Attic Wit #1-2
Mr. Big #1-2
By Matt Dembicki (and Carol Ault on Mr. Big)
Published by and available from Matt
Dembicki
You can't get much further apart than the subject matter of these two titles, but they are united by Dembicki's enthusiasm and visual approach. That said, one works for me and the other, not so much.
Getting the "not so much," out of the way, Mr. Big is a story about frogs in a pond, and the rhythm of life to be found therein. Ault and Dembicki attempt to create some sort of naturalistic symphony in harmony and resonance with human experience; while Dembicki shows some skill in depicting this environment (he's clearly influenced by Steve Bissette, not at all a bad thing), the goings-on of the pond just don't grab my attention. A text note promises that there's a larger story that will unfold, but the mini-comics format seems overly restrictive in meeting that goal. Dembicki's pretty pictures also take a back seat to some not-altogether successful scratchboard technique in the second issue. An interesting experiment, and one that I might look into again, but I'm left fairly ambivalent about Mr. Big.
A whole other story is Dembicki's solo title Attic Wit, which spends its first two issues serializing "The Greater Punishment," a fevered short story by Polish author Marek Huberath. It's a twisted tale of sadism, mind-games and indoctrination, with a genuine Eastern European feel to it. Dembicki's art is more visceral in its approach than that seen in Mr. Big, but the Bissette influence is still evident (and welcome).
"The Greater Punishment" concerns Rud, who has ascended to what we presume is Heaven after spending time undergoing devastating torture that has scarred his body and mind. As he recovers and grows stronger he is forced to navigate the confusing and often humiliating militarized environment in the afterlife. This compelling tale is a strong argument for the survival of comics as an artform -- here's an unknown creator bringing to light and reinterpreting a significant but pretty much unknown work, driven by nothing more than a passion for the story.
Dembicki is a developing talent, and his storytelling insticts are strong. I look forward to seeing what he does in future issues of these titles, especially Attic Wit. Grade: (Mr. Big) 3.5/5 (Attic Wit) 4/5