Ray Pride

Montreal-based Drawn & Quarterly comics brings the two newest solo voices on their roster to Quimby's for signings: Chicago-based Anders Nilsen's "Dogs and Water" and Kevin Huizenga's "Or Else #1," putting his "Supermonster" mini-comics into a regular format. Huizenga's free-associative knack is best shown in "NST 04," which obliquely traces the course of an ill-fated relationship through light reflecting off tombstones at night, the smell of baking bread, and the overnight musings of the night owls at a burger shack whose name, "Katchor's," nods toward a master draftsman of urban night. It's quiet, modest work, but moving nonetheless. Nilsen's book, whose earlier work includes "Big Questions" and "Ballad of the Two Headed Boy," (which won a Xeric award) is more elusive, a succinct and apt summation of a troubling dream that includes more than one iteration of falling, and sudden stops that begin again, repeating the misfortunes of the protagonist, perambulating an open highway with a stuffed bear strapped to his back, encountering aggressive, antlered deer, inadequate rowboats on rocking water, blizzards, wolves bearing submachine guns in their maws, and gunshot girls dead on the verge as they're about to be eaten by wolves, crashing helicopters, mutes sent to help. It's a loving treadmill.

Huizenga and Nilsen appear on December 11, 4pm, at Quimby's, 1854 West North, (773)342-0910.

(2004-12-07)

Also by Ray Pride

Tip of the Week
Laconic documentarian Ross McElwee could be considered the avuncular papa of the contemporary self-referential documentary
(2004-11-30)

Ordinary people
Backstage with Mike Nichols' glossy yet stormy, savage adaptation of Patrick Marber's 1997 world-weary worldwide hit play
(2004-11-30)

Short takes
The 2004 edition of the RESFEST Digital Film Festival is packed with delirious eye-candy from visual creators around the world
(2004-11-30)

Off Camera
His latest, "Moolaade," is a rich portrait of daily life and cultural strife
(2004-11-30)

DVD Tips
(2004-11-30)

Home alone
(2004-11-22)

DVD Tips
(2004-11-22)

The gift of reality
(2004-11-22)

Tip of the Week
(2004-11-17)

The human face
(2004-11-10)

Tip of the Week
(2004-11-09)

Tip of the Week
(2004-11-03)

about Newcitychicago | about Newcity magazine | advertising | privacy policy | FAQ | employment