by ISHANI ANWESHA JOSHI Edited by Budjette Tan and Charis Loke, Sound: A Comics Anthology (2020) is published by Difference Engine, an independent Singapore-based comics publisher. Featuring thirteen comics by Southeast Asian comic artists, this anthology demonstrates the unique capacity of the verbal-visual medium to render the unseen visible on the page. As a faculty tied to one of our primary senses, sound has multiple levels of significance across various contexts, as explored in the stories depicted in the anthology. The anthology examines themes such as bonding through shared music and language, the positive and negative impact of words,… Read More
The Hospital Suite
Book Review by Kevin Wolf John Porcellino, in his memoir The Hospital Suite, is medically troubled. His difficulties are primarily physical, though when the physical problems ease mental health comes to the fore. And I’m sure many argue that mental health often has physical roots, especially when treated with medications. The Hospital Suite is a non-standard case study of the ailments and treatments of one person. Why do I use the word “non-standard?” Unlike The Hospital Suite, standard case studies are not written by the person under treatment, but usually written by the treating professional. John provides amazing… Read More