House Of Java (Paperback, c1998-<2001)

This first collection of mostly realist, black and white graphic fictions has all the marks of a beginner. Visually, Murphy varies little from the many real-life comics artists of recent years, and his scripts suggest he's yet to find a groove, relying mostly on found material, such as the coffeehouse tales of his title. In them, Murphy nicely pans cinematically from table to table, capturing the often silly conversations fueled by too-much caffeine: An affected hipster rants against trendy latte drinkers; a drab couple argue over romance; and an elderly woman startles a young man with intimate talk. Other one-page interludes set in the coffeehouse capture odd moments in a new social etiquette. Murphy breaks form with a few creepier tales: one a classic EC bit about kids who drug lemonade at a stand on a remote road; the other a heavy-handed ironic tale of a boy obsessed with the photos of kids on milk cartons. The longish "Welcome to Seattle" is little more than a trite lesson in self-esteem. Murphy has yet to distinguish himself from the pack, but he's worth keeping an eye on. (Kirkus Reviews)

ComicsLit is proud to launch another talented newcomer in a collection of short slice-of-life stories quietly but strongly etching various facets of our lives, making us think about ourselves and how we act with others. The House of Java is a coffee house where little flashes on all sorts of people that happen in for a cup are sprinkled among other stories such as "Welcome to Seattle" where a girl leaves her home town for the first time to meet her boyfriend. But he stands her up and she is left to fend for herself in a strange town. As it turns out, it's a liberating experience and once she does stumble on to him, he is amazed at her transformation, so similar to his own. Reminiscent of the insightful work of Adrian Tomine.

General

Imprint:	NBM Publishing Company
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	June 2000
First published:	March 1998
Authors:	Mark Murphy
Dimensions:	228 x 152 x 13mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	80
Edition:	c1998-<2001
ISBN-13:	978-1-56163-202-2
Categories:	Books > Fiction > Special features > Graphic novels
LSN:	1-56163-202-3
Barcode:	9781561632022

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