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Herman by Trade
Herman is a reclusive, straight-laced street cleaner—or so it seems to those he works with on the city’s waterfront. But he has an extraordinary hidden the ability to transform his appearance at will. When the unsmiling cinematic genius MIO calls an open audition for her new movie, a queue forms along the waterfront, snaking past the industrial park, the beach, the shipyard, and beyond. On the fourth day, Herman joins it. As he waits, swept up in the frenzy of creative ambition that has overcome the city, his past life becomes increasingly remote. By the time he enters the audition room, he might have lost his job, but his talent remains. Dazzled by Herman’s ability to adapt to any role, MIO deems the rest of the cast redundant, sparking a furious outcry. When the cult director’s new film premieres, with Herman performing every role, it doesn’t get the reaction she expects. Spectacularly drawn, Herman by Trade is a captivating graphic novel about art, identity, and making space for self-expression.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 16, 2017
A humble street cleaner, Herman has a startling secret: at night he transforms into an imposing cloaked figure who wanders the city narrating his actions and thoughts aloud! When indie film director Mio chooses to film her next project in Herman’s town, he decides to audition for a part, revealing his secret side for the first time. Herman’s life is about to change…
Chris W. Kim’s debut comic book Herman By Trade is really good! I liked how unusual the story was. Some indie artists can get a bit carried away with making their story too Avant-garde and therefore inaccessible but Kim manages to keep his story both coherent and pleasingly unusual.
It’s an unpredictable read because it’s completely original - I’ve never read anything like it before. There’s also this weird sense of unease throughout that drew me on, possibly because of Herman’s strange powers. The book definitely has a dream-like quality to it, walking the line between realism and fantasy. Kim’s wiry pencils are superb as well, complementing the unreal atmosphere with imaginative imagery, contrasting flagrant pageantry with an increasing, vague sense of doom and chaos.
The story also has a great, if slightly banal, point about identity: that there’s more to people than their appearances. Herman can imitate everyone but, in portraying everyone, the end product loses its zest; individuality and personality is lost in the process as Herman can only portray the surface, and not the soul, of a person. At least, that’s what I made of it. The finale itself is a little weak and forgettable.
Herman By Trade was a very enjoyable book and a promising start by this talented new creator. Definitely worth a look for any indie comics fans.
Chris W. Kim’s debut comic book Herman By Trade is really good! I liked how unusual the story was. Some indie artists can get a bit carried away with making their story too Avant-garde and therefore inaccessible but Kim manages to keep his story both coherent and pleasingly unusual.
It’s an unpredictable read because it’s completely original - I’ve never read anything like it before. There’s also this weird sense of unease throughout that drew me on, possibly because of Herman’s strange powers. The book definitely has a dream-like quality to it, walking the line between realism and fantasy. Kim’s wiry pencils are superb as well, complementing the unreal atmosphere with imaginative imagery, contrasting flagrant pageantry with an increasing, vague sense of doom and chaos.
The story also has a great, if slightly banal, point about identity: that there’s more to people than their appearances. Herman can imitate everyone but, in portraying everyone, the end product loses its zest; individuality and personality is lost in the process as Herman can only portray the surface, and not the soul, of a person. At least, that’s what I made of it. The finale itself is a little weak and forgettable.
Herman By Trade was a very enjoyable book and a promising start by this talented new creator. Definitely worth a look for any indie comics fans.
February 17, 2018
Unique concept, good illustrations. Liked it.
February 9, 2018
Herman by Trade by Chris W. Kim is stunningly drawn and inked. The art, more than the story itself, kept me reading. The story has a promising start. The cleaning crew on the waterfront prepare for the filming auditions that will take place there. Two members of the crew seem outgoing. The boss is a fan of the director. But Herman, he is shy. He stays home most nights. We find out that he does not just stay home, though. He dons a cloak and walks the streets with an entirely different look. The audition seems to inspire Herman, and he decides to go for it. His first audition is unsuccessful; his magic tricks are not what the director is looking for. So he has to give up everything, his job included, and join the end of the queue for days before he auditions again. This time, though, he shows his real talent: he can transform into anyone. Not only that, he can do whatever it is that that person can do.
The story, then, takes a turn. But by this time, I am a bit lost. I don't know what's driving Herman. Does he want fame? Does he want money? Does he want recognition? What's his deal? Most people who show up for the audition are fans of the director (or, I imagine, professionals). Herman has never heard of this film before, never knew anything about the director. He is painfully shy and alone. So what about this film or event makes him decide to come out and play? We have no idea.
We get glimpses of the director's private life. It seems that she is not that happy. Maybe she is doing this sequel to her most famous film just because she cannot get the fans to like anything else she's done? It's not clear.
The sparse dialog and pages of beautiful drawings really create a mood, but this might be the case of "too much mood, not enough character development." In the end, The mood stayed with me, but not the characters. They did not change, grow, develop, become real for me.
Recommended for those who like masks, circus acts, boardwalks, and going to the cinema.
The story, then, takes a turn. But by this time, I am a bit lost. I don't know what's driving Herman. Does he want fame? Does he want money? Does he want recognition? What's his deal? Most people who show up for the audition are fans of the director (or, I imagine, professionals). Herman has never heard of this film before, never knew anything about the director. He is painfully shy and alone. So what about this film or event makes him decide to come out and play? We have no idea.
We get glimpses of the director's private life. It seems that she is not that happy. Maybe she is doing this sequel to her most famous film just because she cannot get the fans to like anything else she's done? It's not clear.
The sparse dialog and pages of beautiful drawings really create a mood, but this might be the case of "too much mood, not enough character development." In the end, The mood stayed with me, but not the characters. They did not change, grow, develop, become real for me.
Recommended for those who like masks, circus acts, boardwalks, and going to the cinema.
February 7, 2021
IDEA:
A man lives detached from the society, taking menial jobs and hiding his true nature. Suddenly, there's an opportunity to show his true talents - Herman is a shape-shifter with an eye for detail, and can repeat any of the actions of even the most creative persons.
PROs:
+++ High quality drawings. Black and white with European-style hatching (so, like manga, but with a different kind of detail, more imprecise looking)
+++ Amazing cover
+++ Very good idea, creative and carefully executed. (The story would fit a Twilight Zone episode - it's weird, self-contained, narrow.)
+++ Credible world building and scene setting. The relationship between Herman and his co-workers, and the attitude and goals of the director, stand out.
CONs:
--- The mood evoked by this work is an acquired taste. Compare with Hisae Iwaoka's Saturn Apartments' mood of hope and self-development.
--- The blurb is horribly unfit for the book: (1) "Herman is creative, curious and complex" Actually, the book explicitly depicts Herman as _not_ creative: he has a run of the mill apartment, engages in a repetitive and menial job, and when offered the possibility to show a creative side he is content to repeat what others have done. (He repeats of the exact actions he has just seen, which is not the same as an actor's travails to understand motivation and meaning.) Besides, his actual attempt at creativity is explicitly rejected by the movie director.
--- (2) "his decision [...] brings his creative and professional lives into conflict, and the consequences are irreversible" - but... This dramatic description is about Herman simply not showing up for work and being replaced by a _tonto_. Nothing irreversible, this is a street cleaner's job which he could presumably regain easily... This or another unskilled job like it.
--- Importantly, there is no awakening: Herman returns to his apartment, before he can be tracked down. Anonymous again, detached again.
A man lives detached from the society, taking menial jobs and hiding his true nature. Suddenly, there's an opportunity to show his true talents - Herman is a shape-shifter with an eye for detail, and can repeat any of the actions of even the most creative persons.
PROs:
+++ High quality drawings. Black and white with European-style hatching (so, like manga, but with a different kind of detail, more imprecise looking)
+++ Amazing cover
+++ Very good idea, creative and carefully executed. (The story would fit a Twilight Zone episode - it's weird, self-contained, narrow.)
+++ Credible world building and scene setting. The relationship between Herman and his co-workers, and the attitude and goals of the director, stand out.
CONs:
--- The mood evoked by this work is an acquired taste. Compare with Hisae Iwaoka's Saturn Apartments' mood of hope and self-development.
--- The blurb is horribly unfit for the book: (1) "Herman is creative, curious and complex" Actually, the book explicitly depicts Herman as _not_ creative: he has a run of the mill apartment, engages in a repetitive and menial job, and when offered the possibility to show a creative side he is content to repeat what others have done. (He repeats of the exact actions he has just seen, which is not the same as an actor's travails to understand motivation and meaning.) Besides, his actual attempt at creativity is explicitly rejected by the movie director.
--- (2) "his decision [...] brings his creative and professional lives into conflict, and the consequences are irreversible" - but... This dramatic description is about Herman simply not showing up for work and being replaced by a _tonto_. Nothing irreversible, this is a street cleaner's job which he could presumably regain easily... This or another unskilled job like it.
--- Importantly, there is no awakening: Herman returns to his apartment, before he can be tracked down. Anonymous again, detached again.
January 28, 2023
A street cleaner with an extraordinary ability to change his appearance at will and mimic the likeness of others, becomes involved in a film project by a revolutionary director who plans to do a follow up of her only hit film about talented people in the city. She holds auditions for days and a select few get through, including our shape-changing hero. But as filming goes on, the director realizes it would be just easier to let the shape changer imitate everyone - causing the entire city to turn on the film and the protagonist.
This is not you standard superhero fare. If you want beat-em-up plots, go somewhere else. But I loved this text. It is a book that looks at individualism, celebrity, and fan culture and harshly judges them all. The stark nature of the line drawings blend perfectly with the weird eccentricities and loneliness in the heart of the script. This is a unique volume of work and will be appreciated by people who want something beyond the normal cookie-cutter graphic novel plot.
This is not you standard superhero fare. If you want beat-em-up plots, go somewhere else. But I loved this text. It is a book that looks at individualism, celebrity, and fan culture and harshly judges them all. The stark nature of the line drawings blend perfectly with the weird eccentricities and loneliness in the heart of the script. This is a unique volume of work and will be appreciated by people who want something beyond the normal cookie-cutter graphic novel plot.
November 25, 2017
Interesting concept piece. This work is suffused by a sense of unease which does not go away after closing the book. I found the ending a bit weak... And it lost some of its tension through the strange narration. Action is spoken by the main character rather than keeping the usual comic form of thought bubbles, background or boxed text. Other than this it was a fascinating first graphic novel - looking forward to more by this author.
November 6, 2021
The story is somewhat interesting up until a certain point, then it loses its momentum quickly.
As an aspiring pen and ink artist myself, I was blown away by the artwork. Had it not been for the art, I would have scored this graphic novel incredibly low. The skillful art is breathtaking. If it weren't for the art, I'd get rid of it.
If you're into pen and ink, this is definitely worth a look through. If you're in it for the story, you'll more than likely be disappointed.
As an aspiring pen and ink artist myself, I was blown away by the artwork. Had it not been for the art, I would have scored this graphic novel incredibly low. The skillful art is breathtaking. If it weren't for the art, I'd get rid of it.
If you're into pen and ink, this is definitely worth a look through. If you're in it for the story, you'll more than likely be disappointed.
May 17, 2017
This is a book that sticks with you after putting it down. What begins as a "realistic" narrative soon becomes something fantastical, almost surreal in places. This is my first exposure to Kim's work, and I'm interested to see what new comics he comes up with next.
August 8, 2018
Oh yeah, this was a *intentionally weird* one. It's not, but I remember it being a Silent Story. Sort of needlessly dramatic? Probably had some potential that I wasn't paying attention to. So....yep!
November 18, 2019
The art stands out and the scenes and characters are filled with interesting details. The story on the surface involves a supernatural protagonist, but underneath that lies the fable about creativity, individual talent, and maybe art in the age of mechanical reproduction. :)
September 20, 2017
A very interesting story with a very unique style of storytelling. I really enjoyed this tale from beginning to finish.
September 30, 2019
The art is amazing. The details are beautiful. Story is ok.
January 24, 2020
An understated, surreal blend of mundane and fantastical elements strikes a unique tone of whimsy and melancholy.
February 15, 2020
3.5 stars
June 13, 2021
Just wasn’t very interesting to me.
May 18, 2018
I quite liked this. The art work was stunning. I wish I could visit the waterfront where Herman works. The story is intriguing and thoughtful enough to hold its own along such detailed drawings. I hope Mr. Kim continues to create more work in the future.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews