For any girl who emulated Wednesday Addams, here’s a character to which you’ll relate.
Graphic Novel Review: Nemi vol. III
By Lise Myhre
Publisher: Titan Books
Summary: Nemi Montoya, the vegetarian, cynical/romantic, hilariously honest twenty-something goth, returns in this brand new collection from artist Lise Myhre! In this hilarious and beautifully illustrated third volume, Nemi and her blue-haired best friend Cyan tackle the big questions in life: what’s it all for? How can one find love and contentment? Why are men all so useless? And, most crucially of all… what time does the bar close? A superstar in her native Norway thanks to the immense success of Nemi —also reprinted in the 1.35 million-circulation UK Metro newspaper — you too can enter Lise Myhre’s witty, wonderful world!
Review: After reading just the first page, I felt a strong connection to Nemi Montoya, the main character of Lise Myhre’s comic strip, Nemi. Sure she could be easily judged on her appearance as a pale thin goth girl in all black with poker straight ebony hair; but she’s also a romantic who appreciates chocolates and love letters that aren’t digital. She can quickly eye up any guy who approaches her, see their potential as a couple and reject them before giving any of them a chance. She firmly believes Halloween should be celebrated as long as Christmas. She’s also a terrible cook and tends to shop for clothes before buying groceries.
Myhre created a woman who seems somehow ageless though officially Nemi was born in 1975 (when Myhre was also born). She’s relatable on some level to every female reader. Politically she seems easily swayed by marketing. For instance, shooting annoying children with paintball guns is entirely acceptable, however toy guns that “don’t do anything” are not. Discussing national healthcare might be a turn-on if a man were to correctly deliver the message otherwise you’re sure to strike out with her. It’s a better approach to stick with chocolates to woo Nemi.
Nemi: the comic strip has also spun out to Nemi: the soundtrack. Fans can melt into the trance of a gothic industrial score while enjoying the pages of any of Nemi’s volumes. The soundtrack features selections from various groups like Magicka which is more serene to a much harsher tone in the band Warrior Soul.
Yet one more thing that the character Nemi has adding to her appeal is her choice of company. Her best friend Cyan does indeed have blue hair (it also happens to be the shade this comic critic always wanted) and she’s more stable in her relationships.
If you are drawn to a sardonic nature that wants to squash the fads of reality make-over shows and infomercials for exercise equipment you’ll never use, then that’s just one more thing about Nemi that is attractive. Nemi has a more twenty-something appeal than Titan Book’s Lenore but it’s in the same vain for those who saw Wednesday Addams as a role model.
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:29 am
I appreciate the artwork - especially the rendering of the main characters - and I enjoy the characterisation of Nemi herself, but surely I can’t be the only one who thinks that, as a daily strip, Nemi suffers from a fatal flaw?
It’s not funny. At all.
However much people ‘identify’ with a character, personally I would have said this would prevent anyone getting proper enjoyment out of a collected works.