Minute Reviews

A few weeks ago, I was talking to Avery and he said he wanted to know more about Argentine comics. Well, I hate leaving my blog empty while working on longer posts*, so I’ve decided to do something new: minute reviews. I will take two comics and write about them over a period of five minutes. Usually, it takes me a really long time to write anything, so having a set time limit will ensure that I actually reach my weekly posting goal. Sounds like a good plan, right?

Ordinario by Gustavo Sala

Published by Llantodelmudo in 2010

I bought this book in the Centro while going comics shopping with Jeremy, one of my friends from Escuela Argentina de la Historieta. After spending all my lunch money on comics, I took the Subte and just had to read Sala’s tales of gross perversion right then. Luckily, I got a seat and began reading…only to be glared at by the old lady next to me who was able to see the page. Why was she looking at me with such a cara de culo? Well, Sala’s self-contained cartoons are based on gross, but often-hilarious sexual humor. He plays with words and Argentine phrases. And I am proud to say I understood about 89.5% of his jokes. To see more of his work, check out his blog.

Divito/Lino Palacio: Leyendas del comic argentino

Published by Nueva Biblioteca Clarín de la Historieta

The book is made up of different characters, drawings, and storylines written by Divito and Lino Palacio. Because most of the comics were drawn in the 40’s I understand very little of the humor or don’t find it funny. My two favorites are “Oscar, Dientes de Leche” and “Doña Tremebunda.” Oscar is an adorable, cowardly lion that loves milk! He chases after it, steals it, and when he finally gets it is so happy he has little hearts floating above his head. Anyway, it is a really adorable comic. Doña Tremebunda is a sassy woman that gets what she wants. When her date can’t find the tickets for a theater event, she turns him upside-down, emptying his pockets to help him find the tickets more quickly. To silence a whistler, she sticks a carrot in his pursed lips. When a truck accidentally splashes her on the street, she runs after it, climbs on it, and punches the driver in the face. I think I like her so much because she sort of reminds me of myself…always trying to find a solution to a problem, even if it means being a bit aggressive.

An original "Oscar, Dientes de Leche" print from Todo Colección, an online auction site.

Also, Oscar gets killed all the time in the cartoons.

A cartoon of Doña Tremebunda being a badass.

*I am, I promise, working on a post about the rest of my trip to Lobos, but I had amnesia for the past week and forgot everything. And then I reunited with a twin that was stolen at birth by an evil maid and… I can’t think of any more soap opera plot points. But really, it is almost done. I just need to work out a few details and then I will post it.