24 pages, A5 form, approx £1 plus postage

To order email schmurgen (dot) jonerhaffs (at) gmail.com or look out for it on the festival circuit as it appears to be well distributed.

Well, what is it? Schmurgen the character appears to be a Norwegian cartoonist in a Wrestler mask attempting to integrate himself into British culture, delivering the laughs with moments for questions on society, status and gender relations along the way. The art style is at times reminiscent of SPX Expo or underground figures like Chester Brown, or British cartoonist Francesca Cassavetti. It wouldn't really be comparable to say the stillness of Sean Azzopardi's longer form work. Theres a little use of greyscale and carbon black, though mostly its elegant waves and dynamic gestures. The subject matter is often juvenile toilet-focussed, though perhaps more Oink! than Viz Yet, theres something quite amicable beyond the decent cartooning that makes it a pleasurable fifteen to twenty minutes. Theres even an exclusive competition offer.

Considering the subject matter and the seemingly one-joke nature this is a half-decent first effort, if a little raggedy around some edges. If it is a first-timer. The booklet contains likeable walk-on parts by several British comics publishing cartoonists. We've already established its not Sean Azzopardi, perhaps. If I didnt know better I'd swear its Cassavetti (whose work is here)

Then again, Schmurgen is Schmurgen. Keep a look out for wrestling masks around Soho.

Schmurgen's blog can be found here.