Text - Rhodes University

The most common genres (my definitions of genre are derived from existing comics,
rather than from literature) are fantasy and a kind of magic realism. Bitterkomix explore
this with superhero stories, which are ironic and selfconcious. Yet even the most realistic
of stories are tinged by drugs or the supernatural. Sometimes this edge of fantasy is
apparent only in the drawing style, in cartoonish exaggeration, in a personal style that
departs from the classic comic style that is accepted as realism.
Bitterkomix's covers are formulaic, while Komiksoc, Morai and Desire's are each a
different attempt. Perhaps from this evidence alone it is possible to say that Bitterkomix
have achieved something (by setting flexible rules and adhering to them), Morai as well
to some extent, but Komiksoc have only a series of experiments that have not yet
congealed into anything.
What these comic artists achieved, in purely practical terms, was the publication of their
work. They produced work independantly of each other and independant of any large
supporting group in their own country. There is a sense of producing work in a void, into
a void, that accounts for the insular nature of much of the work. Simply for this reason
it would seem plausible to align them with fine artists. Commercial art is seldom
produced without a clear purpose at its origin. Undoubtably, this vacuum gave them the
opportunity to experiment in a way that is common in fine art fields and unusual in
commercial ones. They had to be self-critical; commercial art does not reach the printing
stage if it is not suited to its purpose. These artists had the advantage of seeing the work
printed, thus removed from their hands, before serious criticism scuttled their enthusiasm.
The drift to more conventional comics was often a result of audience criticism (and
particularly a plea for greater clarity). "Will they have speech bubbles in them this time?"
was a despairing comment often heard from prospective readers.
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