Night Bus, Zuo Ma
In English, 416 pages in black and white, softcover, 15.62 x 3.43 x 21.34 cm, Drawn & Quarterly, August 2021
Journey through the countryside in this magical and realistic debut by an underground Chinese cartoonist. In Night Bus, a young woman with round glasses finds herself on a nocturnal bus adventure that makes constant detours through increasingly fantastic landscapes. Meanwhile, a young cartoonist returns home from art school and tries to become a professional artist while caring for his elderly grandmother, whose memory is deteriorating. Nostalgic jumps take us to an elementary school gymnasium that slowly turns into a swamp and is invaded by a giant catfish. Beetles, salamanders and fish with bulging eyes invade the bus journey of the woman with round glasses as the night lengthens. Night Bus mixes autobiography, horror and fantasy in a vibrant and detailed surreal world that shows a distinct talent for examining its past. Nature invades the world created by man through gigantism and explosive abundance. The images in Night Bus are often unsettling, not intended to horrify, but to upset the balance of modern life. Zuo Ma is part of a booming Chinese art scene that puts emotion at the forefront of the story, while playing with action and dreams.
