Zyterical Sea by Albert Isip

05.21.2019 – There have been so many illustrated/visual abstract stories that don’t define by panels of tradition comicbooks, but convey more about what the author is trying to say in these published works. Zyterical Sea is one of those books that are making their narrative through no specific layout or process of panels that tell the whole story. It’s mostly wordless illustrations and sometimes combined with poems and prose. The independent self-published works that thrive with Filipino Komiks genre is expanding that thought through illustrations in a different way in telling a story. Originally released in Komikon 2017 there was not much noise when it became available, but through word of mouth from friends and fellow creative it gained traction behind the scenes that had people praising this as one of the best works to come out that express emotion through its art

It takes you to another place and realm from the mind of the author/illustrator was readers are free to ascribe a meaning to it. Most interpretations and impressions upon browsing the pages give you an idea that it is like the book is through an individual’s journey and thoughts going through Mental Health. It’s a simple narrative of illustrations with some of the words asking questions and invites you through this fictional place that might help with your daily struggles.

The pages it conveys let you decide what it is for you about the poetic verse and its contents. It is a delightful experience that pushes the boundaries of traditional storytelling through the mind of the author/illustrator.

As impressive as the way it is presented these pages are a window also to how you deal with life and define your perspective. Zyterical Sea is one little book that has all the voices that ask you to join and experience the wonder of the poems and its visual abstractness. It is a little book that all has grey pages, but with bright warmth cover that is the door to a portal to jump into its visual simplicity.

An overall underrated book that gives you an idea of how Albert Isip executes the setup of the visual pages combining single word poetic verse and illustrations that drives the entirety of the book’s visual wonder.

RATING: 6.0