Monkey Vs. Robot by James Kolchalka

Monkey vs. Robot may initially appear simple: it has a minimal art style, barely any words, and an essentially straightforward plot. But James Kolchalka is a master of the deceptively simple, and even a quick glance through makes it clear that his use of minimalism ultimately enriches this book, rather than impoverishing it.

Plotwise, you can read it as a straightforward tale about monkeys and robots duking it out in a jungle. Or you can read it as a metaphor for the way we each are torn by the struggle of oppositional forces within ourselves, or as an allegory about human evolution, or a critique of progress... The book doesn't rule any of these readings out, because the conflict has been stripped down to a kind of primal essence. The story, able to engage readers on many different levels ends up becoming tremendously engrossing.

Artwise, it is worth mentioning that minimalism is harder to do than it looks, and everything here works magnificently: each brushstroke is perfect, the placement and size of each panel contributes to a pacing that absolutely fits. With this book, Kolchalka comes close to establishing himself indisputably as a master of the vocabulary of comics.

A book that is dramatic but not flashy, surprising but not showy, complex but not pointlessly elaborate, simple but not facile.