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jelundberg's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful whimsical collection; I was so sad when this ended. I now join the throngs clamoring for Sonny Liew to create a Malinky Robot graphic novel. We need to see much more of this world.
rosseroo's review
4.0
The five stories and various other tidbits collected here are best read for mood and tone, rather than plot or traditional narrative. Set in some kind of vaguely ramshackle futuristic city of Japanese/Chinese/Korean flavor, they feature Oliver (a kind of pinkish, undefined humanoid that reminds me mainly of an aardvark for some reason) and Atari, a chain-smoking street urchin of sorts. They kind of meander their way through various minor and major adventures that are full of nods to influences ranging from pop culture (Transformers) to neorealist cinema (Bicycle Thieves). Even the thoroughly delightful tale of a cute servant robot who gets lost in the city brought to mind the 1997 Iranian film The Mirror -- which I'm very curious to know if Liew has seen. Throughout the stories run themes of friendship and connection in the face of a melancholy world. The scratchy artwork is perfectly aligned with this mood, conveying depth and wear on both the city and the kids. Definitely recommended for those seeking comix with a distinctive style and mood, rather than a plot.
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