By Simone Vos

Wobby #40 ends this year with the theme Critter Tales. This edition has been co-curated with Marco Quadri (31) and Adele Dipasquale (30) from the collective Enter Press, an illustration collective and risoprint studio based in Bologna. “Critter Tales gives the illustrators the possibility to create another reality, to put creatures and other living beings into the spotlight that normally are underlooked”, Marco states.

Enter Press and Wobby wanted to create an edition that offers a view of diverse and fantastic worlds in which everything can transform into something else. Populated by critters, where objects can talk, and natural elements and landscapes come to life and live together, a world without hierarchies or dichotomies. ‘Critter Tales' is a typical holidays edition that presents a series of peeks into big and tiny worlds to celebrate the power of imagination and warm you up in the sharp and cold nights of this winter.”

“Creatures, animals, even soup; the illustrators in this edition made a story that is different from other stories. One created a more ironic comic, the other an illustration full of humour and light. Some tackled the theme in a more mysterious or philosophical way. Take Hanne Jatho. She made a beautiful and eerie comic about how memories and communications can transcend species and time, from fungi to mice and trees. Disa Wallander approached a similar topic but with a very personal tone, combining matters serious and light, spiritual and humorous”, says Marco.

“We chose artists that we already knew and thought that their work would fit. Also, we chose new artists that we normally couldn’t work with because Wobby has probably more reach and is more well known than Enter Press. Together with Wobby we discussed which artists we would ask. We had a very long list with a lot of great artists but could only choose ten for the magazine.”

Enter Press
Marco and Adele are both part of the collective Enter Press. Marco has a Bachelor in traditional printmaking techniques from the fine arts academy of Urbino and a Master in illustration at ISIA (focused on printed matter and books). He works mostly in Italy, where the comic books and illustration scene is very lively, he says. Adele went to the same university as Marco and the other four members of Enter Press. She studied visual communication and graphic design and works as a visual artist.

The collective started in 2020. "We funded a collective of illustrators and a small independent publishing house called Enter Press. We started by doing collaborations, but now we focus on publishing other people’s work. We make zines, smaller publications in series and go to independent publishing fairs. That’s where we meet our peers and discover new comic book artists. We really value feeling part of this enlarged community. Also, for this project with Wobby, it was very useful that we have a lot of connections already”, Adele states.

Images from Wobby #40 - Critter Tales

Children’s literature
“While we were writing the editorial for the theme, we already had some makers in mind. We love children’s literature and the way the illustrations cross boundaries between adults and children. It’s also interesting how it can be a space to reflect on reality with a more imaginative and radical approach. In the work for Wobby we were looking for a kind of Toon Tellegen or Tove Jansson style. Not in every work of course, but it’s something that really resonates with us”, Adele says.

The work illustrator Samuel Bas (32) made for the cover of Wobby, is exactly what Adele and Marco hoped it would be. “He makes these ironic and detailed illustrations. We were happy when we saw the cover he illustrated for us. It is a lens on a small leaf, in which you can see all the small life that is on it. That was kind of the whole point of the theme. To zoom in, what is in a space, and what do people normally overlook? So that’s great”, Marco tells us.

For Samuel, the theme ‘Critter Tales’ was well chosen.”In general, I’m inspired by the aesthetics of animated films from the 1930s and 1940s, like Betty Boop, Popeye or Silly Symphonies. I love the visual contrast in these films: the richly detailed, painted backgrounds versus the flat, simplified animated characters. I aimed to recreate this contrast in my illustration. For the background, I painted with acrylic on Rhodoid, which allowed me to create a lot of textures. The plant design itself is inspired by botanical illustrations, specifically a mix of Alocasia species”, he explains. “I also kept in mind the vision shared by Marjolein (from Wobby), who wanted a ‘warm, imaginative’ edition where readers could lose themselves completely in a fantastic universe.”

Flourishing in Strasbourg
Samuel studied graphic design and communication at EPSAA in Ivry-sur-Seine. At the end of his studies, he took a job as an illustrator for a company that made colouring papers for children.”I was hoping to escape a career in advertising. I worked there from 2014 to 2016. While it was an interesting experience, it left me disillusioned with the working world. I became fed up with endlessly drawing smiling characters that weren’t my own. In 2016, I returned to school, at HEAR in Strasbourg in the illustration program. This path suited me much better, and I truly flourished during this time.”

He states: ”I enjoy drawing crowds of tiny characters, so I quickly developed the idea of a large leaf inhabited by miniature animals—elephants, cats, squirrels, crocodiles, mice, and stranger creatures. A bit like insects living on a plant. I wanted to create small scenes reflecting peaceful interactions between the animals, with no conflict (like a cat and a mouse sleeping together). However, while I aimed for a cute overall vibe, I like to include elements of tension or strangeness, creating a form of discomfort.”

France and illustrators
Another maker that Marco and Adele chose for this edition, is Violette Le Gendre. “It's a bit of a coincidence actually, we didn't really have French makers in mind but it happened that almost a half of the issue is contributions by French artists, maybe because their work fits the theme very well. We had worked with Violette before, in a poster collaboration”, Marco tells us. “She has a funny and thorough way of making a story. The comic she made for Wobby is broken up into two pieces. It's a funny story of a girl that organizes a bit party where she invites all types of creature and characters to finally be too tired to enjoy it. A bit of Christmas.”

Violette Le Gendre (25) made two pieces for Wobby #40: a double page spread and a short two-page comic. She studied illustration and comics in Paris at the Auguste Renoir school and pursued studies in Strasbourg. Here she studied ‘visual didactics’ at the Haute École des Arts du Rhin. Together with some friends she set up the studio La Fourrière, to share a workspace and a place for organizing exhibitions. In 2023, she illustrated her first children’s book: The Iron Man (written by Thibault Bérard and published by Albin Michel).

Le Gendre says about the theme: “To be honest, I was thrilled that the theme was ‘Critter tales’ because it’s a subject that fascinates me. My sketchbooks are filled with strange and quirky characters. I’m deeply inspired by the world and monsters of fairy tales. In fact, I dedicated my graduation project to the figure of the monster in different cultures”, she states. “For this project with Wobby, I thought about the works that nurtured my love for fairy tales and strange creatures: Donkey Skin by Jacques Demy, Tove Jansson’s Moomin family, Over the Garden Wall, Miyazaki’s movies, Andersen’s tales, and the creatures found in medieval illuminations.”

Favourite part of illustrating?
“My favourite part of my work is the sketching stage” Violette says. “It’s the moment when I can scribble all my little ideas (even the bad ones) in my sketchbook. It’s a time when I feel especially free. In my drawings, I aim for a sense of quirkiness and something that evokes childhood. I like my characters to have surprising proportions. I enjoy it when there’s a touch of humour.”

Samuel loves illustrating, because he can depict new worlds. “New worlds—the people who live in them, what they eat, and so on. I enjoy leaving a touch of mystery in these worlds, making me want to explore them further and lose myself in them”, says Samuel.

In Wobby #40, the illustrators created a world of their own, with creatures, new inhabitants, animals, references to childhood and even talking soup. The most important ingredient for the illustrations: humour. Curious about the new Wobby #40? You can buy the magazine in our webshop now.

order #40 here