Here comes Santa Clause, here comes Santa Clause, but too late for Christmas!

      Why?

      This reviewer received NBM's new title, Li'l Santa, two weeks before the jolly holiday, and Suspended Animation is written six weeks in advance of publication.

      Then why bother to review it?

      Because you should do whatever you can to find and buy this wonderfully entertaining, whimsical, comical book of holiday fluff, ho ho ho!

      Li'l Santa is written in pantomime. For those simple folks in Bing, Oklahoma, that means there are no words with its pictures.

      The weakness of this approach is that complicated ideas are difficult, at best, and occasionally impossible to communicate. But Santa preparing for the Christmas delivery of gifts is a simple idea and just right for mime.

      The strength of this approach is that anyone can 'read' this book because there are no foreign languages in pantomime.  All that is required is clear visual storytelling that captures the imagination.

      Li'l Santa captures the imagination, and fills young hearts with wonder and smiles.

      Li'l Santa is drawn in a distinctive, highly colorful, minimalistic style full of snowmen, elves, penguins and even a snow dragon.  For those simple folks in Bing, minimalistic means it is drawn in a  'cartoony' style (how I hate that term and the foolish, negative con-notations that is carries!) that will delight comics fans of all ages.

      So, here's my Christmas present to all of the readers of Suspended Animation who will read this book in the afterglow of the holiday.  Li'l Santa is highly recommended for children and for adults who are young at heart (and indifferent to that descriptive cliché!). Merry late Christmas to you all, and to all a great 2003.

      Li'l Santa/$14.95 & 48 pages/ words: Lewis Trondheim; art: Thierry Robin/sold at comics and bookstores and www.nbmpublishing.com .

      Vance & "Grass" Green made comics. Buy EVER GREEN Comics and benefit Grass' widow at: http://bluemooncomics.tsx.org .

     Review by Michael Vance

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Write: 1427 S. Delaware Ave., Tulsa, OK, 74104. Or email Michael Vance.