Uri Fink puts the fun in fundamentalism with Fink!
Randy:
Don and I get a lot of comics from various publishers and creators, but Fink! stands out in my mind as the first to come to us from Israel.
Don:
Fink offers up some simple pop-culture parodies that show off ust how perceptive he is. He takes aim at the tumultuous socio-political climate in which he lives, and his perceptive writing is both funny and poignant at the same time.
Fink!
published by Hippy Comix Inc.
written and illustrated by Uri Fink
Randy:
When I first took a look at Fink!, I was a little worried that I might find it more offensive than funny. The situation in the Middle East has what seems like plenty of insanity on both sides of the conflict, and since Fink lives in Israel, I was afraid that the book might wind up being little more than a biased attack on the Palestinians. Happily, that's not the case, and Fink recognizes the ludicrous elements of the situation on both sides.
Don:
You've hit the nail on the head. There's plenty of blame (and not a lot of credit) to go around, and Fink delivers a balanced satirical look at a conflict that places more emphasis on things and symbols than lives. And to achieve an even more balanced effect, Fink offers up some humor that has nothing to do with the Israeli/Palestianian conflict. There's simple toilet humor and tongue-in-cheek criticism of Christianity as well.
Randy:
Fink! is essentially a Mad magazine style parody of the Middle Eastern culture, using recognizable pop culture figures to make its points. Those figures include Archie and friends, the Powerpuff Girls and of course the original cast of Star Trek. I got a few chuckles out of this, notably from the outwardly-nice but truly demented "Fundementalists" and the dead-on Archie parodies, but I have to admit that in general I found the humor a little toothless. The book is in a weird zone, not really appropriate for kids because of the subject matter but not quite edgy enough for adults to be considered really cutting edge humor.
Don:
Here, we don't agree. Whether it's through "Battya & Sharonica" or his spin on Art Spiegelman's Maus, Fink explores intricate political and religious fanaticism and exposes that kind of thinking for the foolishness it really is. Fink isn't denouncing the ideologies; he simply condemns those who take the most extreme approaches to them.
Randy:
While the book didn't crack me up a whole lot, I do have to credit Uri Fink for his ability to capture the style of whatever he's parodying. The Archie parodies are not an identical match for the clean art style used on those books, but the likenesses of the characters done up in regional clothes and fashions are perfect. And the somewhat simplistic style of the Powerpuff Girls is captured as well.
Don:
We're back on the same page again. Personally, I thought the Charles Atlas ad parody on the back page was one of the funniest bits in the whole book. He captures the awkward anatomy of that classic comic-book ad and superimposes zealotry for a funny -- yet thought-provoking -- punchline.
Randy:
To be honest, my favorite parts of this book were the ones where Fink didn't go for over-the-top humor or parody, but instead revealed some of himself. His views and experiences of cartooning in Israel were fascinating and revealing to me, and the five page "Lonesome Dove" sequence where he basically depicts the inner war of anger versus a desire for peace was absolutely terrific reading.
Don:
While I enjoyed getting a look at the creative process as well, I was more interested in Fink's insight into a chaotic socio-political situation from which I am far removed. The creator opened my eyes a bit more and entertained at the same time.
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