The Yellow Jar: Two Tales from Japanese Tradition - Patrick Atangan
As the title implies, this book has two traditional Japanese tales, one about the Yellow Jar, and the other about two Chrysanthemum Sisters. What the title doesn't tell you is that they are done in comic book fashion, but in the traditional Japanese style. The people, the patterns of their clothing, the architecture, and the landscape; everything is reminiscent of old paintings you see in museums, and lends an air of authenticity to the tales.
The stories themselves are the mythological sort: a fisherman finds a woman floating in the sea in a yellow jar; a woman cries a river of tears; a talking elephant and ox; two sisters who are flowers. Honesty and loyalty are praised; superficiality and attention to outward appearances is criticized. Pretty much what you'd expect there. The writing is a little awkward at times and sounds a little stilted, but the drawings make up for it, and show that there's more to comic books than heroes in tights.
Fed to jonathan's brain | August 20, 2003
