Reviewed by Juan Jose Fernandez.
A Savage Journey to the Heart of An Anime Convention by M.S. Harkness.
Minneapolis based cartoonist, M.S. Harkness has never been afraid to publish autobio that doesn’t neatly fit into categories, and A Savage Journey is no exception.
This book is a 42 page, punchy zine of the age old story of getting way, way too high at an anime convention! An autobio romp that answers the question,”What’s the worst that could happen?”
This sidesplittingly funny zine hits every emotional beat while employing an array of narrative tricks that are more than just fancy footwork. All the tools are there for you to laugh at Harkness, laugh with Harkness and feel for Harkness.
Harkness has succeeded in creating a comic that offers up the intimate experience of a friend retelling a nuanced memory over a drink. It’s personal, while also technically deft. Layouts are effective, all the brushwork is tight and well executed and as such all the marks on the page smoothly serve as a vessel for this particular telling of Harkness’ memory.
It’s important to note that this is not a bear-all style bit of autobio, Harkness is able to still maintain a space for privacy for herself. It’s an intimate piece of autobio that hints at much more of her life without attempting to overwhelm the reader.
You can read the preview that M.S. Harkness has offered up online. Want to read the whole thing? Cough up those $4 and fall deep into the heart of chaos…