Once in the spotlight, Mr Kiasu is now pretty much uncared for. Given current local tastes in comics, Mr Kiasu is probably viewed as a low quality work of crude humour that reminds us of our not very likeable cultural traits. The comics not only satirize local kiasu behavior, but also many other quirks such as our obsession with discounts and cars.
The comics are not timeless, with themes regarding the eighties and nineties. And I believe this is what make the comics unique. That they are a historical record of sorts, just like how Archie is. This can be said of the same of other American comics, such as Dazzler, which capitalized on the disco craze. But Archie and its spin-offs takes it one step further. Since the forties, the comics have depicted American trends, fads and the culture of the era they were published in. What were of current interest to youths became the subjects of stories.
Although Kiasu is not as cool as Batman, or as deep as Jimmy Corrigan, his is a truly Singaporean comic that deserves a......hardcover deluxe collected edition; Absolute Mr Kiasu.
Don’t you think so?
Absolute Mr Kiasu or Absolute Kiasu.
ReplyDeleteThe title is hilarious. I might just buy it.