10 YEARS OF THE BF SIX TO WATCH! In the vein of his NP zine (reviewed here at Broken Frontier a few months back) Ed Firth’s new queer comics short There is No Alternative looks to repurpose unpublished sketches from his ongoing Horny & High series, alongside other work that could otherwise have been lost as ephemera. If you’re unfamiliar with the latter comic it’s Firth’s ongoing exploration of the queer chemsex scene; a book that has garnered widespread acclaim both for its uncompromising use of the form and its approach to the subject matter.
There is No Alternative is a collection of vignettes that each hint at a wider story somewhere off-panel; one that the reader is invited to construct around what they find on the page. We observe as a man considers breaking off all contact with a former lover, knowing that even if he blocks him online his phone number will still sit in a folder of his exes’ details. In another instance distrust leads to digital revenge. And, elsewhere, chemical supplements provide both the courage and the catalyst for embracing long-held fantasies.
With a use of colour that borders on the garish, even the lurid on occasion, each brief visitation into a character’s life is given a pronounced emotional charge by the intensity of the accompanying hues. Firth’s page have a contradictory appeal – what we see are fleeting glimpses into lives and yet there is a profound depth to each segment, revealing or hinting at very human truths. Firth describes the work herein as examining ideas of “transgression, indulgence and loss.” While these experiences are rooted in a certain specificity there’s also a haunting, drifting quality to them that gives them a wistfully melancholy air.
If you are already familiar with Firth’s practice it will come as little surprise to be told that there is some graphic content in here. That unflinching approach is, of course, a vitally important ingredient of Firth’s storytelling style. There is No Alternative will be on sale at this Saturday’s queer comics fair inQ! but those not in London at the weekend can order it online from his store at the link below.
Ed Firth (W/A) • Self-published, £8.00
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.
