SEE-SAW by Sara Edward-Corbett
($8.00,
Partyka,
Sara Edward-Corbett)
Reviewed by Henry ChamberlainSara Edward-Corbett's
See-Saw is one of the highlights of this year's
MoCCA without a doubt. I would even say it was the best surprise for me. This beautifully packaged collection of Sara's comix published in
The New York Press presents us with a motley crew of children caught up in the often sublime and surreal world of childhood.
Sara breaks new ground with a sure hand. Embracing many a comics trope, she turns them on their heads. Charlie Brown may say, "Good Grief!", but Chucky says, "You're a Fartknocker!" It is an expression that leaves the rest of this hip
Peanuts gang perpetually bewildered. It inspires Georgie, a viable match for Linus, to ask Chucky, "Perhaps you suggest that I pass gas so violently as to cause my buttocks to knock together as knees might knock?" To which Chucky replies, "Whoa...I've never thought about it so deep before...you've opened my eyes!" To which Georgie replies, "Perhaps, I am not a fartknocker but a mindblower!"
Drawn in a delicate clean line, these characters are pretty to look at but clearly have their share of demons to exorcise. In
See-Saw, you will find that just as expectations are raised that something cute and innocent is transpiring, something sad and ironic occurs, a model followed by masters of the comics medium such as Charles Schulz and Tony Millionaire. Clearly, Sara shares more with the sensibilities of Millionaire but the humanity of Schulz is definately there too.
Her collection of strips is showcased under a beautiful screenprint cover and, on the back inside page, there is a cloth screenprinted ducky that holds a very cool "cootie catcher" covered with all manner of wondrous animals. It used to be that you'd call something that was retro as well as original "post-modern" and then, later on, the term became "post-post-modern." Well, Sara's book does not need that sort of labeling. It's just plain good. Do yourself a favor and get a copy soon.
[ Link to this review ]
