Liquid City, Vol. 3

The third volume of the anthology series brings together Southeast Asian comics creators to showcase a variety of styles. The theme here is the one story you would wish to share were the world to be ending. The results are fairly diverse—sci-fi apocalyptic tales, autobiography, familial sagas—but a common thread emerges: the preservation of myth and legend as that which makes us human. As is often the case with anthologies, the quality of contributions is uneven, but there are a few stand-outs: Vietnamese artist Tidius Fair Supertramp’s underwater cat-dream tale is gorgeously rendered and ominously atmospheric, as is Malaysian artist Aks Kwan’s opening story, “Disappear.” Another highlight is Indonesian author Tita Larasati’s highly personal and moving account of prejudice and identity; Singapore’s Elvin Ching’s recollection of mandatory military duty is similarly honest and heartfelt in its discussion of the vulnerability of ordinary young men forced to join the army. This anthology fulfils it purpose: readers are introduced to an array of interesting creators who they would most likely not encounter in general reading, and they are likely to look for more from the best contributors. (June)