Written by Katie Omberg
Illustrated by Katie Omberg
Self-Published (Fancy Graphics)
No, that's not a typo. It's part of a joke on the cover, which, because Ms. Omberg does not have a web presence for her comics, I can't share with you.
This, the last of the minis we got from her at SPX, is a collection of short thoughts, ranging from why she writes comics to burning her tongue to being careful about sugar highs.
Mildly Irritating continues the personal comic direction of "Suggestion Box" and was written/drawn after a conversation with a friend, who suggested that Omberg "draw what you know best."
I can relate to a lot in this one, though I think the introduction is the strongest section, where Omberg discusses how anger is what causes her to be most creative, going back to when she was a child. It seems like that's true for a lot of artists I like--their best work happens when something gets them going or there's a problem in their life. (Samuel Clemens, I'm staring at you.)
The section on handwriting is also pretty interesting. I was wondering about some of her handwriting quirks, and this explains them pretty well. I used to play around more with mine, but these days, I just try to write in all capitals because my penmanship sucks. (Sorry, Mom.)
As with the previous review, this is a comic that only people who like personal comics should read. If you're the type that only likes fictional work, you'll be sorely disappointed. But if you like Kochalka's diary strips, then this should be something you'd enjoy.
I hope Omberg fights her procrastination more often and has something new for me to read at SPX next year!
