Überbabe #2

Posted: Tuesday, March 11, 2003
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Überbabe #2 Writer(s): Lisa Voldeng
Artist(s): Gerry Fournier
Publishers:
From: Canada
Price: $6.00 (US)

It's 1915. A young woman is found wandering in the grounds of a nunnery. She knows nothing of her past, so ends up in an asylum. It soon becomes apparent that there is something supernatural about her, as the other patients start react in very strange ways to her presence..

This is an impressive looking package. The book cones in a square format, similar to those old 7 inch singles record companies used to put out in the days of vinyl. Pull off the restrained but striking slip case and you find a small poster of the main character, Überbabe. The cover of the book has a quote on the front, and publishing information, web links and credits.

Gerry's artwork has a fluidness to the lines but is never untidy. Instead he keeps the illustration simple and elegant. No tow pages have the same panel layout. Effective use is made of a limited color pallet, with some colors making a striking appearance at dramatic points in the plot.

Lisa supplies a story that keeps the reader guessing. From a story about a strange girl to a meditation on war there's a range of levels in action here. The dialogue has a stilted quality to it, giving the impression that it has been translated from its first language. This works well with the German setting of the plot.

The effort that has gone into putting this superior comic together is well hidden behind the crisp simplicity of the presentation. Lisa and Gerry make it look easy to produce an intelligent graphic narrative. If only it were so.


Cover shown is for issue 3

In a Word: Sophisticated.



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