New Pompeii #25
In a city overflowing with talented comic artists Michael Hind has managed to pump out 25 issues of his bimonthly comic New Pompeii. Not only is he prolific in a medium which takes up an inordinate amount of time, but the stories he writes about are often funny, sometimes serious, but always intelligent and well drawn. This issue sees the return of “Uklik le petit phoque,” a harbour seal which harbours resentments against human society. Jay the Blind Jaywalker, told in a three panel gag format, is also a consistently hilarious character, a variation on a theme. Also in this issue: the continuation of “D”, a complex family history told in stark charcoal and blacks; Chapter 4 of a short story called “Romp,” which reads like an excerpt from a Penthouse letter; and a two pager called “Midnight Sun” about an Inuit being tossed on a blanket who comments on our fame-obsessed society from a unique vantage point. Although Hind is true to the serialized format I sometimes felt like I was walking into a room in the middle of a conversation. I prefer it when he waits to collect one story line into a single issue. (AB)