Crenshaw's Books & Decks

I came across this Korean comic series by accident, and bang! Pow! Shsss! It is awesome.

Suee -an independent, aloof, intellectually developed cynical 12y.o.- has just moved to the suburbs with her workaholic father. Their new house and suburb is a bit miserable, her father is never present or caring, and her glorious days at her posh school are over. The Outskirtsville's school is mediocre by all means, as well as its students - a group of stereotypical people that Suee dislikes because they are too plain and predictable. Isn't she adorable? Things start to get interesting when, a series of events have her shadow talking to her. Why is her shadow talking? Why it comes and goes? Why aren't other people's shadows talking? Why are guys becoming mentally zombified? Why has the Exhibition Room been closed?

This is a mystery series, very addictive and intriguing. It is initially for early teens, but both the style and the script are good enough to enthral most adults, because there is a lot of delicious delightful dilettante darkness. Beyond the intriguing factor, I I thought that it is great that the way Suee's shadow is depicted is very Jungian! Like explaining the shadow to teens without having to go through the nitty-gritty of what the shadow is. Another element that had me glued.

The visual style of the comic is very much my liking: crispy-clean sleek images, interesting characters, with a masterful use of shadows, composition and colour. The images are dominated by black, white and different shades of grey, with the use of cut-out coloured elements in a glorious red (for action, aggression, rage, hits, attention) and pastel colours for the skin and dresses of some characters.

This is traditional comic storytelling at its best, coming from two unknown Korean authors (plus the translator, who has done a terrific job!).

To be continued...