Rampokan Jawa & Selebes

Title: Rampokan Compleet : Java & Celebes

Author: Peter van Dongen

Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2014

168 pages

I am not into comic since I like to have unlimited imagination about things I read. But knowing that there is a comic written and drawn by Peter van Dongen telling about Indonesian history during Dutch colonization is really something. Of course I will not miss it.

The comic consists of two stories that happened in Java and Celebes (Sulawesi) back then in 1946 at the time Dutch intended to return to Indonesia after Japan left. The central character here is a Dutch man, John Knevel. He was a volunteer who accidentally killed his friend on the ship to Java. This murder haunted him for the rest of his life.   

This comic is quite interesting. The author had a very detailed sketch for every scene in the book that showing a deep research over the work. No wonder it took six years for the author to finish this book. Some parts of the comic remind me of  Tintin comic and the author also admitted that he's inspired by Herge.

Excellent in drawing but a bit complicated in delivering the story. The story was complex with lots of plots and new characters to remember. We must concentrate fully if we want to understand the story otherwise we will be lost and at last realize that we only enjoy the drawing.

All in all it's an awesome work. I salute the author for the research and the introduction of Indonesian struggle to be an independent country. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Graphic Novel

Chicken Soup for the Soul (Graphic Novel)

Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen

Illustrator: Kim Donghwa

PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama

2nd printed January 2014 

477 pages

Chicken Soup for the Soul series is my all time favorite reading. I also want my girls, Najla and Zea to read it but I think the content of the book is still too hard for them to understand until one day I saw these series in graphic novel form. I think this one is perfect, Najla as a not-so-into books might enjoy the pictures while reading the stories and Zea as a book-lover could easily absorb the message of each story by looking at the illustration.

Another amazing thing about the book is it is enriched with such beautiful illustration made by the great Korean illustrator, Kim Donghwa. Since I finished reading Color Trilogy (Trilogi Warna) and Red Bicycle (Sepeda Merah) as I reviewed here, I became a huge fan of him.

Check some of the masterpiece illustrations here, awesome.  

  

Sepeda Merah

Title: Red Bicycle Vol. 1 & Red Bicycle Vol. 2

Author & Illustrator: Kim Dong Hwa

Translator: Meilia Kusumadewi

Publisher: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Publication Date: October 2012

Pages: 144 (Vol.1) & 176 (Vol.2)

After falling in love with Dong Hwa's works in Trilogi Warna, I definitely will not miss his recent books, Sepeda Merah (Yahwari #1) and Sepeda Merah (Bunga-bunga Hollyhock #2). And my prediction is quite right, I once again fall in love even deeper with his works.

Sepeda Merah is a story about a postman. A romantic postman on his red bicycle who will take us  riding along Yahwari village. He will tell us the beautiful things about the village,  the  wild flowers, its blowing wind, the heart-warming people there and many more.

Yahwari is an imaginary village where older generation live after their children have left to town to make their own living.The postman goes to each household in the village to find out about the lives of the older generations while carrying news from their beloved children. In this town through the postman's eyes, there are many emotional encounters and opportunities to learn about values and life philosophies from the older generations.

The book is divided into several parts. Every part consists of five-six stories. You will find short story here since every story is made mostly only in four pages. What so special about this book is every page is filled with a masterpiece artwork in which the author narrates nostalgic memories of life and it's closed with a deep message that will warm our hearts. 

Just read the first story in Sepeda Merah vol. 2 Bunga-bunga Hollyhock. It's about an old man who wants to plant Hollyhock flowers along his yard to welcome his daughter visit. According to the old man's friends it's just a waste of time since there are already a lot of flowers in Yahwari. While the old man responses, "Pemandangan bunga-bunga Hollyhock akan mengingatkannya pada almarhum ibunya. Aku menabur benih-benih bunga ini dari gerbang masuk desa sampai pintu rumahku, saat melewati jalan berbunga ini, dia akan mendapat kesan sedang berjalan sambil menggenggam tangan ibunya..."     

Senyum

Author&Illustrator: Raina Telgemeier

Translator: Indah S. Pratidina

Publisher: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Publication Date: June 2011

Pages: 224

This graphic novel has been in my wishlist for quite sometime. Out of the blue I found it at Gramedia Grand Indonesia with 25% discount, what a gift! Just found out that Gramedia GI would move all their books collections, DVDs, stationery and  the like into one floor only. Yes, no more spacious bookshop that usually makes me spending almost the whole day there. I checked the new place, it's totally a mess. So many books and lots of other stuff but very limited space. I felt like I trapped in a warehouse instead of wandered in a bookshop. Since then, I have never been there again, hopefully the bookshop condition is better now. Nevertheless Gramedia GI is one of my favorite bookshops.

Let's get back to this unique autobiography. What's so special about this book? It's the author true story that she shares through beautiful illustration. Raina Telgemeier tells about her life from middle school through high school. It's not an ordinary tale since in her pre-teen years, she suffered a serious mouth injury that required several years of dental and orthodontic surgery.   

Some people say that the teen period is one of the glorious moment. There you'll deal with boys, girls, first love, problems with teachers and friends, prom nights, and many more. This is actually what happens to Raina. But since her dental drama, she gets many frustrating experiences. Yes, it's a long and tiring journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. This whole dental issue make her friends tease her. On top of that, she also worries about the erthquake, boys and friends that turn out to be not so nice.

Raina has captured the highs and lows of being a teenager perfectly through her brilliant illustrations. She has made the truth obvious that it's not easy being a teenager and that everybody at some point goes through something similar. Yeah...the teenage period, a moment full of galau matters, haha, it seems like been ages for me:)) 

A fun tale about dealing with middle school that can be enjoyed in a few hours. Funny, sad, touching and very moving. I highly recommend this graphic diary for all teenagers out there. It's inspiring yet entertaining.   

Warna Langit 3

The last book of Trilogy Warna is finally here. The author, Kim Dong Hwa still amazes me with his stories. A relation between a mom and her daughter that is told in a very poetic way and perfected with enchanting drawing.

Ehwa, the daughter, now already turns into an independent young girl. She finally experiences what her mom also does. They both are waiting for their beloved lovers. Her mom is waiting for the drawing man while Ehwa is waiting for her fiance.

This last book tells us about a beautiful journey of love. If you believe in the power of love, there is nothing to worry about. Just follow your heart. At the end of it, you will be surprised to find happiness is waiting for you. Yes...the happy ending is yours. Grab it. Just like what happens to Ehwa and her mom. They just believe in love. At last they just have it all. Love is great.

Warna Air 2

Warna Air is the sequel of the Color Trilogy written and drawn by Korean artist, Kim Dong Hwa. Still as enchanted as the first book, Warna Tanah.

Again, it tells about mother and daughter relationship in rural Korea. The beautiful girl, Ehwa and her mom. This time Ehwa is getting more mature. She learns how to fall in love, how to miss someone, and also how to experience broken hearted. Her mom also has her own love story with the picture man. They share their stories, although now, along with her grown up, Ehwa keeps some stories as secrets from her mom, but still their conversation about women, romance and sexuality are delivered in a beautiful way. Hwa describes Ehwa and her mom relationship just like a flower grows, from its seeds until it blooms. Very engaging.

The artwork is once again masterful, the writing is poetic and the detail is breathtaking. The detail of the flowers, houses, skies and everything are simply incredible. I am amazed with the faces of the characters, with just a few lines, we see the beauty of Ehwa and her mom.

The book is also completed with reading-group discussion guide. Perhaps since the book contains important elements about human relationship, the culture, the gender issues, and many more, it is very interesting to discuss it and listen to other people thoughts.

Translated into bahasa and published by PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama on August 2010 and I was lucky to be one of the early readers of this book since I received it for free, thank you Gramedia.

A must have trilogy. Very recommended. Now, I need to wait (impatiently) for the last book The Color of Heaven.

Warna Tanah 1

A very beautiful graphic novel made by Kim Dong Hwa, a Korean author/artist. This story is just too beautiful, I am speechless. Enjoying every page of it, the drawing, the story, and all.

It is a story about Ehwa, a little girl and her single mother who live in rural Korea. It's started when Ehwa just 7 years old and along with the coming of the rainy season, she turns into a young lady. Ehwa and her mom, both grow and change. However their strong-mom-and-daughter-relationship make them supporting each other in facing the world and their surrounding that sometimes not too friendly to them.

The author, Dong Hwa, describes these women lives with rain and flowers as metaphor. Therefore you will find a very poetic graphic novel. This is more like a poem than a graphic novel. And I also amaze to find out that a male writer can capture woman's emotion and attitude so accurate.

Warna Tanah 1 (The Color of Earth) is the first from the trilogy. Hopefully PT Gramedia PustakaUtama will translate all. I just can't wait for the 2nd book, Warna Air .