Lifelike

Today's webcomic, Lifelike, presents me with a challenge due to a unique and masterfully executed format - one very talented writer, and many very talented artists. To be truly fair, each of these comic stories ought to be reviewed separately. Unfortunately, I can't justify dedicating that much time to a single webcomic when so many others are waiting for review. So, forgive my awkward brevity, and trust that the comic speaks very clearly for itself.

A series of succinct independent stories, Lifelike is everything the dramatic slice-of-life genre ought to be. Each vignette is a snapshot in time, some moments little more than a mist of touching memory, others a tortured exercise in penance. There is no central theme beyond life, and it's presented here with a varied richness that I greatly enjoy. Fans of realistic fiction won't be disappointed.

The author, Dara Naraghi, births each character mid stride and carefully completes each profile before the story's end. By giving each character a distinct voice, Mr. Naraghi allows for a sense of familiarity beyond the artwork, and for him this is especially important. As I mentioned earlier, Lifelike utilizes the talents of many artists. In fact, each story is illustrated by a different artist, in their own distinct style. This ads yet another layer of perspective as each story comes together in a blend of creative voice and artistic expression.

One of the Stan Lee Sunday Comics presented on Komikwerks, Lifelike updates twice weekly and will soon be available as a Graphic Novel thanks to IDW Publishing. (Pre-orders are being taken at a 32% discount through Amazon.com now.) A full list of contributing artists, along with biographies, can be found on the Lifelike main page.