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MOME #4
MOME Spring/Summer 2006
This accessible, reasonably priced anthology runs approximately 120 pages per volume and spotlights a regular cast of a dozen of today's most exciting cartoonists. "Mome" is quickly earning a reputation as the premiere literary anthology in comics. Think of something like "The Believer" or "Granta"--especially in regard to iconic design, format, and content--but with comics.
The fourth volume of "Mome" includes the following: R. Kikuo Johnson ("Night Fisher") contributes a series of comic strips created for a gallery show in New York City that could be mistaken for a forgotten classic from the Sunday Funnies circa 1935; John Pham's "221 Sycamore Street," an ongoing graphic novel about three very strange people who board in a two-story house, presented in a unique three-color process; Paul Hornschemeier's "Life with Mr. Dangerous," a full-color narrative about a young woman who struggles to define a life outside of the example her mother provides, spending far too much time watching a cartoon called "Mr. Dangerous"; David Heatley ("Deadpan, McSweeney's") weaves a surreal, layered graphic novel around the inhabitants of Overpeck, a city he conceived in a dream; and Andrice Arp's (Hi-Horse) retelling of ancient Japanese fairy tales in a lovely two-color format. The issue also features new work by Anders Nilsen (in full-color), Jeffrey Brown (of "Clumsy, Big Head ," and "McSweeney's" fame), Kurt Wolfgang ("Where Hats Go"), Gabrielle Bell ("Scheherazade"), Jonathan Bennett ("Esoteric Tales"), Martin Cendreda ("Dang "), Sophie Crumb ("Belly Button Comix"), and Tim Hensley ("Weird Tales of the Ramones").
The fourth volume of "Mome" includes the following: R. Kikuo Johnson ("Night Fisher") contributes a series of comic strips created for a gallery show in New York City that could be mistaken for a forgotten classic from the Sunday Funnies circa 1935; John Pham's "221 Sycamore Street," an ongoing graphic novel about three very strange people who board in a two-story house, presented in a unique three-color process; Paul Hornschemeier's "Life with Mr. Dangerous," a full-color narrative about a young woman who struggles to define a life outside of the example her mother provides, spending far too much time watching a cartoon called "Mr. Dangerous"; David Heatley ("Deadpan, McSweeney's") weaves a surreal, layered graphic novel around the inhabitants of Overpeck, a city he conceived in a dream; and Andrice Arp's (Hi-Horse) retelling of ancient Japanese fairy tales in a lovely two-color format. The issue also features new work by Anders Nilsen (in full-color), Jeffrey Brown (of "Clumsy, Big Head ," and "McSweeney's" fame), Kurt Wolfgang ("Where Hats Go"), Gabrielle Bell ("Scheherazade"), Jonathan Bennett ("Esoteric Tales"), Martin Cendreda ("Dang "), Sophie Crumb ("Belly Button Comix"), and Tim Hensley ("Weird Tales of the Ramones").
120 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 6, 2018
Did not enjoy any of it. Not even one bit :(
February 26, 2017
Wow, for a spring time anthology this contained a lot of depressing stories. The majority of the stories were those typical indie mumble core autobiographical, everything is hopeless types we've all come to hate. I mean if you're not Chris Ware, you should find a different genre.
That being said, this book is saved and redeemed by a few of its contributers. David B. finishes the book with a long story called the Veiled Prophet which I thought was a delightful period myth.
Anders Nilsen has a short story that he said was the original draft for Dogs and Water. It's beautiful.
R. Kiku Johnson has a short story about an early conservationist who killed birds in order to draw them. Its a nice analysis of the origins of conservationism.
Paul Hornscheeier contribution is nice, but falls firmly into that mumblecore category I mentioned earlier.
Jeffrey Brown contributes a mumblecore story about an existentialist Godzilla. Ahaha, okay, that one is allowed.
Overall an excellent anthology, and I hope to collect more of the series.
That being said, this book is saved and redeemed by a few of its contributers. David B. finishes the book with a long story called the Veiled Prophet which I thought was a delightful period myth.
Anders Nilsen has a short story that he said was the original draft for Dogs and Water. It's beautiful.
R. Kiku Johnson has a short story about an early conservationist who killed birds in order to draw them. Its a nice analysis of the origins of conservationism.
Paul Hornscheeier contribution is nice, but falls firmly into that mumblecore category I mentioned earlier.
Jeffrey Brown contributes a mumblecore story about an existentialist Godzilla. Ahaha, okay, that one is allowed.
Overall an excellent anthology, and I hope to collect more of the series.
January 6, 2009
This issue of MOME felt a little too dry to me. Sophie Crumb turns the pen on herself to point out being bored by "existential" comics in which the writer wastes ten pages to describe him or herself taking out the garbage, and this critique ironically applies a little too well to several of the comics in MOME.
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Veiled Prophet," by David B., as well as some of Crumb's observations of crust culture.
In every issue of MOME I've read through, I've tried to read the feature interview in the middle and ended up skipping it. I attribute this to my background in journalism and my opinion that every MOME interview plays out like two artists trying to describe the other's ideas and being consistently met with disagreement. It is to be expected, but I think the interviews could be much more rich if the interviewers didn't constantly attempt to insert words in the mouths of the interviewees.
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Veiled Prophet," by David B., as well as some of Crumb's observations of crust culture.
In every issue of MOME I've read through, I've tried to read the feature interview in the middle and ended up skipping it. I attribute this to my background in journalism and my opinion that every MOME interview plays out like two artists trying to describe the other's ideas and being consistently met with disagreement. It is to be expected, but I think the interviews could be much more rich if the interviewers didn't constantly attempt to insert words in the mouths of the interviewees.
August 31, 2022
I love all the dreams in this one!
February 23, 2010
solid, but not as good as some of the others I've read. Still can't stand Sophie Crumb's stuff, had already read the John Pham stuff in Sublife, still don't like Anders Nilsen's stuff...
BUT David Heatley stuff is AWESOME, Paul Hornscheimeier's continuation of Life with Mr. Dangerous continues to be really good, I really liked the Gabrielle Bell stuff....
y'know, there actually was a good Sophie Crumb bit in here that's totally crass and inappropriate and awesome, called "Smone Bean the Pre--Mature Teen". I just can't stand when she writes about her life amongst the nyc squatterpunx.
anyway. recommended. It's a quick read and easy to skip stuff you aren't into.
BUT David Heatley stuff is AWESOME, Paul Hornscheimeier's continuation of Life with Mr. Dangerous continues to be really good, I really liked the Gabrielle Bell stuff....
y'know, there actually was a good Sophie Crumb bit in here that's totally crass and inappropriate and awesome, called "Smone Bean the Pre--Mature Teen". I just can't stand when she writes about her life amongst the nyc squatterpunx.
anyway. recommended. It's a quick read and easy to skip stuff you aren't into.
January 10, 2008
I did enjoy it, although few of the contributors had anything to really say - just vague existential musings. Which can be OK, but I prefer there to be a loose story attached - the words shouldn't be an afterthought. People rarely save their best stuff for periodicals anyway, so I forgive them. Also, many of the contributors just draw like Daniel Clowes and Chris Ware, which I kind of don't mind, because DC and CW aren't prolific enough. You can guess who Sophie Crumb draws like. Overall, not impressive, but enjoyable though innit.
January 16, 2014
It was interesting... depressing at moments. I enjoyed most of the art in it. There were a few stories I really liked. For the most part tho it was just alright.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews