Niger #1
By Leroy Douresseaux
October 3, 2006 - 13:55
Fantagraphics Books
NIGER #1
FANTAGRAHICS BOOK/COCONINO PRESS
CARTOONIST: Leila Marzocchi
ISBN-13: 978-1-56097-811-4
ISBN-10: 1-56097-811-2
32-page 2-color saddle stitched 8 1/2” x 11", with jacket $7.95
Born in the depths of a lake, a new being named “Pupa” finds herself in The House on the Tree located somewhere in The Forest of the Burnt Spruce.
Watched over by a small company of birds, including the owls Momi and Tyto Alba and the chickadee, Gualtiero,
Pupa takes refuge in a glass on the tabletop.
The curious birds organize to protect her while she safely grows.
Niger #1 is an ecological fable from artist Italian cartoonist Leila Marzocchi (L’Enigma).
The art, done in woodcuts with shades of red, black, white, and gray for color, is perfect for this tale of a band of animals protecting a small, strange creature, which suddenly discovers that its journey to adulthood has now become an epic adventure.
Marzocchi, who once drew manga for Kodansha magazine, gives a sweetly dark magic to this anthropomorphic tale with her woodcut art.
Looking at this book, I’m once again delightfully surprised at the materials and media that can be turned into a comic book.
Like all of the Ignatz line (of which this is the 12th book), Niger is a beautiful object and intriguing graphic narrative, with the former striving to be fine art and the latter on the way to being comic art.
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