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TAKE-OUT #2, 4, 5
(Raina Telgemeier,
www.goRaina.com)
#2 (
Review by Carol Pond)
This issue contains short vignettes, pin-ups, and longer stories, mostly autobiographical. These comics are well-drawn in that pleasant, cartoony, Sean Bieri-ish style. I laughed, I cried, I read it again. "Black Sand" is a short, bittersweet memory — the art captures the emotions vividly. My favorite story in her is "Beginnings." It's about Raina's reactions to reading — at her father's suggestion —
Barefoot Gen when she was nine years old. It's an incredibly moving story; I love it when her mother tells her, "There's no such thing as 'just a comic book'." You go, Mom!Recommended.
#4 (
Review by Alan Rankin)
Short slice-of-life funnies from this Brooklyn cartoonist, including: waiting on a subway train at midnight, eating a whole box of Cap’n Crunch, dressing for a “pimps & hoes” party. Raina’s drawing style reminds me a lot of another cartoonist, better known, but I can’t quite put my finger on who…gimme a second…oh, it’s Phil Foglio. (That’s a good thing.) There are nice touches like this one: when Raina’s working on her hair in the bathroom mirror, the panel borders look like a medicine cabinet. (Betcha didn’t think anyone would notice that, did ya, Raina?) My only complaint is the book is too short — not for the price, I just mean that right when she’s won you over with her charming style, the book is over, leaving you wanting more. Again, not a bad thing, especially for a comic drawn in a single week. Raina sez other issues are available via e-mail or in some New York comics stores.
#5 (
Review by Rick Bradford)
This issue of
Take-Out is something of a comic book diary, with each page representing a day. The events here take place during Christmas/New Year's and is a charming look at family as Raina goes home for the holidays. As Carol and Alan mention above, comparisons might be made to Sean Bieri or Phil Foglio, but I think I also see a little Shary Flenniken and Lynn Johnston. I enjoyed it and there's no doubt that this issue is only a taste. In fact, I'm really looking forward to reading something a bit longer from her. I think I can say with confidence that if you haven't seen Raina's work in better comic shops (her contribution to
Broad Appeal, for instance), then you
will soon. Get these mini-comics while you still can.
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