On Sunday my walkabout took me to the Toronto Wizard World show. A bit barren, but I did stumble across a few new finds. My first was one I was aware of before attending, but pleasantly pleased to find and get a chance to chat with. Boum, or Samantha Leriche-Gionet is a 27-ish freelance filmmaker, animator and illustrator who lives and works in Montreal, Canada. She is also very friendly and seems to have really weird dreams.
Boumeries is a sort of short bites journal gag strip. Four panels, odd, funny, personal or just run of the mill things that happen. Or are dreamt.
This kind of strip might be best read either as it comes out, (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) or using the random feature. Not the sort of thing you might binge all the way through. The little moments are too much like candy. Too much at once isn’t good. they need to be enjoyed a few at a time. I got a copy of her first collected volume, and it will become one of those books that gets left laying out to be enjoyed in small bursts while eating cereal or waiting for a kettle to boil. Okay, or in the can.
Throughout the run, Boum has taken part in a couple popular comic challenges, hourly comics, daily comics and the big one, the 24 hour comic. The 24 hour is interesting as she tackles some more philosophical ideas, rather than the usual personal anecdotes.
Boum’s art is deceptive. It seems simple and somewhat rough, but when you look closer, you see it’s the comfortable ease of someone who knows their anatomy and can simplify things down to the cute minimal style she uses. It’s a style that part manga, part Schulz. And it’s darn cute.
Boum also recently won Best Francophone Comic at Expozine. I suspect it won’t be her only accolade. She’ll be at TCAF in a few weeks, so you’ll have an opportunity to get her book.
