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Derek
Kirk Kim's comic collection, Same Difference and Other
Stories, was originally self-published in 2003 through
hefty grants given to him by the Xeric Foundation, a nonprofit
for independent comic book artists. Since then, it has been
republished by the independent comic publisher Top Shelf Production
and has received critical acclaim from a number of artists
and critics in the comics industry, including Scott McCloud
who stated, "No American cartoonist has more promise in 2003
than Derek Kirk Kim."
Kim's
debut work deserves such high accolades. At 80 pages in length,
the title story takes up the bulk of the book and details
a short time period in the lives of Simon Moore and Nancy
Kim. The basis of the plot concerns Nancy and Simon uncovering
who has been sending Nancy several letters over the past few
weeks that are addressed to "Sarah," a supposed previous inhabitant
of Nancy's apartment. However, the story extends to deeper
levels. The true strength of Kim's story is pegging the lives
of twenty-somethings who, although bright and slightly motivated,
really have not formed lives of their own since finishing
college. Relationships, peers, family, etc.—these are
all issues that come to light within this short comic story,
but Kim handles the topics quite well while not seeming didactic
or whiny.
Kim's
story is filled with humor and pop culture references, and
it is a true delight to read; however, the story also takes
on a few stronger issues such as love, the sometimes aimless
feelings one has in life, and the racial confusion of various
Asian characters due to their Western names. The other stories
in the book also touch on these themes—especially racial
ones—but it is within the pages of "Same Difference"
that they truly come to the fore and show Kim's strengths
as an artist and a writer.
Kim's
way of drawing cannot be pegged in one hole. "Same Difference"
is drawn in a semi-realistic style in which the characters,
while not entirely realistic, are not cartoony. At some points,
their expressions are exaggerated, and it is during these
moments that one can see Kim's manga influences. Other stories,
such as "Pulling" and "Super Unleaded," are drawn in a realistic
style that is so different from the title story, one would
have a hard time guessing they were by the same author. In
these stories, while not quite photo realistic, there are
no exaggerated expressions, huge mouths, or large sweat drops,
and they show Kim's ability to tell a truly serious story.
Meanwhile, stories such as "Interview with a Human" and "Oliver
Pikk" would not look out of place next to Peanuts and
Garfield in the Sunday paper, if not for their content.
Kim's
versatility as an artist allows him to delve into many different
modes of storytelling. If he produced his comics only in the
turgid, realistic style of "Pulling," the stories would not
have been as effective because it is the warmth and the humor
evident in Kim's semi-cartoony style that truly separates
Same Difference from several other stories told in a similar
vein.
(June,
2007)
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