CHILDREN’S GAMES

There’s cute and then there’s cute with a dark edge. Zuda strip Children’s Games by Erik Valdez y Alanis certainly has a dark edge to it. People die. It’s a tough balancing act and the question I find myself asking is “how long can he keep this up?” There are places where the artwork seems at first glance extraordinary, but then there does seem to be a fair amount of photographic work, and whether that is entirely manufactured by the artist or reliant on stock image sites, either way, the effect would serve to speed the process up. The colours are very rich and strike a discordant note against the monotone work scattered throughout.

I enjoyed the dialogue, but felt the narration was whisking me along a little too quickly. One of the few cases where a little less might have been a little more. The Imaginary Boys has the right kind of pace for this kind of fantasy, though I prefer the artwork here which tends to suit the subject better. That’s just me. You have to take into account my lack of interest in fantasy subjects.

As a whole it comes across much better than it does in the detail. I rank it quite highly even though I’m not entirely sure where it could possibly go. The appearance of a ‘hot’ devil at the end of the sequence detracts for me, though executed well. It calls to mind the excessive cuteness of many a Drunk Duck entry and the immature obsessions therein. So, I like it for what it is, but like a very sweet chocolate confection, I’m not sure how much of it I could actually swallow without it setting my teeth on edge?