Fractured Kiss #3

Posted: Tuesday, April 27, 2004
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Fractured Kiss #3 Creator(s): Gina Biggs, Traci Allen, Robin A. Sobolewski, Traci Allen
Publishers: Moonation Comics (Self Published)
From: USA
Price: $4 (US)

This anthology has a romantic focus, with stories dealing with guys and gals handling relationship problems. There is a strong manga influence on show in half of the stories - Robin A. Sobolewski sets her contribution in Japan, with a young couple facing separation when one gets a job in England without telling the other. Robin uses lots of zipp-o-tone effects and manga mannerisms.

Gina Biggs also has a touch of the manga to her work, with a story of two school pupils who don't really get on find that they each want to help the other with their problems. It a quite touching story with a hint of a supernatural element.

Joanna Estep gives us an amusing wordless tale of jungle love as a brash Tarzan want-to-be tries to show off to the to the village women. He soon learns that they are more than willing to put him in his place. The impressive art is in the style of Disney animation such as Lelo and Stitch, with very humorous looking characters.

Traci Allen's story is a rendition of a Scottish folk story about a lonely giant and his platonic relationship with a local human woman. He's looking for a giant woman to love so goes off in-search of one, leaving his female friend slightly jealous. Traci has a quite individual art style, making more of an effort on the texture than the other contributors.

All the artwork here is attractive to the eye. It's an interesting exercise to contrast the art styles used. The manga work tells less per page than those that use a more western style of layout. The stories are all fun, with a mix of slice of life and fantastical tales. It's an appealing read that will cheer up the most morose reader.

In a Word: Romantic.



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