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COUCH TAG #1
by Jesse Reklaw
($1.50 ppd from Jesse Reklaw / PO Box 11493 / Berkeley, CA / 94712 USA. Web:
www.slowwave.com)
Review by Rick Bradford
I have to admit, in all sincerity, that I've never read a mini-comic by Jesse Reklaw that I didn't enjoy. Something about his work just grabs me. Even when I occasionally think the drawings at first appear to lack energy, it doesn't matter; as soon as I actually read the story, everything works and I'm hooked. It's a subtle, sneak-attack sort of style that I admire.
This particular mini-collection contains three pieces. "Goldfish" depicts a creepy childhood memory, the sort I imagine most people have a handful of. "Wrong Turn" is a weird dream. And, really, what's a Reklaw collection without at least one dream comic? This one features the artist, his sister, Bill Clinton and Dan Quayle. The final entry, "Two Letters from My Grandmother", is just that, illustrated. It's also the most personal and least fulfilling piece (in the sense of conclusion). The two letters in question were written a decade apart and illustrate just how much things can change in a few years and how dissatisfying certain aspects of growing up may be.
"Goldfish" and "Two Letters..." both appear to have been done on scratchboard. Whether or not they were
actually created that way I can't say for sure, but they do look nice. Recommended.
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