Writer/artist: Ivan Brunetti

Fantagraphics Books

ÌΓ₯ôÜ Ñðü ìéÑ... óýíôïìç ÑðïáóßÑ (think "ðÝíôΓ₯-ÝΓ�Γ© ÷ñüíéÑ"), ôï ultra-Γ°Γ₯óéìéóôéΓͺΓΌ ΓͺÑé Γ³Γ·Γ₯Àüí ìéóÑíèñùðéΓͺΓΌ ÑñéóôïýñãçìÑ ôïá Ivan Brunetti Γ₯ðéóôñÝâΓ₯Γ©. ÊÑé ãéÑ Γ­Γ‘ Ññ÷ßóù ÝíÑ Γ‘Γͺüìç review Γ¬Γ₯ ìéÑ ΓͺëéóÝ âñÜóç, "it's better than ever".

ÌðïñΓ₯ß, ÷ùñßò ðëÜΓͺΓ‘, Γ§ ÑíÑìïíÞ Γ­Γ‘ ÞôÑí ÑðßóôΓ₯áôÑ Γ¬Γ₯ãÜëç, ÑëëÜ ðéóôÝøôΓ₯ Γ¬Γ₯, ÜΓ�éæΓ₯ 100%, ΓͺÑèþò Γ― Àçìéïáñãüò ôïá SCHIZO ãýñéóΓ₯ ΓͺáñéïëΓ₯ΓͺôéΓͺÜ Γ¬Γ₯ôÑìïñâùìÝíïò. Γ„Γ₯ß÷íïíôÑò ðëÝïí ÑðÑëëÑãìÝíïò Ñðü ôçí ÑíÜãΓͺΓ§ Γ­Γ‘ Γ£Γ₯ìßæΓ₯Γ© ΓͺÜèΓ₯ Γ€Γ₯Γ½Γ΄Γ₯Γ±Γ― -Þ Ýóôù, ôñßôï- panel Γ¬Γ₯ Γ³ΓͺÑôïëïãéΓͺÝò, Þ Üëëùò irreverent ÑíÑâïñÝò, Γ― Brunetti ìïéÜæΓ₯Γ© ðéï þñéìïò Ñðü ðïôÝ ΓͺÑé ðëÝïí Ý÷Γ₯Γ© Γ¬Γ₯ôÑôñÑðΓ₯ß Ñðü "thinking man's Johnny Ryan", Γ³Γ₯ ÝíÑ ÜΓͺΓ±ΓΉΓ² ãïçôΓ₯áôéΓͺΓΌ ΓͺñÜìÑ Chris Ware ΓͺÑé Daniel Clowes, âéëôñÑñéóìÝíï Γ¬Γ₯ ìéÑ Γ³ΓͺΓ―Γ΄Γ₯éíÜ ÷éïáìïñéóôéΓͺÞ post-underground ÑéóèçôéΓͺÞ ΓͺÑé Γ¬Γ₯ pacing ðïá ìðïñΓ₯ß Γ­Γ‘ óáãΓͺñéèΓ₯ß Γ¬Γ₯ Ñáôü ôùí ΓͺÑëýôΓ₯Γ±ΓΉΓ­ comic strip artists (Γ₯ìâÑíΓ₯ßò, ΓΉΓ² óáíÞèùò, Γ―Γ© Γ₯ðéññïÝò ôïá Àçìéïáñãïý Ñðü ôïí Γ¬Γ₯ãÜëï Charles Schulz).

Óôï oversized (more like "way oversized") Γ΄Γ₯Γ½Γ·Γ―Γ² #4, Γ― Brunetti ðÑñÑèÝôΓ₯Γ©, ÑðïóðÑóìÑôéΓͺÜ, ôï ðéï ðñüóâÑôï ΓͺïììÜôé Ñðü ôçí ÑáôïÒéïãñÑâßÑ ôïá, Àß÷ùò âáóéΓͺÜ Γ­Γ‘ áðïðßðôΓ₯Γ© óôÑ óáíÞèç conventions ôùí ΓͺëÑóéΓͺΓΎΓ­ ÑáôïÒéïãñÑâéΓͺΓΎΓ­ comics. Óôçí ðñÑãìÑôéΓͺüôçôÑ, Ñáôü ðïá ÒëÝðïáìΓ₯ Γ€Γ₯Γ­ Γ₯ßíÑé Γ§ æùÞ ôïá Brunetti ôÑ Γ΄Γ₯Γ«Γ₯áôÑßÑ ÝΓ�Γ© ÷ñüíéÑ, ÑëëÜ ôï ðþò ÑíôéëÑìÒÜíΓ₯ôÑé Γ― ΓͺÑëëéôÝ÷íçò ôÑ ΓΌΓ³Γ‘ óáíÝÒçóÑí -Γ₯ßôΓ₯ óôïí ßÀéï, Γ₯ßôΓ₯ ãýñù ôïá- ÑáôÜ ôÑ ÝΓ�Γ© ÷ñüíéÑ. ÓôéãìÝò ÑðßóôΓ₯áôçò ÑáôïΓͺñéôéΓͺÞò, Γ£Γ₯ìÜôΓ₯Γ² Γ¬Γ₯ëÑã÷ïëßÑ ΓͺÑé ðñïÒëçìÑôéóìü, Γ‘ΓͺïëïáèïýíôÑé Ñðü óéùðçëÜ panels, ðïá ïÀçãïýí ôïí ÑíÑãíþóôç Γ³Γ₯ Γ°Γ₯ñéóáëëïãÞ ΓͺÑé ðñïóùðéΓͺΓ―Γ½Γ², Γ³Γ·Γ₯Àüí Γ₯íï÷ëçôéΓͺΓ―Γ½Γ² óáíΓ₯éñìïýò, ëßãï ðñéí ÝñèΓ₯Γ© ôï punchline, ðïá ìÑò Γ₯ðÑíÑâÝñΓ₯Γ© üëïáò, Àçìéïáñãü ΓͺÑé ÑíÑãíþóôΓ₯Γ², óôçí ðñÑãìÑôéΓͺüôçôÑ, Γ§ ïðïßÑ Γ₯ßíÑé -Γ₯áôá÷þò Þ Àáóôá÷þò- ðïëý Γ°Γ₯ñéóóüôΓ₯Γ±Γ― "cartoon" Ñð' üôé ìÑò ìÑèÑßíïáí óôï Γ³Γ·Γ―Γ«Γ₯ßï. "Depression has ground my soul into a semi-coarse paste." - "Did I mention I'm in love with a girl who looks like Renee Zellweger and has no idea I exist?"

ÐÑñÜëëçëÑ, Γ― Brunetti Γ£Γ₯ìßæΓ₯Γ© ôÑ Γ₯íÀéÜìΓ₯Γ³Γ‘ strips, ÑáôÜ ÀçëÑÀÞ ðïá Γ€Γ₯Γ­ Ñâïñïýí ÜìΓ₯Γ³Γ‘ ôïí ßÀéï ΓͺÑé ôç æùÞ ôïá, Γ¬Γ₯ ìéΓͺñÝò, ΓͺùìéΓͺïôñÑãéΓͺÝò éóôïñßΓ₯Γ² ÒÑóéóìÝíΓ₯Γ² óôç æùÞ -Þ Γ³Γ₯ óôéãìéüôáðÑ ôçò æùÞò- Ñëçèéíþí éóôïñéΓͺΓΎΓ­ ðñïóþðùí, Γͺáñßùò ΓͺÑëëéôΓ₯Γ·Γ­ΓΎΓ­, çèïðïéþí, óáããñÑâÝùí ΓͺÑé âéëïóüâùí. ÌïñâÝò üðùò Γ― Soren Kierkegaard, o Erik Satie, Γ§ Francoise Hardy ΓͺÑé Γ§ Louise Brooks, óáíáðÜñ÷ïáí ÑñìïíéΓͺÜ óôï ßÀéï comic Γ¬Γ₯ strips ðïá Ñâïñïýí ôç ó÷Ýóç ôïá Àçìéïáñãïý Γ¬Γ₯ ôéò ãáíÑßΓͺΓ₯Γ² (ΓͺÑé ôçí Γ₯ììïíÞ ôïá Γ¬Γ₯ ôï "doggiestyle"), ìïíïëüãïáò ãéÑ ôçí ìÑôÑéüôçôÑ ôçò Ñíèñþðéíçò ýðÑñΓ�çò ΓͺÑé ôçò ΓͺÑëëéôΓ₯Γ·Γ­Γ©ΓͺÞò ÀçìéïáñãßÑò, ìÑèÞìÑôÑ Γ³Γ·Γ₯Àßïá (sort of), óáìÒïáëÝò ãéÑ Γ₯ðßÀïΓ�ïáò cartoonists (Γ₯ßíÑé ÑðßóôΓ₯áôï ôï ðüóï Γ‘ΓͺñéÒÞ Γ₯ßíÑé ΓͺÜðïéÑ Ñðü ôÑ "22 Panels That Always Work" ðïá ðÑñÑèÝôΓ₯Γ© Γ¬Γ₯ -âÑéíïìΓ₯Γ­Γ©ΓͺÜ- óÑôáñéΓͺÞ ÀéÜèΓ₯Γ³Γ§ Γ― Brunetti) ÑëëÜ ΓͺÑé "love letters" Γ³Γ₯ ÑãÑðçìÝíïáò Àçìéïáñãïýò üðùò Γ― Charles Schulz. ÅðéðëÝïí, ôï running gag strip, Γ¬Γ₯ ôïí ΓͺÑëëéôÝ÷íç ðïá ðñïóðÑèΓ₯ß Γ­Γ‘ ÀçìéïáñãÞóΓ₯Γ© ôïí "ðßíÑΓͺΓ‘-ÑñéóôïýñãçìÑ", ÑðïΓͺôÜ, ΓΌΓ³Γ― ðñï÷ùñÜ ôï Γ΄Γ₯Γ½Γ·Γ―Γ², ìéÑ Ñßóèçóç Γ³Γ·Γ₯Àüí ÒéÒëéΓͺÞò óïâßÑò, Γ₯Γ�çãþíôÑò ïáóéÑóôéΓͺÜ Γ¬Γ₯ ðïéΓͺßëïáò ôñüðïáò ôï, óÑôÑíéΓͺÜ Ñðëü ΓͺÑé Γ₯Γ�ΓΉΓΆΓ±Γ₯Γ­Γ©ΓͺÜ Ñáôïíüçôï, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

Ó÷Γ₯ÀéÑóôéΓͺÜ, Γ― Brunetti, ΓͺÑôÜ ôçí ðñïóâéëÞ ôïá óáíÞèΓ₯éÑ, ÷ñçóéìïðïéΓ₯ß ðïëëÜ ÀéÑâïñΓ₯ôéΓͺÜ óôéë, ðñïóÑñìüæïíôÑò ΓͺÜèΓ₯ âïñÜ ôç ãñÑììÞ ôïá óôéò ÑíÜãΓͺΓ₯Γ² ôçò éóôïñßÑò ðïá èÝëΓ₯Γ© Γ­Γ‘ ÀéçãçèΓ₯ß. ÁëëïôΓ₯ èáìßæΓ₯Γ© PEANUTS, óá÷íÜ Chris Ware, ΓͺÑìéÜ âïñÜ Dan Clowes, Γ₯íßïôΓ₯ ëßãï Ñðü Seth, ΓͺÑé Γ¬Γ₯Γ±Γ©ΓͺÝò âïñÝò Γ‘Γͺüìç ΓͺÑé ôç ó÷ïëÞ "craft is the enemy" ôùí James Kochalka ΓͺÑé Tom Hart, ìçí Γ�Γ₯÷íþíôÑò, üìùò, Γ­Γ‘ ΓͺñÑôÜΓ₯Γ© Γ³Γ₯ ÑñΓͺΓ₯ôÝò Γ°Γ₯ñéðôþóΓ₯éò ΓͺÑé ôï "ðÑëéü" ðñïóùðéΓͺΓΌ ôïá óôéë. ÁΓͺüìç ΓͺÑé ôÑ stick figures ôßèΓ₯íôÑé Γ³Γ₯ ìéÑ-Àáï Γ°Γ₯ñéðôþóΓ₯éò óôçí áðçñΓ₯óßÑ ôïá Brunetti, Γ¬Γ₯ ôñüðï ðïá ðéèÑíüôÑôÑ Γ€Γ₯Γ­ èÑ ìðïñïýóΓ₯ Γ­Γ‘ ΓͺÑôïñèþóΓ₯Γ© ΓͺÑíΓ₯ßò Γ­Γ‘ ÑíôéãñÜøΓ₯Γ©. It's all fair game - if you know how to play.

Áí Γ‘ΓͺïýãïìÑé Γ₯íèïáóéÑóìÝíïò óôçí ΓͺñéôéΓͺÞ ìïá ãéÑ ôï SCHIZO #4, Ñáôü óáìÒÑßíΓ₯Γ© Γ₯Γ°Γ₯éÀÞ ðñÑãìÑôéΓͺÜ Γ₯ßìÑé. Ôï óáãΓͺΓ₯ΓͺñéìÝíï Γ΄Γ₯Γ½Γ·Γ―Γ² Γ₯ßíÑé Ñðü ÑáôÜ ðïá Γ³Γ―Γ΅ ÑíÑðôΓ₯ñþíïáí ôéò Γ₯ëðßÀΓ₯Γ² ãéÑ ôï ìÝëëïí ôçò 9çò ÔÝ÷íçò ΓͺÑé ôéò ÀáíÑôüôçôΓ₯Γ² ôùí íÝùí Àçìéïáñãþí, ðïá èÑ Γͺëçèïýí ôÑ Γ₯ðüìΓ₯Γ­Γ‘ ÷ñüíéÑ Γ­Γ‘ ΓͺñÑôÞóïáí øçëÜ ôç óçìÑßÑ ôçò. ¸íÑò cartoonist ðïá ÑíïßãΓ₯Γ© ÝíÑ comic Γ¬Γ₯ ôç âñÜóç "I hereby declare PEANUTS to be the greatest post-war comic strip of all time", ôï ΓͺΓ«Γ₯ßíΓ₯Γ© Γ¬Γ₯ ôçí ÑôÜΓͺΓ‘ "Life is but a void of misery, consumption and loss" (Γ§ ïðïßÑ ÑðïÀßÀΓ₯ôÑé Ññ÷éΓͺÜ óôïí Gandhi, ìÝ÷ñé ΓͺÜðïéïò Γ­Γ‘ ÀéÑÒÜóΓ₯Γ© ôçí ðÑñÑðïìðÞ -and that's what I call a real punchline- ðïá Γ�Γ₯ΓͺÑèÑñßæΓ₯Γ© ðùò "Gandhi never actually said this") ΓͺÑé Γ₯ðéôáã÷ÜíΓ₯Γ© Γ­Γ‘ Γ£Γ₯ìßóΓ₯Γ© ôï -âÑéíïìΓ₯Γ­Γ©ΓͺÜ Ñ÷ÑíÝò, óôçí ðñÑãìÑôéΓͺüôçôÑ ìüíï 32 oversized Γ³Γ₯ëßÀΓ₯Γ²- Γ₯Γ³ΓΉΓ΄Γ₯Γ±Γ©ΓͺΓΌ ôïá, Γ¬Γ₯ ÑðßóôΓ₯áôΓ₯Γ² óôéãìÝò comicsΓ©ΓͺÞò ìÑãΓ₯ᥕ, Γ₯ßíÑé ÜΓ�éïò èÑáìÑóìïý, Γ¬Γ₯ëÝôçò ΓͺÑé óáã÷Ññçôçñßùí.

Áí Γ₯ßíÑé Γ­Γ‘ ÑãïñÜóΓ₯Γ΄Γ₯ ÝíÑ ìüíï comic ÑáôÞí ôçí Γ₯ðï÷Þ, Γ₯ðéÒÜëëΓ₯ôÑé Γ­Γ‘ Γ₯ßíÑé ôï SCHIZO #4. ÊáñßΓ₯Γ² ΓͺÑé Γͺýñéïé, ôï ðñþôï ÑñéóôïýñãçìÑ ôïá 2006 Γ₯ßíÑé Γ₯Àþ. ÁΓͺüìç ΓͺÑé Ñí Γ― -Γ₯Γ�ÑéñΓ₯ôéΓͺÜ ÑíÑóâÑëÞò ΓͺÑé óá÷íÜ ðïëý Ñáóôçñüò Γ¬Γ₯ ôïí Γ₯Ñáôü ôïá- Àçìéïáñãüò ôïá, ôï Γ¨Γ₯ΓΉΓ±Γ₯ß -Γ₯Γ­Γ€Γ₯÷ïìÝíùò- ìÝôñéï.