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Fifty-Fifty - S # 50
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 21, 2024
“Š!” is an alt-comix anthology series that’s published in Riga and includes contributions by artists from all over the world, most of whom are relatively young and unknown. This is the third volume that I’ve read (following #47, which I read a year ago, and #39, which I read two years before that), and I have to say I enjoy each volume less than the one before. This one is full of work that feels amateurish and half-baked in one way or another, for example just taking one trite idea and sticking it next to some illustrations, or otherwise trying too hard to be quirky – often in a cutesy way that totally turns me off. There are also a few pieces that are clearly meant to be artsy and poetic but that I just don’t understand.
The only piece here that I can honestly say I liked a lot is “Windows Without Buildings” by Viktor Timofeev, a series of images that could only be considered comics in a very broad sense, as there’s no obvious sequence between them. It looks like someone from the world of fine art experimenting with a comic-like presentation, and a bit of quick research about the author suggests that’s exactly the case. Anyway, the images are very evocative, and I enjoy them a lot, albeit in the same way that I enjoy art in a gallery, as an aesthetic and emotive but entirely non-narrative experience.
I also quite enjoyed “Fresh Water Danger” by Teddy Goldenberg, “Slasher” by Martiņš Zutis and “Tired” by Noah van Sciver, all of which employ a sort of off-kilter humour that I find gently amusing. “Slasher” and “Tired” also boast some really cool artwork.
I haven't completely written off this series yet, as it's a cool idea I'd like to support, but my enthusiasm for it has certainly diminished now.
The only piece here that I can honestly say I liked a lot is “Windows Without Buildings” by Viktor Timofeev, a series of images that could only be considered comics in a very broad sense, as there’s no obvious sequence between them. It looks like someone from the world of fine art experimenting with a comic-like presentation, and a bit of quick research about the author suggests that’s exactly the case. Anyway, the images are very evocative, and I enjoy them a lot, albeit in the same way that I enjoy art in a gallery, as an aesthetic and emotive but entirely non-narrative experience.
I also quite enjoyed “Fresh Water Danger” by Teddy Goldenberg, “Slasher” by Martiņš Zutis and “Tired” by Noah van Sciver, all of which employ a sort of off-kilter humour that I find gently amusing. “Slasher” and “Tired” also boast some really cool artwork.
I haven't completely written off this series yet, as it's a cool idea I'd like to support, but my enthusiasm for it has certainly diminished now.
July 15, 2024
An impressive feat for Š! to hit their fiftieth volume, and here the comics anthology features the theme "Fifty-Fifty" - a vague theme that leaves the interpretation of the idea up to the various contributing cartoonists.
The indeterminate concept results in a lot of variability in ideas, but execution as well and this volume is a fair bit more stale for it unfortunately. There are solid pieces in here for sure, though this time they felt far and few in between. I mostly enjoyed: "Winter Survival Game" by Anna Vaivare, "Peacemonger Signs Off" by Juliette Collette, "Fresh Water Danger" by Teddy Goldenberg and "The Magical Dinner" by Tomasz Niewadomski.
The clear standout piece for me was the six-page story, "Slasher" by Mārtiņš Zutis, which features a comic within a comic that boasts some truly fantastic artwork. It might be meta for the story to begin with the quote, "I'm not sure about those experimental comics", in a comics magazine that only really has experimental comics, but Zutis lands the punchline well with a truly jaw-dropping sequence of abstract artwork that evokes elegance and violence in equal measure.
The indeterminate concept results in a lot of variability in ideas, but execution as well and this volume is a fair bit more stale for it unfortunately. There are solid pieces in here for sure, though this time they felt far and few in between. I mostly enjoyed: "Winter Survival Game" by Anna Vaivare, "Peacemonger Signs Off" by Juliette Collette, "Fresh Water Danger" by Teddy Goldenberg and "The Magical Dinner" by Tomasz Niewadomski.
The clear standout piece for me was the six-page story, "Slasher" by Mārtiņš Zutis, which features a comic within a comic that boasts some truly fantastic artwork. It might be meta for the story to begin with the quote, "I'm not sure about those experimental comics", in a comics magazine that only really has experimental comics, but Zutis lands the punchline well with a truly jaw-dropping sequence of abstract artwork that evokes elegance and violence in equal measure.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews