Review: Cat Island / Created by: Dan Berry / Publisher: Self / Release Date: Out Now
Cat Island is the story of a Man, a Woman, a Baby and a Cat. It is also a thing of beauty.
This sincere tale of the conflict between one cat and a man for his wife’s affections should strike a chord in the hearts of parents (and presumably cat-lovers) everywhere. Through deceptively simple yet concise illustrations creator Dan Berry tells a story that captures the sensations common to so many new parents, of the child long-anticipated and the intensity of their demands once they arrive.
The precision of the lines and warmth of the watercolours combine to fantastic effect in this short comic, capturing a style that’s ostensibly haphazard but actually more professional an achievement than many artists will manage in their lifetimes. All of these qualities alone would recommend Cat Island, but somehow Dan Berry created this comic in under twenty hours at Angouleme comic festival this year. Compare Cat Island to other products of the similar 24 Hour Comic Day and tell me that that you’re honestly not looking forward to Dan’s graphic novel The Suitcase, due out from Blank Slate Books later this year.
You can buy copies of Cat Island directly from Dan Berry’s online store here.