Justice Warriors

Justice Warriors is a series set in a near future where citizens live in a "perfect," domed city called "The Bubble" and are surrounded by the "Uninhabited Zone," which is populated by mutants who live in squalor. The Justice Warriors are police who enforce the laws of The Bubble in the UZ, one officer a monster with a goldfish head named Swamp, the other a walking poop emoji named Cadet Schitt. Swamp is not a great officer, and in the course of the first few pages, his partner is killed in action while he waits for his breakfast burrito to be cooked. Those in charge are perhaps even worse: The mayor is a musician who is more interested in album sales than governing, the chief of police a robot obsessed with social media and not justice. And overall, the entire system promotes capitalism over any sense of morality.

Exhibit A.

This future comments on our present day in darkly funny ways, parodying our contemporary consumption as vapid and in service of maintaining a power structure of media and soft drink companies while shilling cheap goods at the general populace. It is a darkly funny book, full of extreme, slapstick violence and a Judge Dredd-level of social commentary where it is way too easy to find yourself rooting for the wrong side (if there is one). The adversary in this book is a band of Zodiac-driven terrorists, they are Libras, who are exacting justice by taking over social medial popularity and invading the Bubble. They wreak havoc and disturb album sales, but what is disturbing is how most folks are easily swayed to their side and a "new" social order where the new boss will be just like the old one. 

This book is biting and weirdly fun, pointing out many of the foibles of ourselves and our current times. And perhaps best of all, it features phenomenally good artwork. The wide variety of mutants are cartoonish, highly detailed, and quite distinct from each other. There are intricate backgrounds that belay a vast amount of world-building. And the action sequences and comedic timing are both on point. I found myself poring over this book, reading and rereading sections to drink in all the mayhem, hilarity, and detail.

Justice Warriors is a collaboration between writer Matt Bors and artist Ben Clarkson. Bors is a long time political cartoonist who also founded and edited The Nib. He has won multiple Eisner Awards, was twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and also writes the recent Toxic Avenger series. Clarkson works in animation, illustration, fine art, theater and comics, and his work has appeared internationally in many venues. Bors and Clarkson both speak more about their work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Zack Quaintance called it "a dense, surprising, and often-hilarious read." Ryan Zickgraf wrote, "Part of what makes Justice Warriors feel fresh is that it finds new ways to depict totalitarian regimes. Instead of the predictable censorship-focused Big Brother of the endless 1984 knockoffs, everyone in Bubble City is free to speak their mind online — but the algorithm is tweaked to favor the rich and powerful and ads promoting conspicuous consumption."

Justice Warriors was published by Ahoy Comics, and they offer more information about the series here. It features violence, gore, and profanity, and is advised for readers mature enough to handle those things. For those who enjoyed this book, a second volume, Vote Harder, has also been published.

Pushing Buttons

This "futuristic workplace kerfuffle" recently came to my attention via social media, and I was very glad to buy and read a copy. Pushing Buttons features an eventful first day at work. It stars Margit, a young woman who has not had a job in months and is facing eviction. Luckily(?), her best friend Chloe is a supervisor for a local company and scores her a position operating a 3AZ machine, which involves reading a manual to learn which wires to connect and buttons to press. Chloe's supervisory position makes for some awkward situations, and Margit starts to question their friendship. She also quickly realizes that this gig has lots of restrictions.

This was a relatively short graphic novel, but I found a lot to relate to. I felt quickly drawn into the personal drama, and as I realized more about the social and work dynamics the more engrossed I got. The artwork is geometric and cartoony, somewhat drawing to my mind alternative comics artists like Kaz or Chris Ware. I felt that the cute, regular drawings made for a great atmosphere for the rote and soul-sucking situations Margit finds herself in. Additionally, the adorableness of the characters adds an interesting accent to the ways they put up certain appearances and treat each other. 

Pushing Buttons was made by Ursula Blix, an animator and artist who recently graduated from The Animation Workshop in Viborg. She has drawn a bunch of comics and covers, but as far as I can tell, this is her debut graphic novel, drawn as a final school project. She drew this interview that tells a little bit more about her work on the book. I was not able to find any reviews of it online, but I will definitely keep my eyes peeled to see what else she publishes.

Pushing Buttons was published by Black Panel Press, and they offer a preview and more here. 

Crash Site

I was intrigued when I saw this title solicited, and reading it was a beguiling and bewildering experience. Crash Site is a strange and provocative book that definitely makes an impression. It is ostensibly a survival tale starring three protagonists: Rosie, a young, white, British woman who is vapid and self-centered; her devoted dog Denton, whom she uses as a drug mule, and Pants Dude, the most sinister anthropomorphic pair of underwear ever. 

After plane crash left the trio as the sole survivors stranded in the Amazon, they have to deal with the elements as well as a each other. A self-centered woman, emotionally needy dog, and murderous pair of panties that wants to pocket the entire score for itself make for a whole lot of drama.

This survival plot is intriguing and captured my imagination, but there are many aspects in this book that make for curious juxtapositions. The main narrative is a harrowing tale where one character is literally a cute pair of panties wielding a knife. There is an ongoing exploration of colonialism, from the practice of smuggling drugs to racist stereotypes in video games to the artwork of the book, which borrows heavily from the conventions of horror manga. It is also somewhat cartoonish and kawaii, which belies so many of its situations and commentaries. There are also several scenes that look at the intersections of sexuality and violence, such as when Rosie and her friends practically murder a lifeguard who tells them they cannot sunbathe in the nude and when Denton gets caught masturbating to a magazine called Woke Girls.

This is a book that lets readers have their cake, but the cake is a tough one to swallow, a mixture of disparate and clashing flavors. Instances of fan service are combined with horror imagery. Almost every joke accompanies scenes of violence and murder. Social commentary appears and is overwhelmed by absurdity. I think this is a surprisingly complex book, one I appreciated and enjoyed, though I imagine it is not to everyone's taste. So much about this book made me feel uncomfortable and off-balance, but in such compelling ways.

I could not locate much information about this book's author Nathan Cowdry, but I plan to check out whatever he publishes. He has put out a few other zines and comics, including Shiner and Western Voyeur.

The reviews I have read about this book wrestle with its complexity. Publishers Weekly concluded, "Cowdry’s mix of rock-solid gags, horrifying imagery, and surreal satire makes for an unsettling and indelible experience." Nicholas Burman wrote, "Crash Site is a comic that tickles your ribs and also strikes them a few times with a hot poker." Hillary Brown opined, "I kept teetering between annoyance at Crash Site and liking it, which could be what Cowdry is striving for."

Crash Site was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. If you have even skimmed this review, you should glean that it is suggested for mature readers.

Eddie's Week

One of the highlights of every year for me has been the chance to go to HeroesCon in Charlotte to be a geek for a weekend, reconnect with friends, and check out a lot of excellent comics. Because of the birth of a child, I did not attend in 2019, and the 2020 con was cancelled because of COVID-19, so I have not been in a couple of years. But when I've been there I usually spend a good chunk of time hanging out with the author of Eddie's Week, Patrick Dean. Patrick lives near Athens, GA, and his strip Big Deal Comics was a fixture of the weekly Flagpole magazine. It was a weird, random, and hilarious comic where anything could and did happen, usually involving a ghost or a werewolf. During my time in Athens I got to know Patrick, too, through some mutual friends, and he is one of the kindest, sweetest, and funniest guys I know. His love for zany, old comics is palpable, as is his enthusiasm for making fun, inventive, and funny comics. Patrick was diagnosed with ALS in 2017, and he has not stopped drawing and fighting the good fight any way he can. His candor and dignity facing an impending decline has been inspirational and difficult to observe, though I admire his courage and marvel at the outpouring of love he has inspired from his friends and family.

Eddie's Week is the manifestation of all Patrick's attributes and abilities. Even ignoring the fact that the main character bears a strong resemblance to the author, reading this book feels like time well spent hanging out with my friend. This book's main character, Eddie Lubomir has a week off of work, which he intends to spend at home, watching cheesy movies and reading paperback novels. His plan gets complicated when he gets selected to take part in the Stay At Home Warden Project (S.A.H.W.P.) and has an inmate (complete with cell and nutritive food pellets) installed in his living room.

"The Backstabber" makes for interesting company, but Eddie's life becomes further complicated when he escapes. From there, Eddie runs into all sorts of strange characters, including a men's group who dress in bear suits, party magicians, a witch, vampire cops, and one very determined private investigator. The city of Tragoston is a weird and dark place. Every character in the book is vibrant and memorable, from the single-minded, oblivious head of S.A.H.W.P. to Eddie's ex-girlfriend Claire, who just can't seem to stay out of his business for too long.

What makes this book really work is its idiosyncratic sense of humor. This world is one parallel to ours, replete with a menagerie of supernatural characters that act in mundane, grounded ways. The surreal nature of the plot and characters has the net effect of a grim sort of humor, a world where magic is possible and always at war with the random caprice of bureaucracy. This book is unique, personal, and hilarious in parts, commenting on the stultifying aspects of the "real world" but finding solace in unexpected relationships. The situations that Eddie finds himself in are madcap but also realistic in their impact, which makes this comic a singular reading experience. I really felt for Eddie as he went through his travails, although I also found myself fascinated by and laughing at all the nutjobs in his life. This book is original, gripping, and invigorating.

The reviews I've read of this book have been celebratory. Publishers Weekly concluded, "Though the leap from oddball nightmare into straight magic takes proceedings in an unexpected direction, for the most part Dean delivers a winningly comedic scenario. The result runs like Kafka as interpreted by the Three Stooges." Eleanor Davis wrote, "I’ve laughed loud and hard every time I’ve read it, and I’ve read it four times – and I love how the big weird mess of a plot somehow, against all odds, brings all its threads together like some sort of magic trick." Patrick speaks more about his work on this book in this interview.

Eddie's Week was published by Birdcage Bottom Books, and they offer a preview and more here. 

Moms

Moms is a unique book, a look at the lives that are not often highlighted in popular culture or media. The main characters in this book are Korean women in their 50s, and they are a motley bunch. The protagonist of this book is Lee Soyeon, who divorced her husband years ago because of his gambling addiction. Now, working on a custodial staff in an office building she questions her life choices. Her 30-something-year-old youngest son still lives with her and struggles to make a living as a musician. She dates a skeevy nightclub waiter who only seems to come over for late-night, drunken hook-ups. And she has to contend with poor working conditions and sexism at work, which leads her on a misguided attempt to unionize. Over the course of the book, she also hangs out and commiserates some with her friends, but they have their own issues, ranging from having impotent husbands to seeking out affairs with younger men to simply losing the desire to even socialize at all.

The candor of this book is one of its greatest selling points. There is an aspect of voyeurism at play with gaining such insight into these women's lives, especially when their desires for  love, sex, and money are laid pretty much bare. I found the book very engaging and impossible to put down while also being somewhat horrified by what they had to endure over the course of their days. Plus, much of what transpires has a darkly humorous edge. It is very much like a soap opera, only with real stakes and real pain. I don't think this book will be quite to everyone's liking, but it's a memorable and moving work about resilient women. It portrays mundane lives that become extraordinary in the telling.

This book was created from his mother's notes by Yeong-shin Ma, who has published 11 books in South Korea. Moms is his only book available in English, and it was translated by Janet Hong. He speaks about his work on Moms in this interview.

The reviews I have read of this book have been predominantly positive. Rachel Cooke called it "a remarkable, joyous book," adding, "Our culture, like his, is hell-bent on rendering middle-aged women invisible, and yet here are four of them, their lives not only filling every single page of this comic, but brought to us with such intimacy." Susan Blumberg-Kason opined that "Yeong-shin Ma writes with great sympathy of the struggles of these middle-aged women, portrayed as humans and not caricatures." In a less celebratory review Publishers Weekly commented that "things tend to drag on, and the narrative feels as repetitive Soyeon’s declaration that her 'standards are high.'"

Moms was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they offer a preview and more information here. By now, you may have guessed that this book contains lots of mature themes and is meant for mature readers.

Reminder: Don't do social media late at night.

Demon, Volume 2-4

As I've written before, I seek out Jason Shiga's work. It is usually fun, funny, and cerebral, full of puzzles, strange gadgets, and/or unique situations. His series Demon is no exception, although here I have to say he has dialed his sensibilities to 11.

This series stars characters from Shiga's past works (Meanwhile, Bookhunter, and Empire State), though it treats them like actors playing new roles. As I recounted in my review of Volume 1, Demon follows the exploits of Jimmy Yee, an accountant who attempted suicide only to find that he kept coming back to life because he is a demon. Shockingly, he went on a murder/crime spree that put him on the authorities' radar. In the three books that follow, much gets revealed about his situation and its causes, and the cat and mouse chase between Jimmy and Hunter escalates to a bloodbath of global proportions. This series revels in depravity, but it is also amazingly clever, well thought-out, and masterfully executed. I cannot do justice to them in this space (and I don't want to spoil much either, so I'll simply give you a free-verse poem for each book:

2. surprise surpise

daughters can be demons, too

3. 100 years in the future

a demon meets his maker

plus uncovers a plot for world domination

4. the fight for freedom involves

a high body count

conjoined twins

and peg-legged amputees wielding baseball bats

Overall, I found these books to be compelling and almost impossible to put down. These adventures follow their own logic, are incredibly graphic, and delve into areas of bad taste in the most entertaining of ways. I think that the whole narrative is a smart, grotesque masterpiece, and I am kind of anxious to see where Shiga goes from here.

Shiga speaks about his future work as well as his take on Demon here. Publishers Weekly gave the books a starred review and wrote, "As with Shiga’s other books, there are puzzles aplenty to solve, with an added layer of urgent narrative drive." They also added that "the story will prove just as addictive for readers finding it in print." Dustin Cabeal called it "one of the funniest and yet intelligent books I’ve ever read."

Demon was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here (Volume 2), here (Volume 3), and here (Volume 4). This series was first published as a webcomic, but now only the first chapter is available online.

These books contain lots of violence, some profanity, and some sexual content, so I advise them for mature readers.

A review copy (of Volume 4) was provided by the publisher.

Saint Cole

Saint Cole is an unsettling book, the story of Joe, a 28-year-old guy who lives with his girlfriend Nicole and their infant Oscar. He is getting by, working at a pizzeria, just paying their bills, but he's got problems. He feels the pressure of being the sole source of income, and he turns to alcohol to feel better. When Nicole's mother moves in with them, things get more complicated, setting off a chain of events that lead Joe down a dark, dark path.

I am not going to say much more about the plot, because I do not want to ruin things. But the character work and pacing in this books are phenomenal. I could not wait to see what happened next, which was pretty exhilarating and horrible, like I was watching a slow motion train-wreck. And I must say, as dark and unrelenting as this book got, I appreciated the use of verbal humor and wordplay to sell a joke that gets set up at the opening of the book. Watching Joe figuratively and literally get punched in the face by life was a powerful story on its own, and it being punctuated with an unexpected punchline just highlighted how much craft and care went into executing this book. It also made me feel pretty disturbed and thoughtful about this book as a whole, which is the hallmark of a moving piece of art.

This book was created by Noah Van Sciver, author of the graphic novels The Hypo: The Melancholic Young Lincoln and Fante Bukowski. He is also known for his many mini-comics (some collected here) and the series Blammo. He has a Patreon page, where I am a sponsor for his work. He also has a Tumblr page where posts many of his works in progress. He speaks about his career and work on Saint Cole in this interview with the fine folks at the Comics Alternative.

All of the reviews I have read indicate that this book is a work to be reckoned with. Hillary Brown praised the artwork, stating, "There’s a smart mind at work here, drawing its visual references from a wide variety of sources." Paul Buhle called Van Sciver "a cartographer of his generation." Tom Murphy opined, "He captures perfectly the down-at-heel environment in which these less-than-aspirational characters play out their drama."

Saint Cole was published by Fantagraphics, and they have a preview and more info about it here. There are profanity, sexual situations, drinking, and some drug use throughout this book so it is suggested for readers mature enough to handle those topics.

Demon, Volume 1

Jason Shiga is a comics creator whose works I seek out. They are interesting in a cerebral way, as he often includes puzzles in his stories. I thought Bookhunter, his hard-boiled librarian yarn (who thought that would be a thing?), and the peril/escape story Fleep were both great pieces of action and intrigue. I was very much taken with the choose-your-own adventure tale Meanwhile, in both book and app form, and his sort-or-love-story Empire State was very well done. What is pretty funny to me is that the star of those last two books, Jimmy Yee, a sweet, naive character, also stars in Demon, but in a very different vein.

This graphic novel is the tale of a man trying to kill himself in various ways. He checks into a motel, writes a note and then hangs himself, only to awake in the same motel minutes later. I am not going to spoil what is going on, but after multiple further attempts at suicide, he figures out what is happening and then the story really goes into some depraved territory. Jimmy does not really care about his life, or the lives of others it becomes clear, and a spree of violence ensues. Of course the authorities take great interest in these events, resulting in a clever cat and mouse game. Jimmy is wily and tough to trap, they find.

 

 

I found this book to be completely compelling, well-plotted, and enjoyable, even as it revels in its depravity. Jimmy is a surprisingly dark but hilarious figure, and I found myself rooting for him in sort of the same way I rooted for Light in Deathnote. He's despicable, but his resourcefulness is quite admirable.

All of the reviews I have read have lauded this book for its smart, humorous, and dark features. Rob Clough praised various elements of the book: "There are clever action setpieces. There are mysteries within mysteries. There’s squirm humor that gets its charge from violating social norms and expectations." Greg McElhatton wrote, "Don’t get fooled by the simple nature of his figures; Shiga really knows what he’s doing here and he’s a genuine talent." Lauren Davis opined, "While Demon has a much more morbid—not to mention violent—tone than Shiga's recent work, it still has that pleasantly mind-bending quality that makes Bookhunter and Meanwhile so much fun."

Demon, Volume 1 was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here. This series was first published as a webcomic, but now only the first chapter is available online. The entire story will be published in what will be a 4-volume series.

It contains a lot of violence, some profanity, and some sexual content, so I advise it for mature readers.

Lady Killer

Lady Killer is a comic series about  an assassin turned housewife set in the 1960s. Josie Schuller is a wife and mom, trying to maintain a marriage, raise her children, deal with her busybody/nosy mother-in-law, all while secretly working as an assassin. One of the themes of this book is trying to strike a balance between home and work, and there are a few clever plays on this trope in how she uses various roles to get close to her victims (e.g. pretending to be a cosmetics seller or cocktail waitress).

Avon calling!

Complicating her already complicated lifestyle are her bosses at work, who think perhaps she is losing her edge. They also wonder if she is threatening her cover and their secrecy, which leads to some pretty hairy situations where she has to defend her family. I feel the book is an interesting mix of drama/satire/social commentary.

They don't always go quietly...

And as you can see from the excerpts here, the action sequences and artwork are superb. In the end, this book is a delight to look at.

This book is a collaboration between writer Jamie S. Rich and artist Joëlle Jones, and I have to say that while I enjoyed the story, the real star of this book is the artwork. It is full of energy, detail, and emotion, elevating the whole enterprise to another level. Industry experts echoed my view, as Jones was nominated for a 2016 Eisner Award for Best Penciller, while the series was nominated for Best Limited Series. This is her first ongoing comics series, but she is a sought after cover artist who has worked for a few companies. Rich has written a good number of comics series for multiple publishers, and my favorites have been Madame Frankenstein and The Double Life of Miranda Turner. Both creators speak more about their work on this series in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this comic series have been mostly positive. Craig Neilson-Adams wrote that it was "an utterly captivating read from start to finish, both in terms of concept and execution." RJ Casey was more critical of the book, concluding that it "excels when Jones’s art distances itself from the bad stiff shit genre that is often Dark Horse’s bread and butter, but it still can’t slice and dice itself from the rest of the chaff." Greg McElhatton remarked on its "darkly comic tone and a huge amount of potential."

Lady Killer was published by Dark Horse, and they have a preview and more info available here. There is a lot of blood and violence in this book, and it is intended for mature readers.

Goliath

Goliath is a sparse, poignant, and inventive retelling of an old, familiar tale. It re-imagines the Philistine giant as an introspective and philosophical man who is more prone to doing administrative tasks than being a warrior. However, being that he stood at six cubits and a span tall (9.5 feet!), he becomes part of a plan to deter any Israelite attack. Twice a day for 40 days he goes out decked in armor to challenge the forces of Israel, putting fear into them because of his massive size.

Not much of a warrior, he is more a tool of his leaders. He spends much of his day in the company of a 9-year-old shield bearer, and mostly he stares at the wastes in the valley and the rocks that cloak the enemy camp. Eventually, he does not even go back to camp with his troops and chooses to stay out in the valley, perhaps even contemplating deserting his post. This is a darkly funny book, with his quotidian routine making him quite relatable. And when the inevitable ending occurs, it does not seem very celebratory.

The creator responsible for this clever, moving book is Tom Gauld, a Scottish cartoonist who draws a weekly comic for The Guardian. His collection You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack was one of my favorite books of 2013, and his spare artwork bursts with meaning and feeling. He speaks more about his work, both on this book and in general, in this interview.

Goliath has received much praise and was nominated for an Eisner Award. Marty Mulrooney concisely concluded, "Goliath tells a familiar story from a fresh angle and the results prove delightful." Noel Murray praised the book "both for the alternately funny and poignant scenes of its hero waiting forlornly on the plain for something to happen, and for Gauld’s art, which is typically on-point." Jeff Jackson wrote that it is "an example of what good storytelling can do, even with stories we’ve heard hundreds of times."

Goliath was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they have previews and much more information about the book here.

Megahex

Megahex may very well be the funniest and saddest graphic novel I read this year. On the surface, the stories seem simple enough. There are three roommates, Megg (a witch), Mogg (her cat/lover), and Owl (a large anthropomorphic Owl) living in a house. They get high, they pull pranks on each other, and they cavort with their friends. Much of the beginning of the book is full of drug humor and gross bits, like an ugly feet contest and their friend Werefwolf Jones taking a grater to his genitals (it's not pretty). What is pretty is the painterly quality of the art, with cartoon images combined with watercolors. The storytelling is also quite deft, with a combination of one page gags like this:

It also has extended sequences like this one, which are episodic looks at their mundane lives:

Owl often is the butt of abuse, and for the most part these sequences are darkly humorous. As I read the book though, I began to realize more and more that it was also strongly about Megg's depression and her overwhelming sense of dread. The latter sequences of the book are a strong portrayal of a very troubled person trying to anesthetize herself to reality. So, in the end for me, this book is a great mass of contradictions: beautiful art used to tell base, stoner jokes and a pretty basic humor structure that slowly builds into a very serious drama. Megahex is a provocative and complex piece of art.

Simon Hanselmann created this book. He publishes new Megg, Mogg, and Owl webcomics each week at VICE. He speaks about his life, inspirations, and work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book praise it highly. Hilary Brown wrote, "There may be an abundance of stoner comedies, but very few stoner tragedies exist; Hanselmann’s subtle approach makes Megahex both at the same time." Henry Chamberlain explained, "Megahex, as is apt for its name, has magic. It is also way out there, our best connection today to the heyday of the comix underground." Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and concluded. "The story is depressing as often as it is funny, a cautionary tale that’s at its best when Hanselmann spreads his writing wings, extending beyond a gag strip into an honest exploration of his deeply flawed leads."

And if it is unclear by now, this is a book strictly for adults. It is full of drug use, sexual situations, crude humor, explicit language, disgusting bodily functions, and adult themes.

Megahex was published by Fantagraphics Books, and they provide a preview and much more here.

The Bad-ventures of Bobo Backslack

Sometimes I feel like a bad person. I think that this song is funny (warning, it's NSFW). I am amused by these guys constantly hitting each other. I think this cartoon is entertaining. I miss the work of Mark Beyer, whose Amy and Jordan comics I absolutely love. The brand of schadenfreude in The Bad-ventures of Bobo Backslack is of the over-the-top and hilarious variety. It begins on a day when the naive, sweet, and unluckiest man in North Dakota is at the supermarket, girding up his courage to tell a woman that he fancies her. After one of his friends tells him to have some liquid courage, the innocent dope buys a giant can of alphabet soup using some dodgy logic.

Of course, consuming that much soup in one setting makes him incredibly sick, but still he soldiers on.

I will save you the disgustingly hilarious pictures that follow, but poor Bobo projectile-vomits soup intermittently for a few blocks. His spew spells out ghastly, mean, and obscene messages, which rile up a local thug, thoroughly insult his potential belle, and get him into a whole bunch of trouble. These events put a whole bunch of misery in motion, and no matter what Bobo does, it all ends of catastrophically. And hilariously. I do not want to spoil much, but the climax involves cat allergies, the Yakuza, and a large, hungry snake.

I understand that this comic might not be for everyone, what with its dark comedy and gleefully grotesque pictures. Personally, I think that artist Jon Chadurjian is following in a great comic tradition of folks like Chuck Jones (think that one cartoon where the artist torments Daffy Duck, or any Daffy Duck cartoon he did for that matter). Chadurjian works and teaches at The Center for Cartoon Studies and also publishes under the name Jon Chad. He has created the science-themed graphic novels Leo Geo and his Miraculous Journey Through the Center of the Earth and Leo Geo and the Cosmic Crisis. Like this book, they are gorgeously rendered, but unlike this book they are appropriate for all ages.

Some of the stories in this book originally appeared as mini-comics. Also, I had a difficult time finding reviews for this title, but the ones I did find were complimentary. Shea Hennum praised its weirdness and stated that although it might not be for everyone "the book fits well in the catalogue of high quality books that Chris Pitzer is curating over at Adhouse." Rick Kreiner at The Comics Journal positively spoke of Chad's characters as "grotesques in their fully rendered, rounded, loving detail."

Like all the graphic novels I am reviewing this month, The Bad-ventures of Bobo Backslack was published by Adhouse Books. They provide a preview here.

I met Chadurjian at this year's HeroesCon, and he was a smart and funny guy. I bought one of his Leo Geo books on Saturday and was so impressed I came back and bought one of every graphic novel title he had. He was nice enough to sign one of these color initial-versions of this book's cover for me. You should check his books out because he is a very talented fellow!

Our hero surrounded by those who make his life difficult.