While the U.S. has a fairly prominent and thriving alternative comics scene, we almost never see that kind of work produced in other countries presented here. But with this nifty anthology, that changes. NORTHERN LIGHTS brings together some of the finest alt-comix talent that Sweden has to offer, and the results are quite interested to behold.

The first thing you notice about the stories in this volume is that it doesn’t necessarily feel all that different from an anthology like MOME. The Swedes have clearly taken some cues from folks like R. Crumb in developing their storytelling skills and artistic styles, the depth and breadth of which is really quite impressive. And like any other anthology, the produced material is a delicate balance of winners and bits that completely tank. The question always becomes: do the winners outweigh the losers?

In the case of NORTHERN LIGHTS, I’d go with a qualified yes, as it comes down to a tight race. But a couple of stories in this book push it over the top. The best is David Liljemark’s “Henry Says,” which is a quietly powerful tale of a friendship gone toxic. I instantly related to his protagonist’s predicament, having had that sort of succubus friend in my life a couple of years ago, and watching Henry navigate through it and try to maintain his dignity. Right behind it is Mats Jonsson’s “I Dated a Teenager,” which not only packs an interesting emotional core, but exposes you to a slightly different morality than what we are accustomed to in the U.S.

On the dud side are a number of pieces which make no sense at all, particularly Fabian Goranson’s “Monkey,” which appears to be weird for weirdness’ sake. Pass- I don’t need linear storytelling, but I do need a reason or point to trudge my way through twenty-two pages of nonsense. Again, this just goes to show that cartoonists are alike all over the world- I get the same feeling when reading American alt-cartoonists as well.

In all, I’d like to see more of this thing over here. I’m intrigued and interested in seeing the work of artists from across the globe and expanding my knowledge of comics.

Marc Mason