Interim

by Allissa Chan

A star falls in a strange, empty city, but finds itself trapped and unable to escape. As the city shifts and remakes itself, the star joins forces with an indomitable crow in a bid to gain both their freedoms.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Sequential Art

40 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2020

Reviews

[celia]

I knew I was going to have a great time with the September 2020 Shortbox, but I had no idea I would be blessed with SUCH a gorgeous comic.

The colors span the sunset, cool blues and cooling oranges; the perspectives are playful and dizzying, reminding me of the first time I got lost in an Escher painting.

I couldn't stop myself from ripping through this comic, but I really want to take my time and luxuriate on each and every page. I want to recommend this to all my friends who loved Howl's Moving Castle, who can't stop thinking about Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. The comic really makes me think of the quiet moments in the former, and the twisting turns in the latter. If you can get your hands on a copy, don't wait, hurry up and do so!

[t o n y]

In an odd way, this was very comforting.

[Emma]

This reminded me of Radio from Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. I felt the feels. This city is home, this city is the psyche.

[Jerlyn]

Stunning artwork!! The story was calm and comforting and full of longing but the ending left me with a lot of questions. But an ambiguous ending is still nice too

[Kirstine]

Absolutely LOVED the artstyle. Like others have written, I don't get the ending, but the journey there evoked emotions and I don't feel too stuck on what actually happened.

[Adrian]

Finally! It's nice to see someone else. Welcome to the City.

I fear I may have stumbled upon a wonderful source for new talent graphic novels when I discovered shortbox. Their selection of "fun and fine" contemporary comics and graphic novels are something wonderful to behold. For my first foray I purchased five that grabbed my attention.

In this offering from Allissa Chan, a star crashes into a magical city which seems impossible to escape. Every attempt leads back to the starting point. The star must team up with a crow and together they try to find their way through the ever changing city.

Very beautiful, and packed with magical fantasy, this is a read that will leave you with questions rather than answers.

[Lucas]

What is it with crows and their philosophical musings?
Interim takes us on a trip through an impossible city, where escaping is presumably impossible and any wrong move can mean death (and subsequent rebirth). It's a bit of a rogue like in comic book form. We see our character learn not only the path but the philosophy that will lead to their eventual escape.
As has been the case with most of the books I've read from ShortBox, the story holds its own but the real star is the art. It's like a warm hug with its pastel colors and its Escher-esque architecture. Chan isn't the most technically gifted artist, our main character looks a little wobbly at times, but they more than make up for it in visual flair. I could spend ages just looking at those pages

[Elena Varg]

Gorgeous!! Just absolutely gorgeous!!

[Maija]

It's beautiful visually, but I'm afraid I didn't really get it.

[P.]

Beautiful abstract comic

[M Aghazarian]

Nice lil abstract tale

[Lesley]

Beautiful artwork, but I have more questions than anything else after finishing.

[Aglaé]

This short story feels like a pause. What a nice break this was. The colors are delightful, like watching sunsets and sunrises as you read.

[Briana]

I was really surprised by how such a short story could make me think! Beautiful artwork & a mysterious, lonely, and whimsical vibe.

[Erin]

Read for Popsugar 2023: Shortest on TBR

I would love if someone smarter than me could explain this to me, pretty art tho

[Jane]

For some reason this made me calm and on edge at the same time. I loved every second of it!

[Colin]

Pretty but also.... Um... What?