Work-Life Balance

Malevolent Managers and Folkloric Freelancers

by Wayne Reé, Benjamin Chee

Description

When a malevolent multinational arrives on our shores, familiar creatures like pontianaks, manananggals, rākṣasīs and ba jiao guis are forced out of their jobs. Some give in and sign up for mundane corporate life – but others would rather fight than join the broken-spirited hordes of the (desk)bound.

Benjamin Chee’s comics and Wayne Rée’s prose intertwine in this collection to bring you familiar Asian mythology in an even more familiar setting: the realm of dead-end work, glass ceilings and truly hellish bosses.

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Marketing Information

A refreshing take on Southeast Asian myths in a modern-day work setting


A masterful conversation between prose and comics that drives a story of an
evolving Southeast Asia across generations


Intricate comic artwork that reflects the story’s imaginative world-building


A long-awaited reflection on soul-draining work culture and bosses from hell

Reviews

“Think you’re stuck working with monsters in your office? Rée & Chee’s Work-Life
Balance takes a whole new look at the possibility, using an interesting text/comics
balance rearely seen.” - PAUL LEVITZ, DC Comics President & Publisher (2002 - 2009)

Author Biography

Wayne Rée is the author of the short story collection, Tales From a Tiny Room. He’s
contributed to publications such as Infinite Worlds Magazine, LONTAR, and Pulp Toast.
He’s also the co-creator of the comic, Mr Memphis, and the narrative podcast, Ghost
Maps. Find him online at www.waynereewrites.com


Benjamin Chee works as an artist in games, and creates comics in his free time. He
created Charsiew Space, a story about smugglers in spaceships cooking forbidden
pork. He has published 6 other titles since then, and has also been collected in
anthologies such as LONTAR Issue #5, Liquid City Vol. 3, Asian Monsters and most
recently, SOUND: A Comics Anthology by Difference Engine.favourite job ever was
when he worked as a night-shift security guard. lHis comics are collected in Liquid
City Volume 3, Asian Monsters, and SOUND: A Comics Anthology. Find him online at
www.charsiewspace.com

Trusted Partner
Frankfurt Invitation Programme Alumni

Difference Engine

Independent comics publisher based in Singapore, founded in 2018. They are inspired by stories from Asia.

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Bibliographic Information

  • Publisher/Imprint Difference Engine / DE Shorts
  • Orginal LanguageEnglish
  • ISBN/Identifier 9789811845598
  • Publication Country or regionSingapore
  • FormatPaperback
  • Primary Price 20 USD
  • Pages192
  • ReadershipGeneral
  • Publish StatusPublished
  • Original Language AuthorsEnglish
  • EditionFirst Edition
  • Copyright Year2021
  • Dimensions148 x 210 mm
  • IllustrationBlack and white

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