Review by Ian Keogh

What We Mean By Yesterday Vol. 2 presents a complete change for the strip Benjamin Marra posts on Instagram. Gone is hapless hallucinating Bruce Barnes from Vol. 1, as Marra introduces a fantasy comedy starting with Ninkugel stealing bars, a form of monetary exchange drawn as metal bars, and is almost immediately being conned out of them by a trader.

The protagonist might be different, but the creative approach is similar, and it turns out Marra was serious about reading one page per day in his introduction last time, as it’s advice repeated here. Once again the story is quickly sketched, but there’s more thought beforehand, and it flows far more smoothly than the previous volume. Ninkugel is a confident incompetent without conscience, never willing to make any effort while living off those who do, and Marra’s plots ensure through luck or subterfuge he survives any situation. Those accompanying him may not be as fortunate.

Simple sketched art might not be to all tastes, especially when compared to Marra’s more refined style, but if it helps, think of it as akin to film storyboards conveying everything necessary in a quick and comprehensible fashion. It’s strong enough to hit the emotional beats, and the goofy monsters that turn up also serve their purpose.

While the story reads smoothly from start to finish without any obvious padding, it also surprises and features some great invented insults as Ninkugel travels from place to place. In this way it’s reminiscent of Sfar and Trondheim’s great Dungeon series, which has a similar spontaneity (see recommendations). There’s a darker sense of humour at play here, though, as Ninkugel learns more of the world around him, of what others believe and the truths behind that.

This is a slimmer volume than previously, and it’s better for being more compact before repetition sets in. Will we see Ninkugel again? Or Bruce, for that matter? Only Marra knows.