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SLOW NEWS DAY #4
Highly Recommended (10/10)
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Slave Labor Graphics
Writer/Artist: Andi Watson
Price: $3.50 US |
Though Slow News Day and Breakfast After Noon are as different in tone as night and day, it's becoming clear that
they share a similar theme, that of the choices we make in life. There have been
hints all along that neither Katharine or Owen are exactly where they want to
be, and this issue they are both confronted with big victories, big changes and
some big decisions to make. In amidst all of that, we have the same small charm
that has permeated the book from the beginning, as the reporters' chasing of a
couple mundane stories ring as true as the rest of the journalism aspects have
so far.
Honestly, I'd read this series
just for the examination of small-town journalism, which is shown to be a fairly
universal experience in this series, whether it's in America or England. Seeing
the utterly mundane stories that Katharine and Owen find themselves chasing, and
the excitement that these ordinary people find at seeing their lives in the
limelight, is entrancing. I particularly enjoyed that the hamster story,
something that might get five minutes at the end of the evening news in large
cities, earned front page treatment over paying advertisers for a small-town
paper like Wheatstone Mercury.
In addition to the chasing of
small stories, Watson also does a terrific job showing how universal some
elements of life are. The office politics at the Wheatstone Mercury, whether
it's the traditionalism that pushes Katharine away or the fight between ad sales
and reporting that is only heightened by a romantic relationship between a
reporter and the head of ad sales, are something I think anyone could relate to.
And there's a feeling in the book that the work and home lives of these people
aren't separated, but intertwined, the way they are in most peoples' lives.
Part of that universal appeal comes in Watson's deceptively simple artwork. Scott McCloud talked about how iconic representation was easy to relate to in Understanding Comics, and Watson's work is a terrific
example of that. The figures are simple, but distinguishable from one another,
and the backgrounds are more suggestive than detailed. However, for all its
simplicity, the work boasts an amazing range of expression, as the characters
convey subtle emotions such as annoyance, bemusement, frustration and confusion
with no difficulty at all.
While I've been fascinated by
the story so far, this issue surprised me with just how far it advanced the
personal story arcs of everyone involved. By the time this issue ends, there are
major decisions and potential consequences for all of the main characters, and
it seems clear that right now everyone isn't certain what they want or how to go
about getting it. If I wasn't already hooked by stunning dialogue,
characterization and art, I'd certainly be coming back for the story after this
issue.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board. |
