Reviews for Frank Ritza Papers

The average rating for Frank Ritza Papers based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-06-16 00:00:00 Aura Maldonado Collier is an artist I've heard of before and I think I've read a few of his shorter pieces in various anthologies. I was pretty excited to read a longer work by him. This really isn't it though. What appears to be a sizeable novel is really just a ~40 page comic journal inter-spliced with a large selection of his sketch book drawings. The story really didn't grab me, although it was interesting enough as far as autobiographical comics go. The sketchbook selections didn't excite me. Bonus points for being the only comic I've read that has its action take place in Saskatchewan. Wikipedia says "Collier featured in a 2013 episode of CBC Radio program Wiretap". I have to listen to that episode!

Review # 2 was written on 2015-05-25 00:00:00 Barry Taylor Odd book. Collier mixes extensive sketchbook sections with a meandering autobiographical story (sections of the story are separated by long sketchbook chunks; the story sections end with statements like "continued on the 48th page following"). The relevance of the title does not become clear until the final few pages of the book, when collier finally discovers art by the eponymous figure in a small Ontario town and gets interested in the artist. As slice of life memoir, the story is fine but not exceptional. The sketchbook section is fascinating for its range of materials. The Crumb influence on Collier practically bellows at one form every page--not that that is a bad thing necessarily, but it is fascinating to see an artist so thoroughly absorb the influence of another artist. Fans of autobio and of Canadian comics should check this out.