Malinky Robot

by Sonny Liew

Street urchins Atari and Oliver are out to steal bicycles, watch Giant Robot movies, and spend some Large Denominational Bills! Malinky Robot collects five tales by Eisner-nominated artist Sonny Liew (My Faith in Frankie, Wonderland, Sense & Senisibility) featuring stinky fish, philosopher-labourers, and summer rain. A recipient of the Xeric Award, the Utopiales SF Festival''s Best SF Album award, and featured in the acclaimed FLIGHT anthologies, Malinky Robot blends dystopian sci-fi and indie sensibilities into a uniquely charming, off-kilter world.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Short Stories, Fiction, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Urban Fantasy

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Sonny Liew is a Eisner-nominated comics artist, painter and illustrator whose work includes the New York Times bestsellers The Shadow Hero with Gene Luen Yang (First Second Books), and The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye (Pantheon Books).

Born in Malaysia, he lives in Singapore, where he sleeps with the fishes.

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had the first issue of Malinky Robot sitting in one of my longboxes for a few years now, enigmatic and weird and difficult to make sense of, a flash in the pan of independent comicbookery until I remembered that in our interwebbed world, nothing stays a mystery forever.

So now this. It's a super-lovely little grotto of a book; what I think Calvin and Hobbes might be like if they lived inside Blade Runner -- a bittersweet post-apocalypse of magic. The two urchins -- androgynous Atari and pig-boy Oliver -- and their friend Little Robot pull at all of my heartstrings at the same exact time. It HURTS, you guys. It hurts ALWAYS but it's poignant and funny and elliptical and aimless. I love it. It's worth finding used on the internet. It's worth reading twice.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Sonny Liew's artwork when the first Malinky Robot showed up at the comic store I work at. I found it increasingly difficult to track down subsequent copies, even going so far as to call some contacts in France to get the French version, so I am pretty stoked that an English collection is finally released. His loose, scribbly style fits the mischief of his characters well and the colors are great.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so hooked. Sonny Liew's writing is as delightful as his art. While these are all short stories, there's so much *story* packed into them! If you haven't read about Atari and Oliver yet, don't delay!

[Lili · Rating 2 out of 5]

با وجودی که تصویرسازیشو خیلی دوست داشتم، اما خط داستانی هیچ جون و رمقی نداشت. چی قرار بود از دل این کرکترهایی که ساخت در بیاد؟ نفهمیدم، چون کل مدت انگار درگیر یک معرفی‌نامه‌ی طولانی بودیم.

[Magila · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 for me. I'm sorry. I loved the art and ink. The stories smacked of a seriously creative mind, but they just don't make much sense. And Atari smokes (and he's a young kid that doesn't need to be smoking).

I'd give the art a 5, but the stream of consciousness was so far in left field I was left behind. Sure, they were short stories. Sure, I loved the sly references to popular culture. I wanted to love the comics overall. I just didn't. Also, I have to admit I kept waiting for a small robot. Or a reference to one in the various short stories to unify the collection. The New Year story was the only one where the name of the comic came to life and made sense.

Overall, I'm not saying this was bad, I'm simply saying I was now bowled over.

[Manintheboat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I too am super happy I have this in English now. No more badgering my French-reading friends with, "What does this say?"

I love all the stories and the art manages to look jaded and innocent at the same time.

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have one or two issues of this original series, but this is the first time I read the entire Malinky Robot collection. Good stuff! I read this in preparation for our interview with Sonny Liew on the podcast: http://comicsalternative.com/comics-a....

[Daniel Cooksey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sublime.

[Jeanne Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the fact that a single pane can emote! Endearing characters, lovely sketches. It's not so much about the story but just the *feeling*.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat amusing.

[Sarah Cavar · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2.5, though the art is a solid 5-stars. I think Liew is doing some really interesting things here in terms of literally slicing pieces of marginal life "out of time" and refusing the teleological narrative of progress, technical development, and wealth accumulation. I'm also happy to see such a radical use of childhood: the child is an underground operant, making-do in the face of mass exploitation and ultimate abandonment.

That being said, quite simply, this meant that there was no *story*. Slices of life never led to a greater understanding of characters' lives and relationships. I felt like I was skimming the proverbial surface of characters' stories, unable to form attachments to them due to the brevity of each scene and the seeming-disconnectedness of each story. Conceptually, I understand the value of this collection's purposeful-plotlessness, but as far as actually reading it...it simply isn't enjoyable.

I'd recommend taking a look at "Stinky Fish Blues," the strongest semi-story, and skimming the rest for the wonderful artwork.

[Annabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

*For School, below average but not bad

[Artur Coelho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Há neste livro uma curiosa mistura de sensibilidades. Temos por um lado o estilismo bonito e atraente das personagens infantilizadas como desenhos animados. Por outro, o futurismo alastrante de sabor asiático das megalópoles que misturam o hipermodernismo dos arranha-céus de vidro brilhante com o fervilhar humano ao nível das ruas. Isto é FC, mas de forma difusa, uma visão poética que digere influências da FC tradicional e das visões de futuro do manga e anime.

Malinky Robot vive de um certo experimentalismo gráfico, que não hesita em reformular as estrutruas gráficas de diversos géneros de banda desenhada, e de uma profunda inocência narrativa nas aventuras simples dos dois amigos e um robot. Faz recordar Charlie Brown, se as suas inocentes aventuras tivessem sido escritas por Charles Schultz e ilustradas por um artista que misture os talentos de Myiazaky e Otsomo. De facto, uma colisão simpática entre os Peanuts, Akira e Chihiro é o que melhor me ocorre para descrever este delicioso livro.

[Emilia P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like... where are we guys? Liew is based in Singapore, this feels like some imagined semi-utopian-semi-dystopian Japan, and just exactly what are these little creatures that the tales are about? I don't know, and I don't need to know. They are beautiful, they are weird, they are super-specifically out of one dudes imagination, and as much as I don't really follow the stories (am I supposed to be able to?) the images are surprisingly both very comic-book-y and extremely intricate and artistic. I suppose those aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but Liew does a particularly good job bringing them together without a whole lot of pretense.

[Phobean · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I enjoyed the art and styling of this collection of odd shorts and sketchbook material, I think there may be something 'lost-in-translation' story-wise. Other than somewhat unnerving element of watching a kid chain-smoke, not much stood out for me. I wondered if (and I suspect) I just wasn't 'getting it.' Still, this is a gorgeous trip through Sonny Liew's flexility as an illustrator, and I always look forward to his work. Plus, I discovered, via the forward, that the artist and I not only have a city (Allston, MA) and comics shop (New England Comics on Harvard Ave.), but also a friend in common! Small world.

[Matthew Middleton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the art, but the stories definitely left me wanting. I was also a little confused that the collection is called "Malinky Robot" but only 2 of the stories even involved the robot, which just happened to be my favorite stories since they had a simple cohesive plot.

[keri. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would buy every page from this collection, if I could; I love the art that much.

[quinnster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just want to know....what is Oliver?!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked this a lot. Surreal and funny at the same time.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why does Atari smoke? It freaks me out, but I still enjoyed the short stories. The art was really neat.

[Atiqer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Singapore represent!

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make Mine Malinky!

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

The five stories and various other tidbits collected here are best read for mood and tone, rather than plot or traditional narrative. Set in some kind of vaguely ramshackle futuristic city of Japanese/Chinese/Korean flavor, they feature Oliver (a kind of pinkish, undefined humanoid that reminds me mainly of an aardvark for some reason) and Atari, a chain-smoking street urchin of sorts. They kind of meander their way through various minor and major adventures that are full of nods to influences ranging from pop culture (Transformers) to neorealist cinema (Bicycle Thieves). Even the thoroughly delightful tale of a cute servant robot who gets lost in the city brought to mind the 1997 Iranian film The Mirror -- which I'm very curious to know if Liew has seen. Throughout the stories run themes of friendship and connection in the face of a melancholy world. The scratchy artwork is perfectly aligned with this mood, conveying depth and wear on both the city and the kids. Definitely recommended for those seeking comix with a distinctive style and mood, rather than a plot.

[Garth · Rating 4 out of 5]

the art here is fantastic. the city-scapes in particular remind me of my childhood, especially the three years when i was living in Singapore. everything here is packed with hidden detail, densely urban, chaotically beautiful, and shimmers like a dream.

the stories can be a little disjointed, much like life itself.

i only wish this was an on-going series, and not simply a collection of Sonny's early works.

[Grg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of meandering, open ended stories about a couple of mutant kids and their friends in a dystopian future city. My favorite was about a small robot who gets lost on the far end of the city and must find it's way home with the help of some kindly citizens.

[furious · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic collection of Sonny Liew's Malinky Robot pieces. Atari & Oliver are lovable little scamps making their way in the dystopian future, getting into adventures both real and imagined. Cute stuff, very fun, with gorgeous art.

[Shivakukatla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the characters of this book they are so admirable and lovable and all the stories has a good warm feeling. The narrative goes well and illustrations are quite amazing. I liked it from cover to cover. I recommend it.

[Bene Vogt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow quite unlike anything else that I can think of right now.
Doesn’t start all that strong, but the later, more experimental chapters are great and have a pretty unique tone.
And, this being Liew, it of course looks fantastic.

[Jason Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

gave up, it didn't hook me at all. I liked the artwork.

[Adam Weiler · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a little bit strange. It's like a future dystopia, but nobody seems very miserable or oppressed.