Monkey vs. Robot [Paperback]

James Kochalka (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

An exciting action-packed rumble-in-the-jungle! A factory of self-replicating robots is stripping the jungle of its natural resources, threatening the territory of a colony of nearby monkeys. A series of encounters between the two groups quickly escalates into all out war.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cartoonist and musician Kochalka strikes again, this time with a very simply illustrated black and white pictorial narrative about a battle between a monkey community and a self-run robot factory encroaching on the monkeys' unspoiled forest domain. The robot factory seems to operate all by itself, spitting out parts that self-assembleAa robot fits itself with a newly minted head and declares, "The future is now," echoing years of Wired magazine headlines. The territorial but sensitive little monkeys spend their time making music and chasing butterflies until the waste material from the robot factory contaminates their forest playground. The robots are equally ticked off after finding monkey poop near the carcass of a robot comrade, done in by the outraged monkeys. In the end, the monkey/robot war destroys the factory and the forest, too. But interpreting Kochalka's witty, charming little fable as a social-political metaphor for the struggle between man (or monkey) and machine probably reads too much into itAnot to mention taking all the fun out of it. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Top Shelf Productions (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891830155
• ISBN-13: 978-1891830150
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,683 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars less is more, November 7, 2001

By 

Jeremy P. Bushnell (imaginaryyear.com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Monkey vs. Robot (Paperback)

Monkey vs. Robot may initially appear simple: it has a minimal art style, barely any words, and an essentially straightforward plot. But James Kolchalka is a master of the deceptively simple, and even a quick glance through makes it clear that his use of minimalism ultimately enriches this book, rather than impoverishing it.

Plotwise, you can read it as a straightforward tale about monkeys and robots duking it out in a jungle. Or you can read it as a metaphor for the way we each are torn by the struggle of oppositional forces within ourselves, or as an allegory about human evolution, or a critique of progress... The book doesn't rule any of these readings out, because the conflict has been stripped down to a kind of primal essence. The story, able to engage readers on many different levels ends up becoming tremendously engrossing.

Artwise, it is worth mentioning that minimalism is harder to do than it looks, and everything here works magnificently: each brushstroke is perfect, the placement and size of each panel contributes to a pacing that absolutely fits. With this book, Kolchalka comes close to establishing himself indisputably as a master of the vocabulary of comics.

A book that is dramatic but not flashy, surprising but not showy, complex but not pointlessly elaborate, simple but not facile.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Wins?, September 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Monkey vs. Robot (Paperback)

Kochalka's drawings are the cutest (see also "Kissers" or "Magic Boy") but don't let that fool you. "Monkey vs. Robot" addresses the age old clash between technology and nature with and loads of charm and an eye for detail. When the monkeys notice robots hauling away parts of the jungle, they take action. And as in any war, the outcome ain't pretty. Kids and grown up kids alike can enjoy this timeless fable. Be sure to check out the catchy punk rock song of the same name by James Kochalka Superstar - Kochalka's musical side.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars (Nearly) Wordless Joy, August 22, 2002

By 

Anna Johnson-Betty "GuNBiTCH" (Cambridge MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Monkey vs. Robot (Paperback)

This is some of the finest work Kochalka has ever done, and it's a frequent companion on trips despite its brevity. You can read it in a minute or lovingly ponder clever artwork panel by panel.

Honestly, "Mv.R" fills me with a kind of reveried ecstacy every time I read it: I don't know if it's the plot, the emotional subtext or just some mesmerism woven cleverly into the artwork, but I can't forget it.

The few lines of dialogue are a real kick in the pants, too: thanks, Ma Computer (and James Kochalka), for the most quotable line in my personal comix experience. And thanks again for some of the most memorable images as well...