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KISSING CHAOS #1
Highly Recommended (9/10)
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Oni Press
Writer/Artist: Arthur Dela Cruz
Editor: Jamie S. Rich
Price: $1.95 US |
I really didn't know what to expect from Kissing Chaos. Dela Cruz is a new name in comics, hailed as "Oni's latest find." I hope readers aren't turned away by the fact that he's pretty much untested, because he tells a haunting, human story that's piqued my interest. After seeing this first issue, fans of indy and small-press comics will have Dela Cruz's name on their lips.
Damien has shot someone, attracting the attention of the police. Angela is lost inside herself, oblivious to what's going on around her after a close encounter with death. And Raveyn always thinks of herself as in control, as being one step ahead of everyone else. Each is running from something or someone, and these three young, fragile lives collide outside a diner.
Dela Cruz's art put me in mind of the work of such comics artists as Sam (Zero Girl) Kieth and Brian (Channel Zero) Wood. There's a strong sense of realism, but the darkness conveys an eerie quality as well. The sketchy quality of the art adds to that disturbingly dream-like atmosphere.
To be honest, the plot itself, in its early development here, is rather vague, but Dela Cruz handles it well. He instills a sense of mystery and foreboding by holding back key information, as opposed to creating confusion. It adds to the oddly hazy but enticing quality of the book, as does the somewhat disconnected tone of Angela's narration. It makes for a reading experience that is calming, thought-provoking and disquieting all at once.
Sixteen pages may strike some as far-too short a length for a single issue of a comic book, but Dela Cruz's work was a perfect choice for the new format. Sixteen pages of Kissing Chaos go a long way. The book reads at a enjoyably lazy and reflective pace.
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