And Then One Day

Posted: Tuesday, July 27, 2004
By: Darren Schroeder

Creator: Ryan Claytor
Publisher: Elephant Eater Comics (Self Published)
Address: PO Box 1854, Santa Ynez, CA, 93460, USA.
Price: $2(US)

Whimsical reflections of every day as we follow Ryan through his autobiographical adventures with friends, cars, haircuts and relatives.

Ryan has collected 25 strip in this attractive mini comic. A lot of them don't make much sense, cause they seem more interested in capturing states of being. A scene or an event observed evokes a feeling in Ryan, and he tries to pass that feeling on to the reader; the wonder of how a bug holds onto a car window, the helpfulness of a girlfriend picking up stuff from the comic shop. (Any partner who does that is a keeper!)

The artwork is charming in its clarity and the sense of humour it imparts. Chickens with there heads cut off, Ryan exercising with Popeye forearms - all nice touches that slip into the panels without dominating them, so that the strips have a friendly, easy going feel to them.

The cover is a tactile treat with the art silkscreened onto peach coloured velvet paper - it's so nice to hold and feel. Everyone who has seen it sitting on my coffee table immediately wants to pick it up.

The book has an under-written feel to it, with strips lacking punch-lines or obvious conclusions. The random nature of Ryan's observations and their briefness make me think of haiku. As little moments of thought they are intriguing, but I can't help think that a bit more punch to the strips might be useful.

In a Word: Mild.

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