Review by Ian Keogh
The cover to Rivers discloses little beyond four characters and a vintage Sunbeam Alpine, and neither does the opening section. It mixes past and present, people imagining how their life will play out, and what they’ve become along with dreams and the sci-fi comic adventures of the Ghoulor Hunters. Dan Berry offers some help to readers, able to identify strands by the varied artistic styles he employs, but diligence is required to pick up the clues. It’s rapidly clear that while the dreams of youngsters may not have been realistic, none of the featured characters have come anywhere near approaching them, and are all to a lesser or greater extent trapped. And of course, it’s trapped characters who supply the best comedy, which manifests at gloriously inappropriate moments.
An ap enabling interaction with the dreams of others is a connection between everyone featured, and, cleverly, bridges are frequently seen when everyone concerned lives an isolated life with minimal human interaction. Yet as we learn, there’s a greater meaning to one particular bridge.
David Gaffney involves some fascinating and often funny ideas in a tragedy about people unable to connect and the reasons behind it. Heidi makes a lot of soup and considers labelling it according to the mood it prompts, we have the zen of toaster repair and the CEO of a vague coding company is socially incompetent everywhere except in his own head. He’s taken the title of a self-help manual literally and is building a boat in his basement. Not as successful are the SF interludes from the comic Gideon was obsessed with as a child. They have a purpose, but are so far removed from the remaining grounded content that they’re eventually intrusive.
Classic cars are ever more important, lovingly drawn by Berry, the plusher and more exotic end of the early 1970s representing a form of false aspiration, and while they’re obvious with attention drawn to them, Berry often deals in subtlety. The loose style that eventually prevails is simple and functional, yet also a haven of nostalgia for those of a certain age if you scan the backgrounds.
Ultimately Rivers is about people working through longstanding problems, with their fears and relationships are nicely observed. It’s witty and it’s sentimental in a good way, but will it all turn out well in the end?
