Walking Man Comics Presents Special #62

Posted: Wednesday, June 14, 2006
By: Steve Saville

Cover of Walking Man Comics Presents Special #62 Creator(s): Matt Levin
Publishers: Walking Man Comics (Self Published)
From: USA
Price: $2(US)

This is not the first time I have entered Matt Levin’s merry world of rubber stamp created mini comics. As the last visit was a pleasant and uplifting experience I was looking forward to my return. Especially as this "Special" was a mammoth [by Matt’s standards] 25 pages long.

This compilation celebrating 10 years of monthly mini comic publication contains nine of Matt’s distinctive comics. All are told using a limited [if increasing] range of rubber stamps.

Most of the nine self contained comics are concerned with justifying the use of rubber stamps in the creation of comic art. Many are also explanations of the process used to create these unique creations.

There is a recurring underlying sense of frustration running through this compilation at what Matt perceives as a refusal by many in the small press world to take his work seriously or even consider his comics to be comics at all.

There are deviations from this primary thread but the overall theme of this compilation is a defence of Matt’s chosen method of expression and a celebration of creation in the face of diffidence. Matt describes this as "stick–to–it–iveness."

This "why" and "how" concern is illuminating but does tend to border on the repetitive so it is with joy that we read the final story in the comic, "Style," where Matt succinctly explains his aim in one beautiful phrase, my hope is to create a minimalist elegance.

It is a shame that after 10 years that Matt feels the need to justify or explain anything. It is also a shame that a tinge of frustration has crept into the simple joyfullness that has run so richly through his other mini comics.

As I have said in a previous review these are not examples of high art but they are expressions of self in artistic form. They are original and more often that not fun. In a world too often dominated by a serious conservatism, originality and fun are just fine by me.

Oh and Matt you sent a copy of #61 in but that particular mini comic has already been reviewed. Cheers though.

In a Word: Inktrospective.



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