Graphic Novel

The comic artist and illustrator Uli Oesterle loves to populate his bizarre stories with grotesque characters and figures. He finds the inspiration for his scenarios in his hometown of Munich, because right on his doorstep there’s a narcissistic subculture full of trendy types, where presenting yourself in an over-the-top style is all part of the game.

In his comic Frass (2000), Oesterle deals mercilessly and cynically with the outrageous epicurean predilections of high society. He designs his colourful and expressive images to match the eccentric pursuit of pleasure of Serafin Brûte II, a gourmet who travels all over the world looking for exquisite delicacies. A serious turn of events has consequences and clearly demonstrates that Serafin Brûte’s desire knows no bounds, as he does not draw the line even at murder.

In the trilogy Hector Umbra: Der halbautomatische Wahnsinn (2003), Oesterle skilfully employs the stylistic devices of the detective novel and science fiction. He also enriches his abstruse and mysterious adventure by taking critical sideswipes at the widespread dissemination of conspiracy theories, the sensationalism of the media and the fashion fixation of club culture. The focal point of his stories is Hector Umbra, a painter, who goes in search of his friend DJ Osaka, who has suddenly disappeared. Umbra may have extremely strong upper arms and be built like a tank, but even he finds his physical and psychological limits during this enquiry. His investigations take him to such places as the nowhere realm of the dead and bring him face to face with unpleasant aliens. But the solution to the puzzle lies within his reach, in a piece of music that Osaka played as part of his set. Even in the gloomy scenario with the repulsive aliens, whose physiognomy is reminiscent of Caro and Jeunet’s early scratchboard comics, Oesterle manages to take issue with modern society and pop culture.

His striking, angular illustrations are well worth studying, because right from the beginning important details and clues are almost incidentally placed under the reader’s nose, coming thicker and faster towards the end, and finally uniting to form a complete picture.