Comics Trips

by Peter Kuper

Kuper¹s thrilling exotic adventure through Africa & Southeast Asia.

Genres: Comics, Asia, Travel, Nonfiction

58 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Peter Kuper is an American alternative comics artist and illustrator, renowned for his politically charged, socially conscious, and often autobiographical work. He co-founded the influential anthology World War 3 Illustrated, and is best known for his long-running reinvention of Spy vs. Spy for Mad magazine from 1997 to 2022. Kuper has produced numerous graphic novels, including award-winning adaptations of Franz Kafka’s Give It Up! and The Metamorphosis, as well as autobiographical works like Stop Forgetting To Remember and Diario de Oaxaca, documenting life, travel, and social struggles. His illustration work has appeared on covers and in publications such as Time, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. Kuper’s style often merges comics and illustration techniques, with both wordless narratives and text-driven storytelling, reflecting his belief that the two disciplines are inseparable. He has traveled extensively across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia, often documenting these experiences in sketchbook journals. Kuper has taught courses on comics and illustration at the Parsons School of Design, the School of Visual Arts, and Harvard University’s first class on graphic novels. He has received numerous awards, including recognition from the Society of Newspaper Designers, the Society of Illustrators, and Eisner and NCS awards for his work. His comics combine sharp political commentary, personal observation, and inventive visual storytelling, establishing him as a prominent figure in contemporary alternative comics and illustration.

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fate is the only way to describe it. When I took off for Asia -- a one-way flight from New York to Hong Kong -- the only comic I brought with me was Comics Trips. I didn't know it at the time, but nothing could have been more fitting. It was a revelation, the most influential piece of travel writing I ve ever read. Documenting Kuper's adventures in Africa and Asia, Comics Trips is part comic, part sketchbook, part photo album -- and entirely engaging. Highlights of the book include an account of a hilarious/nightmarish train ride through Tanzania in "Gorillas," and "Bangkok," a light-hearted look at the live-sex trade. Comics Trips is punctuated by beautiful watercolor sketches, ticket stubs and collages, and humorous photo essays like "Toilets of the World." This is the kind of comic you save from a fire.

[Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may be the first of the graphic novel travelogue genre. It's a collection of short stories and sketches by Peter Kuper. In some ways I wish there was a bit more of a narrative line to tie all the stories together, but I always find it fascinating to travel through the eyes of other people (especially people who describe the experience with more than words). Kuper's collage technique works really well when integrating travel ephemera, photographs and souvenirs with his artwork. Great stories of visiting gorillas, getting cheated, and Bangkok sex clubs. Made me want more.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend this to anybody but it is not a complete story.

PEEPER TURK does these throughout the whole book:
-portrays unmistakably real people with very different looks and shows his wide range of art styles in the surprisingly few pages he offers for such a massive subject. You will gain even more appreciation of his universal prowess BUT if you're like me it will make you wish he worked with a "straighter line" more often.

The majority of his work I've read is his highly expressive JV Leo Mattotti (that's not a bad thing) exclamatory art so I may be at fault for narrow selection.

-Makes the story AND the art informative and funny!

I must go backwards to deduce the book's drastic decent:

INTRO-MAN's INTRO-INFO:
Written by Peeper himself, it's a must read for explanatory reasons

My opinion, from his portrayal of process, is that he either had less obnoxiously-long waits or he decided that the effort wasn't worth it once he left Africa because the story ends there -about 75% into the book- and he finishes the rest of his trip with art only.