J&K (Hardcover)
J&K (Hardcover)
By John Pham. Published by Fantagraphics.
Softcover, 160 pages, Colour, 2024 (originally published in Spanish in 2017, then English language hardcover in 2020)
The story of two idiots trying to navigate the modern world, told in comics, posters, stickers, and even a little vinyl record!
These simple-seeming comics stories weave in and out, with unexpectedly sad twists and hilarious turns; imagine Seinfeld mixed with Peanuts. J & K is also a singular art object unto itself. As Jay and Kay routinely reference pop culture, these cute, sad little artifacts are made real in the collection and will be included as separate extras and inserts. Pham combines his a gorgeous, big-foot cartooning and brilliant use of color with his innate grasp of printing, packaging, and graphic design. This book calls to mind the work of Chris Ware while completely staking out new ground in contemporary art.
"Pham's precise work is a tremendous pleasure to behold." — The Guardian
"Pham crafts a funny and surprisingly affecting story of two slacker friends and their marginal lifestyles. This jumble of gags and lovable and loving outsiders succeeds through sheer, unrelenting weirdness." — Publishers Weekly
"J&K is a delightful mix of cute moments and 'tragically sensitive' bummers. Packaged as one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen, Pham unites weird with wonderful. So weird, that by the end, you'll think a pimple pus character named Bacne is adorable." — Aminder Dhaliwal - Woman World
"This fast-paced, surreal romp is a celebration of medium and process and form as much as a narrative." — Elephant Magazine
"A striking aesthetic ... the book commands a reader's attention from its first page." — Comics Bookcase