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The first and most comprehensive source of abstract comics on the web, tracing the history and surveying the contemporary landscape of abstract sequential art.
Andrei Molotiu, Administrator
Contributors
Articles:
Essays:
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Links:
- Abstract Comics Tumblr
- Абстрактный комикс | VK
Blog Archive
The coolest people on earth
On Abstract Comics: The Anthology (Currently SOLD OUT):
The artists assembled by Andrei Molotiu for his anthology ABSTRACT COMICS (Fantagraphics, $39.99) push “cartooning” to its limits... It’s a fascinating book to stare at, and as with other kinds of abstract art, half the fun is observing your own reactions: anyone who’s used to reading more conventional sorts of comics is likely to reflexively impose narrative on these abstractions, to figure out just what each panel has to do with the next.
--Douglas Wolk, New York Times Book Review, Holiday Books edition, December 6, 2009
The collection has a wealth of rewarding material... it is a significant historical document that may jump-start an actual new genre.
--Doug Harvey, LA Weekly
It becomes a treat to take a page of art - or a simple panel - and consider how the shapes, texture, depth, and color interact with one another; to reflect on how, when one takes the time, the enjoyment one ordinarily finds in reading a purely textually-oriented, narrative-driven written story can - with the graphic form - be translated into something completely different.
--Adam Waterreus, Politics and Prose, "Favorite Graphic Literature of the Year."
...this arresting book is like a scoop of primordial narrative, representational mud. Which is to say, it has vitaminic powers.
--Design Observer
For years, comics (at least American ones) have doggedly refused for one reason or another, to consider other schools of art and beyond mere representation. It's only now we see artists attempting to branch out and try to push at the edge's of the medium's definition. As such I found Abstract Comics to be a revealing, thought-provoking and genuinely lovely book that I'll be sure to be rereading in the months to come.
--Chris Mautner, Comic Book Resources
Previews:
20-page preview at Fantagraphics Books
Fanta preview on Flickr
Anthology preview on this very blog
Features and interviews:
Comic Book Resources interview with Anthology editor Andrei Molotiu
Artforum.com interview
Multi-part abstract comics feature at Action Yes online quarterly
Reviews:
First review of Abstract Comics: The Anthology at Comic Book Jesus
Blurb on list of "The Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer 2009" (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Jog's brief review
Douglas Wolk's brief review
Comicsgirl's review
Chris Mautner's review at CBR
Our first Spanish-language review
Review at Graphic Novel Reporter
Review at Comic Book Galaxy/ADD's blog
Review by Sara Cole at PopMatters
Review in Berlin daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel and Iffy Google translation of same
Further blog post by writer of Der Tagesspiegel review
Review by Pedro Moura, in Portuguese
Douglas Wolk in the NY Times Book Review
Book Soup blog
Craig Fischer and Derik Badman discuss the Anthology at Madinkbeard
Best-of lists:
Eisner Award 2010 nominee for best anthology
Politics and Prose
Doug Harvey in LA Weekly
Design Observer
Reviews of "Silent Pictures" exhibition:
Review at Dart: Design Art Daily
Japanese-language review of "Silent Pictures" and Google translation of same
Buy:
Order Abstract Comics: The Anthology from Amazon.
The artists assembled by Andrei Molotiu for his anthology ABSTRACT COMICS (Fantagraphics, $39.99) push “cartooning” to its limits... It’s a fascinating book to stare at, and as with other kinds of abstract art, half the fun is observing your own reactions: anyone who’s used to reading more conventional sorts of comics is likely to reflexively impose narrative on these abstractions, to figure out just what each panel has to do with the next.
--Douglas Wolk, New York Times Book Review, Holiday Books edition, December 6, 2009
The collection has a wealth of rewarding material... it is a significant historical document that may jump-start an actual new genre.
--Doug Harvey, LA Weekly
It becomes a treat to take a page of art - or a simple panel - and consider how the shapes, texture, depth, and color interact with one another; to reflect on how, when one takes the time, the enjoyment one ordinarily finds in reading a purely textually-oriented, narrative-driven written story can - with the graphic form - be translated into something completely different.
--Adam Waterreus, Politics and Prose, "Favorite Graphic Literature of the Year."
...this arresting book is like a scoop of primordial narrative, representational mud. Which is to say, it has vitaminic powers.
--Design Observer
For years, comics (at least American ones) have doggedly refused for one reason or another, to consider other schools of art and beyond mere representation. It's only now we see artists attempting to branch out and try to push at the edge's of the medium's definition. As such I found Abstract Comics to be a revealing, thought-provoking and genuinely lovely book that I'll be sure to be rereading in the months to come.
--Chris Mautner, Comic Book Resources
Previews:
20-page preview at Fantagraphics Books
Fanta preview on Flickr
Anthology preview on this very blog
Features and interviews:
Comic Book Resources interview with Anthology editor Andrei Molotiu
Artforum.com interview
Multi-part abstract comics feature at Action Yes online quarterly
Reviews:
First review of Abstract Comics: The Anthology at Comic Book Jesus
Blurb on list of "The Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer 2009" (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Jog's brief review
Douglas Wolk's brief review
Comicsgirl's review
Chris Mautner's review at CBR
Our first Spanish-language review
Review at Graphic Novel Reporter
Review at Comic Book Galaxy/ADD's blog
Review by Sara Cole at PopMatters
Review in Berlin daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel and Iffy Google translation of same
Further blog post by writer of Der Tagesspiegel review
Review by Pedro Moura, in Portuguese
Douglas Wolk in the NY Times Book Review
Book Soup blog
Craig Fischer and Derik Badman discuss the Anthology at Madinkbeard
Best-of lists:
Eisner Award 2010 nominee for best anthology
Politics and Prose
Doug Harvey in LA Weekly
Design Observer
Only The Cinema’s Best Comics of the Decade
Reviews of "Silent Pictures" exhibition:
Review at Dart: Design Art Daily
Japanese-language review of "Silent Pictures" and Google translation of same
Buy:
Order Abstract Comics: The Anthology from Amazon.
Nice job Mike. I can tell it's you by the way you draw a line wavy. I love the format abstract comics takes, it's abstract but it's also comics, which means it's sequential. That kind of gives it a (dare I write) literary feel. I mean the images are appealing and all with the sensual curves rising and falling as the ribbon weaves it's way through the story but, ... what's really striking me about the piece is it's impression as a whole. The ratio'd, numbered panels are metered in such a way as to make the narrative of the piece stylishly formalized, the same way iambic pentameter or haiku do, so in this way it feels like a poem. When does this kind of sequential art stop being 'comic' and start being 'poetic'? It seems like this piece approaches that. Good job Mr. Getsiv for creating the artform further still.
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