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Om
OM – Enter a Dark and Fantastic World.
A gripping graphic novel that takes you into a wild and merciless universe. Om, an innocent and seemingly defenseless character, struggles to survive in a world where nature’s raw power constantly reminds him of life’s fragility.
OM collects a the first stories from Andy Barron's ongoing comic series.
A gripping graphic novel that takes you into a wild and merciless universe. Om, an innocent and seemingly defenseless character, struggles to survive in a world where nature’s raw power constantly reminds him of life’s fragility.
OM collects a the first stories from Andy Barron's ongoing comic series.
252 pages, Paperback
Published January 14, 2022
1 person is currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Andy Barron
6 books10 followersAndy Barron is a London based cartoonist.
He's been drawing and writing comics based in the fantastical world of 'OM' since 2014.
His work has been published in two volumes by The Mansion Press:
2021's 'OM', collecting 8 years of previously self published stories, and 2025's 'Mandala', a standalone graphic novel.
He's been drawing and writing comics based in the fantastical world of 'OM' since 2014.
His work has been published in two volumes by The Mansion Press:
2021's 'OM', collecting 8 years of previously self published stories, and 2025's 'Mandala', a standalone graphic novel.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 1, 2022
For several years now, Andy Barron has been self-publishing short, surreal comics about a chubby, sexless, big-yellow-nippled humanoid character called Om, as well as various other odd creatures inhabiting the same mysterious world. This collection – containing a bunch of his previously self-published strips, plus some new material – is my first taste of his work, but it already has me completely hooked.
Barron clearly takes influence from Jim Woodring. The most obvious similarities are that they both make comics without words and they both borrow ideas and imagery from Hinduism, but the commonalities run deeper than that. Like Woodring, Barron has created a surreal universe that doesn't seem to have fixed rules but nonetheless feels coherent, where he’s started to build a disturbing, quasi-religious mythos. Also like Woodring, Barron's comics are an expression of the subconscious, crafted from archetypal motifs in such a way as to communicate something fundamental and ineffable about the world directly into the reader's lizard brain.
That said, Barron takes inspiration from Woodring without ever being derivative. Despite overlap, Barron’s thematic concerns are clearly distinct from Woodring’s: alongside Woodring-esque torture, mutilation, bodily transformations, emprisonment and enslavement, Om also prominently explores creation and cycles of death and rebirth, and he employs recurring motifs such as blossoming flowers, wearing and removing masks, meditation, and submergence in liquid. Om also differs from Woodring’s work in terms of narrative approach and overall tone: Barron employs less slapstick comedy, and his work generally feels quieter, more sombre and pensive. At times it reminds me of Teratoid Heights by Mat Brinkman or Stages of Rot by Linnea Sterte, in that rather than following the adventures, travails and relationships of identifiable characters, it seems more like it’s simply portraying the denizens and ecosystems of a parallel world as they go about their usual existence.
Om’s most distinctive feature is probably its artwork. Like Woodring, Barron’s cartooning is reminiscent of animation, but whereas Woodring’s work specifically evokes animation from the early 20th century, Om feels a lot slicker and more contemporary. The characters have a delightfully squishy texture and are rendered in a way that makes them feel three-dimensional, with great use of pseudo-cinematic perspectives that replicate the effect of panning cameras, showing events from varying angles. Perhaps most strikingly, Om makes splendid use of colour. Different strips apply colour differently – some are full of vibrant, flat colours, some use limited palettes with a fuzzy risograph-like effect, and one is largely black-and-white – but colour is always employed to great effect, not just looking gorgeous, but also always tailored to the needs of the narrative.
In short, I think this is a must-read for fans of surreal psychedelic comics. It’s beautiful, fun and wonderfully bizarre. What’s more, as surreal art should be, it’s a vital, even transcendent reflection of life and the world.
Barron clearly takes influence from Jim Woodring. The most obvious similarities are that they both make comics without words and they both borrow ideas and imagery from Hinduism, but the commonalities run deeper than that. Like Woodring, Barron has created a surreal universe that doesn't seem to have fixed rules but nonetheless feels coherent, where he’s started to build a disturbing, quasi-religious mythos. Also like Woodring, Barron's comics are an expression of the subconscious, crafted from archetypal motifs in such a way as to communicate something fundamental and ineffable about the world directly into the reader's lizard brain.
That said, Barron takes inspiration from Woodring without ever being derivative. Despite overlap, Barron’s thematic concerns are clearly distinct from Woodring’s: alongside Woodring-esque torture, mutilation, bodily transformations, emprisonment and enslavement, Om also prominently explores creation and cycles of death and rebirth, and he employs recurring motifs such as blossoming flowers, wearing and removing masks, meditation, and submergence in liquid. Om also differs from Woodring’s work in terms of narrative approach and overall tone: Barron employs less slapstick comedy, and his work generally feels quieter, more sombre and pensive. At times it reminds me of Teratoid Heights by Mat Brinkman or Stages of Rot by Linnea Sterte, in that rather than following the adventures, travails and relationships of identifiable characters, it seems more like it’s simply portraying the denizens and ecosystems of a parallel world as they go about their usual existence.
Om’s most distinctive feature is probably its artwork. Like Woodring, Barron’s cartooning is reminiscent of animation, but whereas Woodring’s work specifically evokes animation from the early 20th century, Om feels a lot slicker and more contemporary. The characters have a delightfully squishy texture and are rendered in a way that makes them feel three-dimensional, with great use of pseudo-cinematic perspectives that replicate the effect of panning cameras, showing events from varying angles. Perhaps most strikingly, Om makes splendid use of colour. Different strips apply colour differently – some are full of vibrant, flat colours, some use limited palettes with a fuzzy risograph-like effect, and one is largely black-and-white – but colour is always employed to great effect, not just looking gorgeous, but also always tailored to the needs of the narrative.
In short, I think this is a must-read for fans of surreal psychedelic comics. It’s beautiful, fun and wonderfully bizarre. What’s more, as surreal art should be, it’s a vital, even transcendent reflection of life and the world.
March 19, 2025
AMAZING 👏 🥳🥳🙌🙌🙌👏👏👏
March 19, 2025
Wow. It’s been a long time since I have read a comic book that left me flabbergasted.
This is one of those books where you feel you are holding something special in your hands.
Om is a story that is written in the spirit of Jim Woodring’s Frank world, but unlike Woodring (whom Andy acknowledged as a great inspiration for his artistic style), Om offers an extremely colorful, beautiful world that stands on its own.
The drawing is absolutely mesmerizing. Each panel can be a picture in itself. The line work is clear and the colors are vibrant, giving a vibe reminiscent of Adventure Time while exploring its own unique “unifactor”-like universe.
The stories construct a cruel yet fascinating world. Not all narratives make immediate sense, and I’m certain I didn’t grasp everything. But part of the beauty in the storytelling is precisely this ambiguity which leaves room for personal interpretation.
There is also a very smart portrayal and incisive social commentary woven throughout the stories, adding layers of meaning to the surreal visuals.
Can’t wait till my copy of Mandala arrives to immerse myself further in this captivating world that Barron has created.
This is one of those books where you feel you are holding something special in your hands.
Om is a story that is written in the spirit of Jim Woodring’s Frank world, but unlike Woodring (whom Andy acknowledged as a great inspiration for his artistic style), Om offers an extremely colorful, beautiful world that stands on its own.
The drawing is absolutely mesmerizing. Each panel can be a picture in itself. The line work is clear and the colors are vibrant, giving a vibe reminiscent of Adventure Time while exploring its own unique “unifactor”-like universe.
The stories construct a cruel yet fascinating world. Not all narratives make immediate sense, and I’m certain I didn’t grasp everything. But part of the beauty in the storytelling is precisely this ambiguity which leaves room for personal interpretation.
There is also a very smart portrayal and incisive social commentary woven throughout the stories, adding layers of meaning to the surreal visuals.
Can’t wait till my copy of Mandala arrives to immerse myself further in this captivating world that Barron has created.
March 11, 2025
Filtered through a gauze of pop colours that dissipate into noisy dark grain by the end of the book, this collection of eclectic stories blends spiritual whimsy with twisted and tragic characters capturing the nadirs of the human experience through to the optimism of a flowering bud.
From the white doughy protagonist of 'The Black Book', to the greedy green blob of 'Hund' each character has a sense of belonging as they are dragged through the world of Om sometimes into the maws of a monster, other times to the depths of their own despair. There is a lot to read into across the many stories in this collection of wordless comics, but ultimately they are tales of cycles, rebirth, and hope. Characters are put through the ringer but there is (usually) solace and acceptance at the end of it, despite the trials they are subjected to.
Om is a fantastic debut into a unique world that is full of humour and sincerity. It creates a charming dichotomy between its occasionally violent subject matter and its smooth cartoon visuals, and always retains a beautiful sense of the infinite - anything could happen in this world, and it often does.
From the white doughy protagonist of 'The Black Book', to the greedy green blob of 'Hund' each character has a sense of belonging as they are dragged through the world of Om sometimes into the maws of a monster, other times to the depths of their own despair. There is a lot to read into across the many stories in this collection of wordless comics, but ultimately they are tales of cycles, rebirth, and hope. Characters are put through the ringer but there is (usually) solace and acceptance at the end of it, despite the trials they are subjected to.
Om is a fantastic debut into a unique world that is full of humour and sincerity. It creates a charming dichotomy between its occasionally violent subject matter and its smooth cartoon visuals, and always retains a beautiful sense of the infinite - anything could happen in this world, and it often does.
April 7, 2025
There's something breathtakingly refreshing about Andy Barron's Om. For a wordless book, its unique voice catches your attention from the very first page. It's so very different to just about anything else you'll come across that it doesn't fall neatly into a conventional genre. In some respects it's a fantasy, or maybe science fiction. Or it might be philosophical. Or spiritual. Or a comedy. Or a tragedy. It can be both dark and uplifting, sometimes on the same page. And it's illustrated in a style that blends Warner Bros cartoons, rubber hose animation, and a keen eye for graphic design.
That's all very well, you might be thinking, but what's it about? Told through a succession of vignettes, the stories follow Om, a hapless innocent trying to make his way through an often brutal and unforgiving world. There are god-like entities, sinister and hungry beings, and danger at just about every turn. Things don't always turn out well for Om, suggesting that the lesson is to accept what you can't control. Stuff happens, and sometimes the stuff that happens isn't very nice at all.
But there is hope and beauty and colour amongst the bleakness and despair. It's not, by any means, a miserable book, but a practical one. Whatever Om goes through, he seems to somehow make it to the next short story. He's struggling to survive just like we all are.
The strongest story in the book is the final story, The Black Book, told almost entirely using a mono palette. It's a withering stumble through the underworld that still manages to evoke a hint of hope as Om confronts demons and despair. You have to admire his optimism that keeps him moving forwards.
If you're a little tired of the same old same old, then Om's what you need. Refreshing, interesting, and more than a little strange. But strange is good.
That's all very well, you might be thinking, but what's it about? Told through a succession of vignettes, the stories follow Om, a hapless innocent trying to make his way through an often brutal and unforgiving world. There are god-like entities, sinister and hungry beings, and danger at just about every turn. Things don't always turn out well for Om, suggesting that the lesson is to accept what you can't control. Stuff happens, and sometimes the stuff that happens isn't very nice at all.
But there is hope and beauty and colour amongst the bleakness and despair. It's not, by any means, a miserable book, but a practical one. Whatever Om goes through, he seems to somehow make it to the next short story. He's struggling to survive just like we all are.
The strongest story in the book is the final story, The Black Book, told almost entirely using a mono palette. It's a withering stumble through the underworld that still manages to evoke a hint of hope as Om confronts demons and despair. You have to admire his optimism that keeps him moving forwards.
If you're a little tired of the same old same old, then Om's what you need. Refreshing, interesting, and more than a little strange. But strange is good.
January 4, 2023
Andy Barron's "Om" comics are otherworldly, hypnotizing and at times, terrifying. There's a lot of similarity between the main character, Om, and the "Frank" stories by Jim Woodring. Om, an androgynous blob-like entity, roams the surrealist dreamscapes conjured from the recesses of Barron's mind. Throughout the numerous stories, Om is found going from one misadventure to the next, with each scenario being completly bizarre. While there's plenty of terrifying body mutilation and horror happening, it appears that Om undergoes cycles of rebirth across the destructive nature of the dreamscapes being traversed. Like Woodring's "Frank" stories, Om has some evocative Vedanta/Hinduism motifs at play. However, where the magic in Woodring's cartooning is the detail in the surrealist dreamsscapes, Barron takes a different approach. The linework is more loose and flowing, and vibrant colors flood the panels to make for an interesting juxtaposition between the contents of the wordless story and the artwork.
While the stories themselves are vignettes of a kind, there is a throughline that is found by the ending of this collection. While not every story felt completely cohesive to me, I can't help but marvel at the sheer effort and imaginative power to this comic. Truly a spectacle to behold, and one that will definitely make for rewarding re-reads in the future.
While the stories themselves are vignettes of a kind, there is a throughline that is found by the ending of this collection. While not every story felt completely cohesive to me, I can't help but marvel at the sheer effort and imaginative power to this comic. Truly a spectacle to behold, and one that will definitely make for rewarding re-reads in the future.
April 30, 2022
A very quick read. Very beautiful drawings.
March 23, 2023
Wild and weird. If you are a lover of strange violent worlds absolutely give this a read.
March 25, 2025
What the heck, this is one of the weirdest thigns I've read.
I love it.
I love it.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews