Behold! Macanudo’s revolving cast of witches, cats, imaginative children and their imaginary monsters — all gathered under one roof (or in one box)! Following in the distinguished footsteps of greats like Peanuts and Argentine forebears like Mafalda, Macanudo is a brilliant synthesis of Krazy Kat’s sophisticated and irreverent inventiveness, and Calvin and Hobbes’ expansive humanity and artistry. Freewheeling and bustling with manic charm and sweetness, each strip builds anticipation for the next unexpected creative revelation or revivifying variation on a theme. With a masterful sense of flow, combined with show-stopping images of breathtaking beauty, the heel-clicking, childlike glee contained in these pages is matched only by the joy of splashing about an undiscovered creek or the vivid crunch of autumn’s first leaves. It’s no wonder Liniers has his praises sung by the likes of Matt Groening, David Byrne, and Jeff Smith. Collecting the first three Fantagraphics Macanudo volumes, Welcome to Elsewhere, The Way of the Penguin, and Optimism is for the Brave, this fetching box set is a must-have for lovers of comic-strip-as-art, and an essential for everyone seeking the hidden wonder in life.
