So sweet it gave me diabetes.
Last semester I was given the first two “Korgi” books by Christian Slade. I deemed myself too busy to read them at the time and slipped them into my desk, where I promptly forgot about them. After returning this semester, I realized that I had accumulated way too much clutter left over from the previous semester, and made room by cleaning out my desk, at which point I found these little books with such adorable covers. And, although I could think of better things to do (Math, Arabic, Final Fantasy…) I decided to sit down and check them out.
You would think that by now I would stop doubting Peter’s recommendations, he being the man that gave me such fantastic obsessions as Amanda Palmer and Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog, among others.
“Korgi” is a small series (currently two books, with the third due in November) by acclaimed artist and Disney animator Christian Slade. The books themselves are short and completely void of dialogue. Instead, the stories are done entirely in large, black and white panels. These books are able to stand without dialogue because the artwork within them is so fantastic and expressive that the reader doesn’t need dialogue to know exactly what’s going on. The art is detailed and beautiful, and brings to life a fantasy land that takes you back to the time when you were six years old and were content with such things. But the best thing about Korgi, the thing that makes you feel like a little kid again, is that it is so damn cute.
Let me put it this way: Google image search Pembrook Welsh Corgi.
A KORGI looks exactly like that. Only they range in size from regular puppy size, to massive horse size. Also they have magic powers. And they’re the protectors of a village of adorable, fae-like people called Mollies, who share a plethora of creepy, gross monsters with the Korgis. The pages of “Korgi” are filled with these adorable, magic ridden dogs sprinting about, being adorable and generally saving people. The books focus on one adorable pair in particular: the adventurous young Mollie Ivy and her Korgi pup Sprout. Who, by the way, saves Ivy from vicious, fantastic critters on several occasions with his ADORABLE FIRE BREATH.
Now, let me level with you. There is not that much to “Korgi”. The books are small, short reads that you can finish in 15 minutes. They aren’t all that particularly moving. They aren’t all that powerful. But what they are- is cute. They are tooth-achingly sweet. They will make you say “aw”, they will make you giggle. They will make you happy, while you read them. But… I’ll be honest. I need more. I like cute, I really do. And these deliver. But if you’re looking for a powerful story, with character development and meaning, you won’t find it in Korgi. (Although there are the ruins on the top of the cliff that seem to be foreshadowing something powerful to come.)
I’m not saying don’t check out “Korgi”. By all means, do. I can’t imagine being in such a foul mood that flipping through “Korgi” couldn’t cheer me up. I’m just warning you now that it does not possess the deep, literary meaning that other graphic novels might possess. I also don’t think I would buy it, simply because it’s not long or deep enough for me to justify spending my limited funds on. Luckily for me, though, I can always steal the cuteness when I need it.
If you see this in a bookstore, flip through it. If it tickles your fancy, buy it. Fans of “Owly” and other things sickeningly adorable with love “Korgi”, and will be totally willing to shell out the couple dollars for it. For those of you like me, who appreciate cute but don’t necessarily thrive on it, you need to find this book and at least check it out. You’ll be glad you did.
Korgi by Christian Slade
Painted Smiles; Written Words 