Writer and Artist: Andi Watson
Trade paperback
Published by Oni Press 1999
$9.95

Reviewed by Paul Hanna and Antony Johnston

What makes us "real" human beings? Scientific breakthroughs in artificial augmentation, plastic surgery, liposuction, and even makeup allow us to go to great lengths to artificially alter our natural appearance. Yet we still consider ourselves human underneath it all.

So where do we draw the line? What about someone who is entirely artificial, a synthetic being? Certainly, it is a question openly addressed in many science fiction novels, but Andi Watson's GEISHA handles the subject with more subtlety than most, without falling prey to the heavy moralism often found in such novels.

Jomi, the story's hero, is an android. She is also an artist (specifically a painter), but it's not paying the bills. In a world prejudiced against androids, Jomi's creative aspirations are constantly shot down by unfair critics. So she joins the family business and becomes a bodyguard, under the employ of her flesh-and-bones father, to earn a living. From this initial set-up, Watson weaves a light and fun storyline of action and crime that masks the story's subtler and more involved themes.

"Watson weaves a light and fun storyline of action that masks the story's subtler themes"

Though set in the future, GEISHA possesses numerous details that anchor it comfortably in the present. It does not come off as a vision of the future so much as a clever interpretation of the present. Particularly noteworthy is Jomi's client. A model who has become an overly glamorized Hollywood icon, the flesh-and-bones Natasha Hostynek makes an ideal foil for our synthetic, yet down-to-earth Jomi.

"Geisha," in the context of the story, is addressed by its literal meaning: "Art person." Jomi is an artist, an "Art person", a creator. Yet by the same token she is a creation herself, giving the phrase an inherent irony. And by the end of the story we find a revitalized, reborn (or if you will, recreated) Jomi; she is a Renaissance Woman.

Watson's illustration enjoys a simple, rich line that showcases his mastery of the black-and-white format. With heavy pop manga influences, clear visual storytelling and a story of all-too-familiar human emotions, GEISHA progresses with all the smoothness of a motion picture. It is an almost perfect comic with which to introduce someone to the medium... so much so that we couldn't help wondering if it had been intended as such.

We were lucky enough to catch Watson shortly before this issue went to press, and took the opportunity to ask just that question. Was GEISHA any kind of conscious reaction against the mainstream?

"Actually, it was originally intended to be more mainstream friendly, with a prominent action element," he replies. "I honestly thought a robot-girl-in-future-city story was about as mainstream as I could get without resorting to spandex. Only in comics could science fiction be seen as reactionary!"

" 'I honestly thought a robot-girl-in-future-city story was about as mainstream as I could get' "

"But when the writing was finished," Watson continues, "The real/fake theme and characters had taken over. The action/sci-fi elements had become pretty much superfluous. I don't have an audience in mind when I write - I write for my own pleasure, then hope others get a kick out of it. So I think the things that would attract 'non-readers' to the book would be the same as those that would appeal to 'readers.'"

GEISHA has already succeeded in attracting some new readers to comics, it seems. "I do get lots of letters saying that a reader has passed on the books to their sibling/girlfriend/friend, who never normally reads comics, and they liked it. I'm encouraged by this, but at the same time it's sad that people have to be made to read comics! Also, the GEISHA trade is available from Amazon, and I've seen SKELETON KEY trade collections in book stores. So in theory, the books are available to a new audience... so long as a friend persuades them to try it!"

So do someone a favour - buy them GEISHA as a present. They'll thank you for it.

Recommended

Paul Hanna is a regular contributor to PopImage.

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