By Lise Myhre (Titan Books)
ISBN 1-84576-689-9
The newspaper strip is a dying beast in our modern world. What once was a defining aspect of both tabloid and quality periodicals throughout the world has very little effect on contemporary publishing, and if it wasn’t for the internet I’d probably be preparing an article on the entire sub-medium for my “pending obituaries†file. So it’s a delight to be able to review a book collecting a (relatively) new strip that’s accruing some international acclaim as well as wowing the daily readers of our own daily papers.
Running in Metro for the last few years, Lise Myhre’s Nemi recounts the adventures of a modern miss with a graphic twist. Nemi is a cute, irascible, temperamental Goth girl dealing with the world of work and the chronic lack of Great Nights Out in the best way she can.
The recurring themes include boyfriends, work, that darned computer, drinking, hangovers, and all those other bugbears that bedevil the contemporary scene. Not all the gags hit the mark, and sometimes the colour palette seems a little bright for such a darkly surreal and cynical minx, but it’s early days yet.
If you’re looking for something to give to the comic civilian, this is a solid, fresh choice.
© 2007 Lise Myhre/Iblis ANS, Norway. All Rights Reserved.