The 32nd installment in the anthology explores a wide range of topics from identity, politics, to mental health. The strength of the comic “Reality Check” lies in the self-reflexivity of its narrative, what with its focus on the limitations of space. “Arsonist’s Last Work” depicts the tragedy of flames in verse form. A visit to the eponymous sculpture in “The Aukana Buddha” opens the narrator’s eyes to corruption and religious hypocrisy. “Privileged Appreciation” features a narrator who shows pride in their diasporic, familial roots. The poem “Realistic Daydream” questions the authenticity of one’s self, especially when that self is shaped and manipulated by harmful societal standards.
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