Namby Pamby

Posted: Tuesday, July 16, 2002
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Namby Pamby Creator(s): Rina Q. Ayuyang
Publishers: Self Published
From: USA
Price: $1 (US)

Ever wondered what people get up to in other parts of the world? Being down here at the bottom of the globe (New Zealand) can feel cut off from where everything is happening. Rina's comic helps link the reader with life in her corner of the world. Through the four stories in this collection we get a slice of life in the US that makes you realize that not everyone in the States is exactly the same as the stereotypes, and that they have more in common with you than you might think. We all have to go to the department store and put up with rude staff and items that don't have the correct scanner code. Teenagers get up to naughty hi jinks during the holidays, falling out with some people and laughing at who their friends go out with.

Rina's work here has a gentle quality to it. Her plots don't rush the telling of her stories, things drift along in a dreamy state of affairs with art that copes well with conveying a contemplative tone, as well as the occasional burst of energy. The range of characters is broad, with no two looking or acting the same. Their facial features are very expressive of their moods and thoughts. Rina uses a range of grey tones to successfully give a feel of substance to her illustrations, though the photocopying is sometimes a bit murky.

The range of stories is varied with observations on shopping, teenagers having Halloween adventures, life changing advice being offered by a jar of honey, and a meditation upon suburban landscaping. Lots to think about and much to appreciate.

In a Word: Meditative.



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