Nobrow 6: The Double

Nobrow 6: The Double by Alex Spiro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my latest purchase in the Lowbrow vein and, while this volume leans more toward the illustrative Juxtapoz aesthetic than the more fine-art-influenced Hi Fructose (which is, frankly, my preference), it is still a good example of those who are carrying on in the tradition of lowbrow art. The schtick of a double-issue that features (on one side) cartoons about doppelgangers and other doubles and (on the other) illustrations about the same is well played throughout. Again, while these pieces and stories owe more to Underground Comix influences and graphic design than they do to the work of the Pop Surrealists, whom I tend to favor (such as Mark Ryden, Kathie Olivas, and Yosuke Ueno), there are exceptional illustrations by Tom Gauld, Roman Muradov, and Niv Bavarsky, as well as a very clever comic by Luke Pearson and other standouts by John Martz and Kevin Huizenga. With this issue, it looks like Nobrow is flying a rising balloon. Their press is putting out some pretty impressive graphic ditties, so pay attention! This issue of Nobrow is giving notice that there is more remarkable work to come.

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