Sound: A Comics Anthology

In this resonant collection, creators from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand explore the theme of sound. Standout entries include “Folk” by Paolo Chikiamco and Borg Sinaban, a fable about an underground karaoke studio for mythological beings; “Hokkien for Beginners” by Nicolette Lee, in which a girl struggles to learn her Chinese grandmother’s dialect; “Blabber” by Bonni Rambatan, in which an old cassette tape stirs up family memories; and “Signals” by Farid Nad, which uses a “threat assessment” alert to depict the hyper-awareness developed by a queer college student in a country where homosexuality is illegal. Other selections find inspiration in the intonations of oral history, a car radio, the “shriek of the soul” in a fantasy world, and a barking cat. The volume serves well as a showcase of Southeast Asian comics art; representing a range of styles and genres, the pieces are uniformly appealing and assured. But what comes through most cogently is the vitality of the contributors, who embrace art as a force for human connection, self-expression, and political action. “Sound is a force,” reflects the protagonist of “Folk”; “If it’s loud enough, it can move the world.” Taken together, these comics sound a resilient note of hope. (Sept.)