This work premiered in North America at SPX 2019, after which Emil – who had travelled all the way from his native Denmark – stopped in here at Copacetic and performed (it was more than just a reading) as Dr. Murder himself. As the book was a nearly complete sellout at SPX, the meagre remaining quantity he had available for sale at Copacetic was snapped up in no time, and we had been bereft of copies ever since... until now! Finally, we have got our hands on an additional supply of this super fun, full size, vibrantly (and then some!) colored graphic novel that has traveled to us all the way from Denmark (but is, don't worry, nonetheless in English).
Dr. Murder and the Island of Death has at is center the thesis that the underlying structure of adult life is simply High School endlessly repeated. And, as that might seem at first to be a dispiriting notion, we will assure you that Ernst has as much fun with this as you can imagine (more, actually; and therein lies much of its appeal). As fun as it is, there's also more: an overarching moral commentary on the absurdity, implicit pettiness, and ultimate stupidity of self-aggrandizement in the face of the the power and mystery of nature, our world and the universe.
And, as for the art itself, the linework is confident, the compositions well-balanced and the color scheme spectacular. It makes a first impression that may have some readers thinking of the mind-bending 1970s work of Moebius and Philippe Druillet, but with a highly significant difference: Ernst is a master of the grid, and he deftly employs it here for compositional balance as well as narrative clarity. His story telling is straighforward, and the narrative that unfolds here is, while complex, not complicated, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the visual splendour of the art while simlultaneously enjoying an entertaining tale – which is the essence of great comics!
You can take a deeper dive into this work by reading Greg Hunter's review on TCJ.com.
But, you're most likely to be convinced by taking a look at the work itself, and, fortunately, you can! Emil has posted a nice chunk for your perusal on his own site, HERE.
PLEASE NOTE: This is the second edition, with a dustjacket (and also with a new, different cover underneath!), six bonus pin-ups and an ad for the Dr. Murder action figure (for realz) from Sad Onion.
GONE!
Here's the offical text description from the publisher, Backyard Barons:
"Repulsive Attraction is a socio- and eco-critical collection of novels in a palette of toxic colors. A bastard of dystopian pantomime tales about the greedy mutants of capitalism, absurd and repulsive visions of the doomsday future, and the imminent collapse of society. No text, no speech balloons – only radioactive, psychedelic colors. This release is cornucopia showcasing Patrick Steptoes quirky and surreal micro-cosmos and distinct style, characterized by a meticulous, underlying eye for detail and a deliberate playfulness in regard to the limitations of panels. Repulsive Attraction is a seminal debut that manages to move between neo impressionistic colors and formats, and black humor delivered through almost dadaist depictions of a self-destructive society."
That pretty much covers it! But, if you'd like to take a deeper dive – and scope out a few sample pages, while you're at it – then check out Anya Davidson's TCJ review.
