Invisible Parade

Review Date: 2022 March 16 20:45

Reviewed by: Joe

Released by: Glacier Bay Books

Publishing Country: USA

Author: MISSISSIPPI

Age Rating:

Page Count: 160

ISBN-13: 9781953629111

Summary

Invisible Parade collects 13 stories both recent and from over a decade ago. This is the definitive collection of Kyoto-based painter and comic artist MISSISSIPPI's comics work.

Review

Invisible Parade is the latest offering from indie manga publishers Glacier Bay Books. It collects the works of Kyoto-based painter and comic artist MISSISSIPPI.

While each story is stand alone as they're by the same person they all have a similar feel. MISSISSIPPI's works all have a surreal and absurdist twist. There's an element of light hearted whimsy in the works and they often have a reveal or strange and amusing punch line.


The artwork isn't like the conventional manga style of fine ink lines you'd be familiar with. Instead the artist has a mix of water colours, along with slightly thicker lined less detailed characters. Big dotted screen tone often features too. All the artwork is lovingly rendered in a blue tone.


The collected format works well. Each short story is just about the right length, most of them work with a similar rhythm. It builds up a fun premise and then ends with an amusing conclusion. It's hard to talk about the stories too much without spoiling, and we're always keen on avoid spoilers, we started compiling a list of our favourites in the collection, but then realised it was most of the stories! That's what makes this collection fun is how they're set in a slightly different world to our own, some are in a near future world, others where magic and wonder can exist.


We received a digital review copy, but we're keen to see a physical copy. Glacier Bay have a habit of using great paper and print stock We were really impressed with their recent release of False Stars by Sayaka Mogi. We're told Invisible Parade is presented on Munken paper, which gives it a very luxurious finish.

We welcome titles like this as it's almost more of a zine than a manga anthology. It's a great read as each story just hits the mark. It's definitely worth grabbing a copy.

Rating: 9/10

Notes

ISBN 978-1-953629-11-1
approx 160 pages
sewn binding, 1 color pms printing on Munken paper, matte dust jacket.
Editing & Design: Emuh Ruh
Lettering: Tim Sun
Translation: [various]
Anna Schnell
Jocelyne Allen
MISSISSIPPI
Andy Jenkins
Jun Kitamura
Emuh Ruh