If you haven’t already, check out my Shortbox Comics Fair reviews for 2023 and 2022.
Coppelia and Swanhilda — HANA CHATANI
Based on the ballet of the same name, it follows a young girl named Swanhilda whose romantic life has been shaken by Coppelia — another young girl who never seems to move, hear, or talk, yet has seemingly caught the heart of her fiancé. With the help of her friends, Swanhilda stages a break-in to uncover the mystery.
Having read all of this artist’s previous comics for Shortbox, while still an impressive 70-page endeavour — the longest comic I bought — I personally found it lacking in the depth of their previous work. As always, there’s an added emotional depth and element of pyschological-type horror not present in the original ballet, but this depth is lacking compared to what came before. If you’ve already seen or know of the ballet, this is more-or-less a nicely-drawn adaptation of it.
Dogsbody — LILY VIE
Set in and around a fantasy town, Dogsbody centres around an un-named veterinarian, whose abilities at talking to animals are turned on their head when he discovers what the other townsfolk have been saying about him behind his back.
By far one of the most interesting and ambitious concepts of the comics I read, and with a very unique, colourful style — appreciated, especially considering the current state of fantasty/sci-fi colour schemes — but said colourful style also makes the story hard to follow at times. A second read is needed to fully appreciate and understand the story.
Hibernation Guide for Rabbits & Hares — L. ADASSOVSKY
A dual-language comic revolving around an eclectic group of anthropomorphic rabbits (and hares), who have all gathered at a ‘hibernation hotel’ in preparation for the long winter.
Having expected a cute comic based on the cover alone, there’s a surprising amount of thoughtful insight on the concept of ‘community’ and on the changing environment. In spite of the relatively short page length compared to the number of characters, they all stand out and are all uniquely charming, and this is overall the most “feel-good” of all the comics I read.
Algaeca — MOHNFISCH
One evening, various peoples of differing statuses take refuge in a grand castle, its main inhabitant a young lord whose curse leads him to shun any and all human contact. When a young girl decides to explore, a chance meeting with the young lord forces him to confront his fears.
One of the entries I was most surprised by. A short but fascinating take on the “beauty and the beast” trope that has rarely been subverted, invoked, or parodied in ways I enjoyed before. I also enjoyed the open ending; lots of room for interpretation there.
Week-end Texas Ranger — SPACECHOO
Set in 2000s France, Week-end Texas Warrior is the author’s semi-autobiographical recount of spending weekends with her father, who is, among other things, a Clint Eastwood fanatic.
In terms of visuals, this artist has really made use of limited palette very well. This comic will certainly be relatable to anyone who has been in a similar familial spot, but is still charming to those who haven’t. The “Texas warrior” father in particular leaps off the page; Spacechoo has done a good job balancing his good humour with his more overbearing tendencies, especially when it comes to how a teenager might feel about said tendencies.
The Swan Jar — ELLEN HE
The shortest comic I read, Ellen He’s The Swan Jar is a textless comic about a young boy and the events that occur after he breaks the titular swan jar.
Without saying too much, The Swan Jar is childlike, short, and charming. Aside from the effort made into making a comic fully absent of text, narrative, or dialogue, what really stands out is He’s blending of digital and traditional art. It’s very reminiscent the books I remember reading as a child, and being able to emulate this “children’s book” style is what she has done very well.
The Art Archive 