Psychonaut Presents: Mothervine (Review)
PSYCHONAUT PRESENTS: MOTHERVINE
Everything: Daniel Moler
Publisher: Self Published
Instagram: @danielmolerweb
Facebook: @danielmolerweb
As I continue my quest of discovering new cartoonists, Daniel Moler was one that popped up on my radar pretty quickly. It was through the Wizerd Comix Megazine, where I first got a glimpse of Moler's work. So when I continued to see his stuff online I reached out and he sent me off a copy of his latest project. Little did I know that it would be even better in person. There's nothing like reading a book in your hands a s opposed to on the internet. the great thing about this book is that Moler does everything, from writing to the lettering, it's a complete tour de force of his talents.
I'm not quite sure how to convey how much I really enjoyed this book. It's so different than what I usually read, which is exactly what I loved about it. The opening pages gives the feeling like we're entering an episode of the Twilight Zone, narrated by the Psychonaut, from there we enter a world of madness. The story, in my eyes at least, is about the journey of self awakening told through the lenses of what can only be described as an acid trip. Moler's use of visceral imagery while taking this dude on a journey through his twisted mind, lets him flex his artistic muscles in a way that feels like a "cartoonish outlaw" style. Not to mention the black and white art with just a touch of this greenish/gray color was perfect
While his art was the initial "draw" for me, his writing captivated me as well. The shamanic terms were confusing at first, but thanks to the glossary in the back, that was quickly fixed. As someone who considers themselves spiritual, rather than religious, I really connected with the themes of this book and found the story very intriguing. Moler also knocks it out of the park with his lettering skills, that helps elevate the out of body experience we're witnessing.
After reading this, it kind of makes you wonder if this was something Moler himself has experienced in the past or if it's all just coming from his imagination. Throughout the story, you feel as if you're taking this spiritual journey along with these people who visit Maestro (the shaman), do to the mind bending visuals.
This was my first Daniel Moler book and I can't wait to see what he cooks up next. If you wanna learn more about his work, make sure you click those links at the top of the page. You can also check out the interview I did with Daniel, under the Interview section of the Blog. As Daniel would say "Keep It Psycho!"