Gempak Malaysia's Comic!

>Title: Dari Alam Angker: Mamai
>Price: RM6.50, RM7.50 SB/SWK
>Created by: Oga
>Cover Page by: Oga
>Published by: Gala Unggul Resources Sdn Bhd, December 2003
>Main characters: None
>Main language: Bahasa Malaysia + Rojak

Hungry for haunting ghost stories? Here's a better choice, short ghost stories in graphic novel by Oga. A compilation of Oga's work, here is how he depicts ghost stories around us. Each stories tells different things so prepare to enter a world full of ghostly tale to chill your bones during the night: Mamai.



The starting point in this graphic novel is that the ghost in this comic is creepy. Some of it will actually stick in your mind after reading it. Therefore, the character (ghost) design is good. It leaves a lasting impression on the readers. The characters' personality is there as Oga manage to convey it nicely through their emotions. One thing to praise about his drawings is that it is definitely not Japanese manga influence. Every stroke here is his own. Might not be unique but it works.

Other than that, each theme for the short stories are good. It is completely different on how people would actually depict Malaysia's ghost stories. The storyline for this comic is simple and easy to follow, which is good for the readers as they can slowly enjoy this graphic novel. The panelling for this comic is fantastic as it was arranged nicely by Oga. It flows very well.



With all the different stories in the graphic novel, one would think it is a heck of a book. Sadly, the most important factor in a short ghost story graphic novel is missing: the level of scariness. If Oga wants to scare people in this comic, he did not really perform. There are just too few stories in this comic that manage to scare you. From the middle of the book onwards, one might not find it scary anymore. The ghost design and theme might be scary but with such simple storyline, it backfires.

One can see the effort put in creating the atmosphere for this comic but it did not do it's job. The effects and background does not really affect any part of the story as there is no depth in it. It is just too simple. If the shading and toning were better, this will definitely sets a nice mood to the story as well.



Simply put, this is just a fun read. Not as scary as the front cover suggested it might be. Oga's effort can definitely be seen in this graphic novel but it is just not enough to scare readers. If this graphic novel is not ghost stories, it would score well but too bad it is. All that is missing is the scary factor and the atmosphere for each of the short stories.

Pros: Great panelling, good ghost designs, good theme
Cons: Not as scary, bad atmosphere settings, bad storyline

Rating: 5/10

Calv out!