Delay: A Comics Anthology

Loke (Sound) and Chikiamco present an intriguing but scattershot collection of short comics by Southeast Asian creators, including work from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Highlights include “Syncopation” by Aime Marisa and Bonnibel Rambatan, about two refugee girls who share a love of dance while waiting for Malaysian citizenship; “The Other World,” in which Cathlyn Vania visualizes the problems of daydreaming through imaginative patchwork paneling; and the lushly illustrated “Delayed” by Peter Lin and Angela Wu, which revisits a grandmother’s past as a glamorous Singapore Superjet flight attendant. Other pieces are less polished or less clearly connected to the theme. While Loke’s previous volume in the publisher’s series of themed anthologies delivered canny depictions of “sound” in comics, the challenge of showing “delay” here seems less inspiring. One clever exception is Paati Philosophy’s “Fish Curry Tastes Better the Next Day,” which demonstrates the power of patience through a slow cooking recipe. “There’s room and space for the occupants of the pot and the house to breathe,” Philosophy explains as characters drift on a rowboat through a giant curry pot. The black-and-white printing showcases a range of artistic styles and the breadth of Southeast Asian comics talent, but only a few entries stand out as exceptional. Still, curious readers with time to pause and peruse will find some treasures. (Apr.)