What is this book about?

Honestly, I’m not sure. But there’s not a lot of independent books that I can say that I love. But this is most certainly one of them. It’s a book produced by a man named Anders Nilsen. The stories seem to grow out of the images. It’s almost as if he gets an image in his head, draws it, then connects it to another with a story. It’s all related to one another but I’m not sure if he’s consciously aware of what his story is all about when creating it. There are a lot of elements to the books he creates and the whole things plays out like a dream sequence. And though, I’m usually quick to pick apart and hate on books with that type of story telling, but for some reason, Big Problems hasn’t left me feeling dissapointed with the independent genre.

Part of why I like this book so much is that it reminds me a lot of the work from David Lynch. But unlike Lynch, I don’t think this book has any true meaning for the author other than for the purpose of being a great work of art. I’m not sure he has a message that he’s put into these stories. I think that the book serves to be a tool in which the reader can look inside themselves and see something they haven’t noticed about themselves. It’s a very reader driven experience where can you determine the point of the story. Which is why it resonates with me with David Lynch so much, because, I feel that Lynch does this in his movies but, I think the difference here is that he I think has an underlying message and/or moral he’s trying to say.

Why should you read this book?

For it’s minimalist art style and open ended story that let’s you interpret the point. Like I said, I have no idea what this story is about, but I appreciate the artwork and story telling a lot.

One of my problems with the independent genre is that it’s extremely difficult to find a book not littered with missed deadlines, failed concepts, running out of money and will to finish the story. So when I do find something I stick with it pretty hardcore and try not to give up on it. But I think that’s what I like about Nilsen, so far he’s been pretty consistent with putting out books on time and producing thought provoking unique content.

The particular issue I want to recommend to you is issue number 11, which is titled Sweetness and light.

I feel that the main idea behind this particular story is the food chain. And showing comparisons between humans and animals, in regards to what they consume and how that effects themselves and the beings that they share the world with. The story begins with two birds one of which appears to be dying and begins to crawl towards this massive crater in the ground. As the bird is crawling towards the crater the story then shifts focus and begins to follow a pack of wolves who are scrounging for food. And it does this a few times spotlighting different creatures like swans, crows, humans, and wolves. But it usually always spotlights the two birds. Who are the focus of the story. I think the two birds you see together throughout the story are the same two birds from the beginning. Except the one that appears to be dying at the beginning is healthy through the middle of the book because the middle of the book serves as flashback sequences. Which again, isn’t clear or said to be the case, this is just my interpretation.

I’m sitting here racking my brain trying to figure out if there’s a comparison about humans and animals he is trying to display; but I’m not sure if that’s his point. The only scene that supports my theory is the scene where a bird (maybe one of the birds from the beginning of the book who is trying to crawl to the crater) sees a crow eating food off the ground and asks “I thought you only ate vegetables and bread.” To which the crow reply’s “We eat whatever we want. Anyway this bread is sweeter it has bits of animal in it. Animal. Dead. Rotten animal. And you are what you eat little bird. You’re not just seeds and mindless bugs anymore. Now you’re the dead animal, like us. The walking flying dead. Always hungry, feeding off the misfortune of the world. It’s a hard taste to forget. Once you’ve had it, you can’t go back.” And here is where I feel this is the main point (if such a thing exists in this book) he is trying to say. Because all the scenes after this make it easier to make that comparison. However, it’s only speculative.

But please, do not misconstrue my inability to make clear sense of the book for a bad review. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. In anything, I like this book almost more than any other books I usually read. Most of the issues from Big Problems are really quick reads but it’s taken me two weeks to write a review on one single issue. Because the creator leaves the interpretation on the book entirely up to you it seems which is superb! The last time I remember having this difficult a time getting introspective is when I reviewed Batman/Lobo: Deadly serious. The message isn’t clear to see but that’s half the fun and challenge for reading it.