Five Days Out of Seven #1

Posted: Wednesday, December 29, 2004
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Five Days Out of Seven #1 Creator(s): Stephen Knowles
Publishers: Self Published
From: England
Price: £ 6

Most o us have to do it, even though we dream that we could stop. If you enjoy it, you are one of the one of the lucky ones. If you somehow mange to live without it, the rest of us hate you. Stephen's collection of stories focuses on the soul destroying aspects of this scourge.

A couple of the stories cover very similar stories of guys who started doing it at unusual hours in the hope of having enough time and money to peruse their creative endeavours. While the tone of the stories is depressing, Stephen adds little bits of criticism which undercuts the characters exposition. We feel sorry for them while also understanding their faults might have contributed to their situation. The stories capture quite ordinary people thinking about their place in the world, how their plans for the future somehow got sidelined by the deadly daily routine of life.

This comic has a very appealing presentation. The cover image gives a good taste of Stephen's illustration style: fine-lined simplified cartoons that leave a lot of the panel empty. This economy of line doesn't mean the panels lack detail - a few scratchy lines easily create the impression of lived in interiors or rumbled clothing.

The presentation of the book comes together well in its large format and heavy card cover resulting in a handsome, upmarket package that demands attention. The burnt orange cover will stand out on the shelves, and the buff coloured interior pages look classy. The downbeat nature of the content mean this isn't really trying to be an entertaining read, but it does make the reader think, and those with a dark sense of humour might even have a chuckle or two.

In a Word: Work.



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