COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Get Your Slice of Life With ‘Increments’
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Comics has usually been about super heroes. If ever they aren’t, they would probably be something fictitious. But Increments isn’t about that. In fact it might be the opposite.
Comics has usually been about super heroes. If ever they aren’t, they would probably be something fictitious. But Increments isn’t about that. In fact it might be the opposite.
Increments is made up of four short stories. These stories can be mostly categorized as slice of life, everyday scenarios illustrated into comics. Now people might think that it would be boring but it actually offers a different experience by seeing a situation from the point of view of a spectator. Joanne Cesario‘s way of storytelling not only manages to make the story easily understandable for the audience, but also passes on the feelings created in each story. The character’s dialogues might be plain but they feel natural and it provides what the story needs to progress. Nothing more, nothing less. I enjoyed the second story, Micro, in which a kid is left to hang out at a baggage counter with a teenager. Coming from different statuses, readers will see how those two differ and still manage to enjoy each other’s company.
Michelle Bacabac’s art for Increments can be easily identified as doodles. It’s like one of those art that was drawn at your notebook in the middle of a boring class. There are almost no straight lines, even on the panel boxes. Still, her illustrations are enjoyable. Each panel can be understood easily by the readers. It also matches the atmosphere of each story and how it is told. Even though it really differs in art from other komiks out there, it still manage to partner up beautifully with the storytelling. I find comics like these really enjoyable. Short stories that has a weird plot partnered with illustrations that looks far from serious but doesn’t look too comedic. It’s just the right combination that lets you focus more on the story.
The only problem that I can imagine is that people might find it too normal and bland. We might have been too used to giant mechas, super powered heroes, or mythological entities so a change of scenery might not sit well with others. Though if you want to take a break from those then it might be a good time to pick up Increment. There are no laugh out loud moments here, but you can probably relate to the story. I recommend reading Increments on a rainy morning with a hot cup of choco.