A few years back at BF I reviewed Giorgio Pandiani’s ecologically-themed short story collection A Day on the River (& Other Stories) saying of it then that it was “solid and highly recommended work with an important relevance in these dark times.” Pandiani’s latest comic The Two Pyramids debuts this weekend at Small Press Day in Northampton’s Close Encounters store and it’s a carefully crafted, cautionary tale that underlines the artist’s ability to provide intelligent social commentary through genre fiction comics.
Funded with the help of a mini grant from the Comics Advocacy grant The Two Pyramids is one of those comics that it’s somewhat difficult to summarise in terms of plot without giving away crucial story elements that should be for the reader to discover themselves. At its root though it’s the story of two sisters and a dystopian society operating under the illusion that it’s actually a utopian one.
Set in a far-off future The Two Pyramids is essentially about the dangers of sacrificing democracy and self-determination for a world of superficial luxury. It begins with those two sisters, Medea and Antigone, rescuing their father from the dungeon-like environment he has been consigned to. Returning him to civilisation we learn of the two pyramids of the title that are an integral part of this world. The one providing sustenance and comfort to the chosen, and the other inverted one holding more sinister secrets. And the reason as to why the sisters freed their father turns out to be perhaps the most disturbing element of all…
Pandiani’s story acts as an allegory for very relevant contemporary issues. There’s themes of elitism and a society that looks after the privileged at the expense of everyone else that feel very familiar. And there are explorations of the role of art and its meaning and value that could easily parallel our very real world concerns as the existential threat of AI becomes ever more apparent. (Interestingly Pandiani acknowledges the possibility of this being interpreted as a subtext even though the story was written before the advent of all-pervasive AI sloppery.)
Artistically this is stunning work. Pandiani has already shown us his understanding of black and white storytelling – that it isn’t simply about the absence of colour but about what it can convey in terms of mood, shade and tone. There’s so much else going on here though that is unique to comics – playful passages manipulating comics’ relationship with the passage of time, sophisticated page layouts to echo emotion and theme, and use of perspective to disorientate and enforce the quiet horror of events.
It may have been a few years since we last got to review a comic from this artist but this is hugely impressive work. If you’re in Northampton for Small Press Day make sure to pick it up from Giorgio Pandiani on the day. If not it’s a must-buy thereafter because this is undoubtedly one of the self-published comics of the year.
Giorgio Pandiani (W/A) • Self-published, £7.00
On Small Press Day, Saturday 25th July, from 1pm to 4.30pm, Giorgio Pandiani will be at Close Encounters Northampton, to launch the book and do sketches/signings.
Review by Andy Oliver
