MOME Summer 2007

MOME #8

by Gary Groth (Editor), Eric Reynolds (Editor)

The eighth volumes of the acclaimed quarterly comics anthology--a 2006 Harvey and Eisner Award nominee for "Best Anthology."
This accessible, reasonably priced, quarterly anthology runs approximately 120 pages per volume and spotlights a cast of a dozen of today's most exciting cartoonists. "Mome" is quickly earning a reputation as one of the premier literary anthologies on the market, and the only one comprised entirely of comics. Hightlights of the seventh and eighth volumes include: the concluding chapters of Lewis Trondheim's "At Loose Ends," an autobiographical diary comic that portrays the acclaimed French cartoonist at a crossroads in his life and work; the "Mome" debuts of Eleanor Davis, Tom Kaczynski and T. Edward Bak; contributions from "Mome" regulars such as 2006 Eisner Award Most Promising Newcomer nominees Jonathan Bennett and R.Kikuo Johnson, as well as Tim Hensley, David Heatley, Paul Hornschemeier, Anders Nilsen, Sophie Crumb, Kurt Wolfgang, Andrice Arp, Martin Cendreda, Zak Sally and Gabrielle Bell.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Anthologies, Fiction

120 pages, Paperback

First published June 27, 2007

Reviews

[Sooraya Evans · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. Bear in mind, it's not a positive 'Wow'.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this issue of Mome as much as past issues. Partly because most of writers I enjoyed reading in Mome have gone bye-bye. Paul Hornschemeier is still here, but his story seems to have kind of stalled out in this issue. The Emile Bravo story is kind of a funny take on mid 20th Century Americans (titled Young Americans, it makes me wonder if European Artists really find this song amusing in some way, since this and Lars Von Triers use of the song at the end of Dogville both wield this in a similarly ironic manner). Jonathan Bennett and Tom Kaczynski both have good Dan Clowes kind of pieces. With the exception of Sophie Crumb, everything here is generally good, there just aren't the exceptional pieces that I had enjoyed in earlier Momes.

[Bob Comparda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good anthology of alternative comics. Standouts include Al Columbia, Jonathan Bennett, Joe Kimball, Émile Bravo, and the first comic by Ray Fenwick.

Ray Fenwick - Hate Free Zone ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ray Fenwick - Maximum Chat Efficiency ⭐⭐
Eleanor Davis - Stick and String ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ray Fenwick - The Contestant ⭐⭐⭐
Sophie Crumb - Lucid Night-Mare, part 3 ⭐⭐
Ray Fenwick - Bitch!1!1! ⭐
Tom Kaczynski - 10,000 Years ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Émile Bravo - Young Americans ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Al Columbia - Fucking Felix ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jonathan Bennett - Meditation on the Grid ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Joe Kimball - Hide & Watch Me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lewis Trondheim - At Loose Ends, part 3 ⭐⭐⭐
Sophie Crumb - Lust Ain't Just ⭐⭐⭐
Gary Groth - Eleanor Davis Interview ⭐⭐⭐
Paul Hornschemeier - Life with Mr. Dangerous, part 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ray Fenwick - Please, Talk to the Hand ⭐⭐⭐
Ray Fenwick - Tough and Shocking Love ⭐

[Jamil · Rating 2 out of 5]

i know i said i didn't like anthologies, and really didn't like MOME that much in particular... well that's still true, but there are more good stories in this one than the previous volumes I've read, like the one by Emile Bravo & Lewis Trondheim's contribution. There is one great story also, "10,000 Years" by Tom Kaczynski. It's off kilter science fiction that made me think of that Rick Moody story I read and loved several weeks ago.

[Malcolm Fraser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has an Eleanor Davis sketch of a man pissing on a cat. That alone is worth 4 stars.

There's a bunch of other great stuff in here too - including the beautiful 'Stick and String' by Eleanor Davis - a story about love? Maybe? How relationships change you? Possibly.

'10,000 years' by Tom Kaczynski is a wild dream-logic flow of ideas. It really works for me, and sometimes this type of thing just fails. Great stuff.

'Young Americans' made me laugh like a drain, flicking backward and forward through the duplicated pages. Hilarious.

Johnathan Bennet and Lewis Trondheim both have fun pieces in here too.

Overall a really great, solid issue.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eleanor Davis' cover story, Sophie Crumb's one-pager and especially the second one-pager by Ray Fenwick were highlights but most was confusing and/or dumb.

[Devowasright · Rating 5 out of 5]

you guys have got to pick up a copy of this.. one of the best comics anthologies ive ever come across.. everything from one page rants to a story that has run since the first issue. extraordainaraly well done

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A new low.