Obsolete

Nobrow 17 x 23

by Mikkel Sommer

A violent drama unfolds as two weary soldiers fail to adapt to civilian life after returning home from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Neglected by the government and with no heroic memories or loving family members, they seek solace in alcohol, drugs, and nihilistic hedonism. Constantly haunted by nightmares of their recent tumultuous pasts, they desperately struggle to stay on the surface of reality. Part of the Nobrow 17x23 series.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Short Stories, Graphic Novels Comics

24 pages, Staple Bound

First published April 14, 2011

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

A former soldier is haunted by the actions of his past and can't adjust to civilian life and the society that has abandoned him. Kept afloat by a mixture of drugs and booze, he joins a former colleague and out of desperation the two attempt to rob a bank. However something unexpected happens and things take a turn for the worse.

Mikkel Sommers has created an intriguing comic book that shows a strong understanding of storytelling in comics and some fine artwork. It's brevity is the only critique as it feels too slight to stand alone - its like a prologue to a longer work.

A promising start for this artist, hopefully his next publication will be a longer work to better show off his abilities. "Obsolete" is definitely worth a look.

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was sad. Obsolete is a short graphic story depicting the impact of war on one unnamed individual. Such lovely artwork though, really the kind of style I like. This short comic managed to pack in backstory, a plot, and a whole heap of emotion in just a handful of beautifully drawn pages, and with practically no words either.

[leynes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of my favorites of Nobrow's 17x23 series.
The sotry is about a soldier returning from war who can't deal with everyday life anymore. He has sleeping issues, his taking a lot of pills/ drugs, he is emotionally unstable... The story ends with an intense showdown in a cafe in which he is manhandling a gun and accusing his sister...

Great art as well!

[Katiepillar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very dark, very short story of a man who has come back from the war. There's barely any text but the pictures get everything across that you need to tell the story.

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but not quite revelatory... In Obsolete, Mikkel Sommer takes a look at veterans and PTSD. It's touching and heartfelt, in a quiet and understated way at first. But as the story goes on, it quickly becomes very showy and the story takes the easy turns instead of the interesting ones.

[Anna Vladi (Rakhmanko) · Rating 5 out of 5]

classics of comics

[Khalid Albaih · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow … art and story telling supreme

[Mariano Lastiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una de las ventajas de eventos dirigidos a los fanáticos del noveno arte, es la oportunidad de conocer autores del medio que uno jamás tomaría en cuenta por los medios habituales.
Gracias a Comicopolis, pude conocer a 3 autores escandinavos notables. Mikkel Sommer puede que sea de los que goza de un mayor prestigio a nivel internacional.
El autor de origen danes no es necesariamente conocido por su trabajo en el mundo del comic, sino por su participación en la maravillosa miniserie animada de Cartoon Network "Over the garden Wall", aportando diseños de personajes y trabajando en los dos últimos capítulos.
Obsolete es una de sus primeras obras y muestra un autor joven con un dibujo notable y con mucha hambre de crecimiento.
La historia nos cuenta sobre un soldado que se encuentra traumado debido a las cicatrices que le dejaron sus participaciones en un conflicto en medio oriente. Esto lo llevará a una decisión desesperada con unas concecuencias aún más trágicas.
Con 24 páginas, Mikkel decide contarnos una historia más pensada en adentrarnos en los traumas del personaje que en el hilo de los acontecimientos.
Y la verdad, que en ese apartado se luce. El autor escandinavo nos muestra imágenes poderosas que logran cautivarnos como corporizar todas las dolencias del protagonista.
Por supuesto, no se vive de la atmósfera, y ese debe ser el mayor defecto de Obsolete: la historia solo llega a convertirse en un melodrama con un desarrollo mínimo.
Sin embargo, para un trabajo de un artista nuevo con una cantidad de páginas tan reducida y un excelente manejo de la narrativa gráfica (donde el autor casi prescinde de los diálogos), Obsolete es una historieta que nos ayuda a conocer a un joven autor que en algún futuro cercano puede convertirse en promesa. Yo lo tomaría en cuenta.

[Milena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-blowing. I had goose bumps all over when I finished reading it. This book will stay with you for a while... Highly recommend it.

[Phillip Goodman]

perhaps one of the best comic books i have ever read, its practically wordless, and better for it, more words would have crowded the art, as it is, it is full of exceptional pathos, grit, and expression, and stands as a very timely comment on the effects of war on returning soldiers.

[Twan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gulf war syndrome, drugs, booze and naughty behaviour. A bit short and a bit bleak.

[Ed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stylish but ultimately empty melodrama.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not recommended if you're in a good mood or think you've got some kind of purpose or generally ok with how the world is going.