She’s one sweet mime.
Emilka Sza ("Emily Hush" in English) is a Polish comic book created by writer Maciej Kur and artist Magdalena Kania alias Meago
(the duo responsible for Dollicious).
The titular Emilka was born a mime. Literally - she has a snow-white skin and is unable to make any sounds, but she can see a pantomime world around her, inaccessible to others. In other words, she pretty much embodies Your Mime Makes It Real. She was even born in a "hospital only she was able to see" and is in search of love, fame or just some company of people who can get her.
Emilka's best friend is Natalia a blind musician, the only person able to "see" Emilka's world and the only person who can communicate with Emily. Other characters include Natalia's 9-year old cousin Eric, an envious, spoiled Fiery Redhead girl named Maya and the local cloudcuckoolander Justyna. The series often uses very abstract humor, taking the reader by suprise with surreal twists. At the same time, it contains deep undertones and subtext, touches on issues of disablity, loneliness and is full of heartwarming moments.
This comic book provides examples of:
- Ambiguous Situation: Can Emily create objects by miming and she is just being theatrical about them or do they always exist? Or - in another interpretation - it's all just Emily's imagination and others are playing along?
- Blind People Wear Sunglasses: At one point Natalia directly mocks this trope. When Eric points out she wears shades all the time, she responds "Cose it's make me look cool".
- The Cameo: Ramen and Chocdip Characters from other series by Meago and Kur Dollicious are seen on the background posters.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Justyna spends her time swinging on a swing by the window of her room, which is on the second floor of the building. After last swing, as she comes to a stop, she softly murmurs, 'My plans for today are over.' Her way to prove that ghosts are real involves breaking into the cemetery in the middle of the night. On another occasion, she enters Eric's house and asks him if she can read her poetry to him while he's in the middle of taking a bath. Calling her eccentric would be the understatment of the year. Interestingly she is also the only sighted character who seems unfazed by Emilka's nature.
- Comically Missing the Point: Seems to be a running gag with Justyna, especially when she interacts with Emily as whenever she tries to communicate with her in mime Justyna understands EVERYTHING perfectly - except what she understands has nothing to do with what Emily actually meant. She's still happy to help out.
- Cool House: Once you get past the idea that you can't see Emilka's house, it becomes incredibly awesome sight (not literaly mind you)!
- Cute Mute: Emilka can't talk but is very charming.
- Expressive Hair: Emilka's one long lock of hair tends to change shapes to illustrate whatever she is feeling at the moment.
- Fantastic Racism: Since "a mime" is a an actual etnicity in Emilka Sza's universe... yeah, some comments can take a different meaning from her point of view.
- Fiery Redhead: Maya's hair is carrot-red and her biggest flaws would be bursts of anger and jumping to conclusions.
- Inspirationally Disadvantaged: Averted. While the first story initially portrays Natalia as an impeccable saint, near the end she addresses this misconception by explaing that she values her friendship with Maya, despite Maya's many flaws and irresponsible nature, so highly because Maya treats her just like she treats anyone else. While at first glance others might perceive Maya's behavior as insensitive toward a blind person, Natalia sees it as a commendable quality, because Natalia can be truly herself around Maya. This revelation is followed by Natalia acting goofy toward a guy (in the same over the top style as Emilka and Maya did throughout the story). Despite the awkward situation Maya and Emilka share a warm smile, accentuating that Natalia, despite her virtues, is as fallible as anyone else in the series and she's not above their pack of misfits.
- Giving Up on Logic: Upon hearing explanation that Emily is such a good mime that she even mimed the hospital where she was born, Eric takes a moment of silence, imagines himself kicking a box that says "logic" into a fireplace and decides to roll with it
- Green-Eyed Monster: Maya's envy of Emilka's unique ability and close connection with Natalia drives much of her character's conflict and motivations.
- Mind Screw: At first Emilka's entire nature is puzzling to Eric who can't get over idea of house built out of nothing and how she seems to get around it (it's get more confusing as things get along, yet he learns to accept it).
- Mistaken for Subculture: There is a running gag of Maya calling Emilka "a goth" (and at one point "Emo") and assuming she is a part of a subculture and not getting she is... well... a mime.
- "Scooby-Doo" Hoax: When Maya tries to prove to Emilka that ghosts are real, one of "ghosts" turns out to be this. To hammer in the point There's even a cameo by some familiar looking and very meddling kids.
- Silent Snarker: Emily has no problem making fun of others despite lack of sound to accompany her.
- Slapstick: The story is full of slapstick which mostly happens to either Maya or Emily.
- Odd Friendship: A speachless mime and a blind girl... yet shown to be able to communicate so well, they pretty much live in a world of their own.
- How about a grumpy late teen cheerleader (Maya) and nine year old intelectual boy (Eric) who are somehow good friends and respect each other?
- Only Sane Man: Eric wants to be this so badly. He struggles to maintain his composure, but increasingly bizarre events keep testing his limits.
- Your Mime Makes It Real: Emily's entire home is made out of pantomime and seems to have dozens of rooms in it, and she can pull invisible objects out of her pocket or hat. It is unclear as to whether the objects are created by her will or if they were always there.
- Wingding Eyes: When Emily is starstruck, she spends several pages with stars for her eyes (even her hair is shaped like a star at points). She also gets heart-eyes and heart hair whenever she is in love.
