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Jennifer Daydreamer: Oliver

By Leroy Douresseau
November 9, 2003 - 10:16

Jennifer Daydreamer: Oliver is the first in a series of stand alone comic books from mini-comics artist Jennifer Daydreamer. Oliver takes places in Ms. Daydreamer's fantasy world, Encephalon (another word for brain) and where, in this book, three stories intertwine into a tapestry of surrealism and symbolism.

Although the author tells the stories in a somewhat linear fashion, the narrative seems to fold in upon itself. The stories aren't hard to follow, but they're strange and a bit incoherent. Likely the reader isn't meant to take this literally or to even understand the tales on an intellectual level. They're meant to evoke feelings and emotions, which they successfully do. There is an edgy humor here, and Encephalon seems like a fairly dangerous place, where the threat of harm is real and where one's mind and spiritual well being might be assaulted.

Ms. Daydreamer's art combines a child's innocent scratches with a broad sense of primitivism. She's playful and tricky. One moment, the art seems to be literal and solid, and the next moment the arts looks as if her brain just can't send signals to her drawing hand. She skewers most of the rules and still manages to make the reader follow every inch of her drawings. Oliver is an interesting tome, but it's a bit too personal and oblique to be shared with the typical shop boy comic book reader. Like people used to say about the musician Prince - no one can understand Ms. Daydreamer's songs, but it's fun following her just to see where she goes.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12