wrote that "it's fun to see how the characters grow and change." Xaviar Xerexes wrote that although it may be tougher to enjoy these early strips than the later ones, they do serve as a good introduction to the comic. As for me, this is one of the few webcomics I regularly follow, especially for the relatable and developed characters. This development has taken time though, and I am not sure this collection captures enough of it.

The online version of the comics in this collection is available here, along with character biographies, guest strips, and other bonus features.