10 YEARS OF THE BF SIX TO WATCH! The second of Koguchi Press’s self-titled Koguchi Magazine anthology series comes with the subtitled theme of ‘Neo-Future’ and compiles seven short, complete, manga-style comics stories between its covers (the front cover courtesy of the ever reliable CROM whose Dark Horse Birdking work has been such a favourite in these parts of late). Its larger format is perhaps not one as familiar for the manga format but in this instance it really gives the art the space to breathe; a welcome move given the intricacy of some of the visuals collected in this edition.
For Broken Frontier readers the name of note, no doubt, will be that of Alxndra Cook, one of our 2021 ‘Six to Watch’ creators at BF and her story ‘Price of Perfection’ (below) does not disappoint. Whether working in colour or black and white (as here) Cook has an almost intuitive understanding of how to use light, shade and tone to create a sense of atmosphere or mood. Here she subtly manipulates that ability in a sci-fi parable that follows a creature born into a world she doesn’t understand, and whose presence there leads to the cautionary lesson the title alludes to.
A common theme throughout these tales is the idea of technology run amok; of developments that should be there to support our humanity undermining it instead. The drawback of this, of course, is that such a short page count gives only limited space to explore some high concept ideas, so each creator or creative team needs to embrace that (extended) Future Shock-style structure to its fullest.
Other standouts in Koguchi Magazine #2 include Justin Morales and Christian Herman’s ‘Fast-Paced Environment’ (below). Set in a future dystopia, the regimented working routine of its protagonist is echoed in its tight, multi-panelled pages that give a sense of rhythmic pacing to the events they depict. We follow our lead on their delivery job in a vast, sprawling future city as they are constantly harassed by an AI overseer about work flows, productivity and target times leading us to a dramatic finale. There’s a chaotic, clustered feel to each page here which is very much in synch with the subject matter.
In Mikael Lopez and Mykell Pledger‘s ‘Autopsy’ another dystopian future allows us to observe an autonomous city-state that’s constant expansion swallows up and absorbs smaller towns that stand in its way. There is a dark secret at the heart of Vermiglia’s advancement though and Lopez and Pledger’s story cloning, identity and destiny is eloquent in its exploration of our relationship with technology. Pledger’s intricate art and world-building visual storytelling is outstanding here.
In a complete change of pace Bon Idle’s ‘Off-Menu’ (above) gives us a touching tale of a former robot soldier turned chef making a beautiful moment of very human contact with a stranger it cooks for. Perhaps the least involved story in the collection in one sense, the sheer humanity of this short story will nevertheless ensure it is the one that will stay with readers the longest. While the levels of storytelling confidence among creators varies Koguchi Magazine #2: Neo-Future is a solid collection of work. Hopefully this isn’t the last we will see of this flagship series from Koguchi Press.
Alxndra Cook, Bon Idle, Hannes Stummvoll, James Patricks, Justin Morales & Christian Herman, Mikael Lopez & Mykkel Pledger, Ricardo Antonio, CROM • Koguchi Press, £20.00
Review by Andy Oliver
2024 marks the tenth year of Broken Frontier’s ‘Six to Watch‘ initiative. Look for articles throughout the year celebrating the work of those artists who have been a part of the programme.
