Epitaph by Chuck Harp, illustrated by Aflredo Retamar, and lettering by John Robinson IV

A fresh one this month comes in the form of a comic created, written, and edited by Chuck Harp and illustrated Aflredo Retamar (pencils and inks, as they say in comics – and we can’t forget the letterer John Robinson IV). Packaged like a classic super-hero comic, Epitaph efficiently unfolds its simple narrative with a much more indie feel. The setup is classic – a despondent youth leaves the comfort of home to the uncertainty of the city, seeking redemption or, at least, relief. The simple story follows a grieving sister who relives and recontextualizes loss through art. 

Epitaph is printed by Wise Acre Comics out of Goodyear, Arizona, an independent black and veteran-owned publisher who Harp cold-pitched the idea. It is easy to get lost in the nostalgia of a comic’s bold cover and tactile appeal, which Epitaph uses to its advantage. The out-of-time tale is perfect for the nearly hundred year old medium – an homage to the open spaces of cities and the network of possibilities they provided before screens and terror trapped generations indoors. 

Epitaph features concise, emotional storytelling paired perfectly with stark multi-perspective panels and illustration, building an environment of youth that is learning for the first time not to see things as either/or but all together at once. Skateboarders, graffiti writers, messengers, mail workers, or anyone who spends meaningful time outdoors will recognize the details and surroundings of the world of Epitaph immediately.

Alfredo Retamar’s drawings are clear and modern while recalling the past: the layered metropolitan drawings of Will Eisner crossed with the melancholy emo of a post-internet Adrian Tomine comic. Wide vistas feature recognizable Philadelphia skyline mainstays and close-up details, like clipped chain-link fences and post office slaps on a phone booth. That you never see the front of the booth, so you don’t know if there is even a phone in it, carefully adds to the place-out-of-time yearning in the story – you can’t use it as a clue for its time period. The phone could be a proud signifier of a 90s set tale or a relic from the past. It doesn’t matter either way, because the feeling of loss inherent in the panels can take place in any time period.

Interestingly enough, Epitaph is sold out (did I get the last copy??) – but you can get a digital version here. 

-Abada

Some Time to Smile by Louisa Menke and Kenny Reed

n 2015, pro skateboarders Louisa Menke and Kenny Reed collaborated on a book called Some Time to Smile reflecting on 2009 when they were invited to Kabul, Afghanistan, along with Cairo Foster and Syrian-Emirati Maysam Faraj of Habibi Skate Shop in Dubai. They were asked to be part of a documentary called Skateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabul (2011) thanks to a German film producer.

The book contains photographs by Menke and Reed, and commentary by all four skaters. It is a beautiful hardcover, bound in textured cloth with a paper band that provides the book’s details and two black and white photos of soldiers. The men are dressed in full camo, holding hands while they balance on skateboards, surrounded by rubble. It was once a fundraiser for Skateistan but is now an elusive collectible.

I can only imagine how heartbreaking it is for anyone who had the privilege to connect with the young girls and women in Afghanistan who took up skateboarding before the Taliban returned to power, let alone how it must feel to have opportunities like attending school, participating in sport and leaving your own home without a male family member escorting you, clawed back. The oppression is a massive human rights violation, but little is being done internationally to demand change. 

To better understand the conflict and support an important initiative, check out Right To Learn.

I also wanted to highlight this book after some recent conversations with Louisa Menke, who is an Algerian-Dutch skateboarder, and the first female skater in Europe with a pro signature board, thanks to Colorblind in 2003. Her 2006 video part in Colorblind Army was exceptional and I feel her story has been overlooked. She took a great risk to go to Kabul in 2009, but the fact that, if she had grown up in Algeria, her life would’ve been quite similar to these girls, was a motivating factor.

In Afghanistan, no one cared that Reed and Foster were revered pro skateboarders, instead, everyone was fascinated by Louisa. “They wanted me to skate. They didn’t care about the boys” and this was a refreshing role reversal. Although Louisa noted that sometimes the attention from soldiers and men on the street was unnerving since they assumed that skateboarding would be easy until they stepped on a board and fell. But it was the interactions with the girls that had a lasting impact and their excitement to connect with Louisa.

Maybe I’m just being petty, but Cairo, Kenny and Maysam all received two-page interviews with a photo in the official book Skateistan: The Tale of Skateboarding in Afghanistan (2012) while Louisa was only briefly acknowledged. I think this was a missed opportunity since it must have been awe-inspiring for those little girls to see such an incredibly talented woman skate in that environment. Sadly, it must now feel like a strange dream or mirage to them.

Skateistan continues to do life-changing work around the world, and I urge everyone to show your support, donate, and share their progress.

-Porter