In the Garden

Posted: Tuesday, December 23, 2003
By: Darren Schroeder

Creator: Athonk
Publisher: (Self Published)
Address: USA and Indonesia/A>
Price: $5 (US), $5 AUS, 20 RP.

Old Skull the puck rocker who doesn't seem to have any flesh on his skull hangs out with his friends discussing the effects of smoking, war, hurricanes and Valentines Day. He seems to be a traveller as several stories are set in the Bars of New Orleans.

Athonk's artwork is great to look at with the characters having a lively appearance. Old Skull is a striking character with his mohawk, selection of punk t-shirts, and sunken eyes. Even though he looks a wild sort there isn't much at all that readers would find extreme in these strips. Old Skull is just trying to have fun. There's an existential stance in a couple of stories, and he gets into discussions with friends about how bad for them smoking is. We will have to take his word that marijuana is better for us.

The dialogue is occasionally stilted which suggests that it is Athonk 's second language, and I lack the skills to decipher the goings on is the group of Indonesian language comics. The humour isn't laugh out load and the book isn't actioned packed, but they have an enjoyable quirky quality.

In a Word: Spiky

---

Got a comment or question about Small Press?
Leave at message at the Independent/Small Press Forum.

---