"Troop 142"

Today I look at Mike Dawson's "Troop 142"

Comics, for the most part, are a fairly escapist medium. We buy them to see caped gods fly about and right injustices. We buy them to see these heroes tackle problems that are so larger than life, you sometimes can't help but feel rather disconnected from the whole affair.

But then you find comics and graphic novels that don't paint a fantasy world of impossibility. Stories that hold a mirror up to the reader, and instead of giving them an outlet of escape, asks them to look within at our own humanity and weakness. Mike Dawson's "Troop 142" is one such comic.

"Troop 142" follows one week in the lives of a Boy Scout Troop at the Pinewood Forest Summer Camp. We get to take part in the whole camp experience; The canvas tents, swimming in a cold lake, merit badge classes, and god awful scent of the outhouses. But don't be fooled into thinking that this comic is simply a camping brochure, sharing the wonders of the great outdoors. Because Dawson's real focus in this adventure, is the boys and Scoutmasters of the Troop.

Dawson captures all the awkwardness and frustration of youth in his characters. Any man young or old will most likely remember the lashing out at authority figures, the many rites of passage, the pranks and jokes at other's expense, and the locker room language. Not only with the excellent dialogue and situations he places them in, but their awkward proportions and postures clearly express that time of adolescent change.

This is probably the most difficult review I've had to write to date, largely because I myself was a Boy Scout. Someone who wasn't a part of that organization might read this book and be able to see it as just another story, just another "coming of age" comic. But myself, I read "Troop 142", and I see myself on every page.  Because of that, it's hard for me to treat this like any other comic. I could FEEL all the frustration and awkwardness at the changes going on in myself and those around me while reading this book. But "Troop 142" also brought back the fond feelings of bonding and brotherhood that I found in my own Troop.   

Dawson brings up a number of issues concerning Scouting that are quite prevalent in the world today; Allowing gays into the organization, and the importance of religion in the very foundation of Scouting are two of the big ones. Dawson does an excellent job of bringing these topics to the reader, but allowing them to form their own opinions on the matter. These are also things that only the adults and Scoutmasters talk about, effectively showing that these are clearly not the issues for Scouts busy with exploring their own youth.

The art in "Troop 142" is one of those excellent instances where the visual representation matches the story being told perfectly. I've already mentioned the excellent way that Dawson has portrayed the adolescent awkwardness of the young Scouts. Dawson's inks have a way of moving between the smooth, rather out of place bodies of the Scouts, to the gritty yet harmonious environment of the forest around them. This, along with the excellent use of lights and darks around the campfire really sells the summer camp setting.

Overall, Mike Dawson's "Troop 142" is an absolute must have on your shelf full of comic books. While it certainly has the ability to make us relive some our more unwanted memories of youth, it also fills us with a warm nostalgia over the friendships we had back then. And whether you were a Boy Scout (or still are, as many say) or not, "Troop 142" will still make you have a good ponder about morality, religion, cleanliness, and all the other points of the Scout Law. "Be prepared" is the Scout Motto. So be prepared to enjoy "Troop 142".

"Troop 142" can be read at http://troop142.mikedawsoncomics.com/index.html/ .  More of Mike Dawson's work can be found at http://www.mikedawsoncomics.com/ , as well as contact info.

The following review is NSFW, as is the comic being reviewed. If you are squeamish about gratuitous gay sex in humorous situations, this book is not for you. 

Today I take a look at Rick Worley's comic, "A Waste of Time".

This review is a first for this site on a number of levels. This is the first Mature comic I've ever reviewed. It's also the first independent comic I've reviewed thus far. Finally, it's the first of many books I picked up at the 2011 APE con in San Francisco.

Rick Worley's "A Waste of Time" is a charmingly candid collection of autobiographical tales, told by Worley's artistic representation of himself- A cute anthropomorphic rabbit. Indeed, looking at the cover art, one might see this plush looking rabbit and think you've perhaps picked up some strange incarnation of Hello Kitty... That is until you notice the tied up "twink" wearing bunny ears that also graces the cover of this collection.

This comic takes a look at many facets of gay culture that no one really likes to address in this politically correct world of ours. There's a rather wonderful quote from the foreword by EvilJeff of Comic Book Queers; " There's so much PC bullshit going on in the gay community that we tend to avoid portraying gays as meth addicts, self-loathing alcoholics, masochists and porn junkies. Rick Worley has geniusly realized he can show gays at their worst if they look like cute bunnies, robots and teddy bears. I, for one, feel he's one of the few faggots out there telling the truth. He doesn't hold back."

Some might say this comic is all shock value, and there's enough of this subject manner on HBO for George Carlin to come back from the grave and give us 7 more stand-up specials. But, with both Carlin and Worley, what makes them funny AND applicable is that all of their observations and musings come from real life. The further you get into "A Waste of Time", the more you realize just how much of it is deeply autobiographical for Worley, and that you yourself find you have more than a little in common with this rabbit.

Art snobs might initially see the anthropomorphic caricatures of Worley and his friends as amateurish, and look no further. But the truth is, these characters are drawn with smooth, confident inks, by a man who knows very clearly the expressions and motivations he wants his characters to display. And his art certainly changes styles when you see the many pinups of the boys he's drawn. Gone are the cartoonish proportions, but added is a fantastic use of hatching ink work that really shows the dedication of the artist to his model. He does a fantastic rendition of  Michelangelo's "Victory" with all the care and detail of a Dore' drawing.

I always have to tip my hat to comic book artists who can tell a story completely visually. Now certainly, there's plenty of dialogue in "A Waste of Time", but there is also a section called "Marching to The City", which is a stunning visual journey through the roller coaster ride of a relationship, and all the ups and downs that go with it. If NOTHING else in this book appeals to you, you should still buy it to see cute robots go about their daily lives, and what happens when love, lust, and loss is introduced into that equation.

Ultimately, "A Waste of Time" is just the opposite. Worley has given us a refreshing dose of reality that I believe people will relate to, whether they're gay, straight, or in between. I for one am very much looking forward to more volumes of this work, and hope to see Rick Worley pimping more books at APE Con next year.

You can read "A Waste of Time" online, as well as contact Rick Worley at "http://www.rickworley.com/"