I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Matthew Diffee's (cartoonist for The New Yorker) collection of comics "Hand Drawn Jokes for Smart Attractive People" in exchange for an honest review.
It's not that I don't "get" Diffee's humor... I do. But perhaps I'm just not smart enough or attractive enough to really think that his stand-alone panels warranted enough attention for a full, published collection. I think I chuckled a few times while reading, sure, but overall I just couldn't wait to leave one over-wrought punchline behind and move on to the next one.
The collection is broken up into thematic chapters, which do add a feeling of cohesiveness to an otherwise random set of unrelated ideas, but I kept thinking, "what's the point of all this?" Aside from a specific few comics that really stood out to me as witty, relevant, and questioning convention, Diffee's artwork, while technically very good, is very reminiscent of caricatures of the 1950's or from the era of popart, which when paired with jokes that are occasionally bordering on racist and ignorant, gave an impression less of a self-aware hipster poking fun at everything and more of the impression that Diffee is being quite conventional in his self-indulgent and politically incorrect gags.
I didn't feel that this collection was a stand-out or special moment in visual art or comedy, and I feel like I wasted my time a little bit. Instead of continuing to give attention and publishing opportunities to established cartoonists who keep pumping out the same level of conventional giggles, I would much rather read comics from unknown artists who take risks and try to infuse their work with originality and inclusivity.
2/5 stars. Add me here on Goodreads to follow more of what I'm reading and reviewing!
3.25.2015
"Who turned Bob's Burgers into a graphic novel?"
This is a question that no doubt keeps you up all night, tossing and turning. No fear, dearies. Thanks to the Advanced Reader's Copy I received from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review (that in no way influences my opinion), I can safely assure that this is NOT the worst thing to happen to our beloved animated characters.
I feel like the writers did a great job translating the subtle moments of humor from the show- things like awkward silences and perfectly timed puns- into the comic. The spacing and flow of the panels keeps the jokes from feeling rushed, and a lot of the elements of humor from the show are kept in through the action, or lack of action, in the panel sequences. The artwork is great and keeps the same bold visual cues that define the show.
The voice of the characters seem to stay true to the show, too, with one exception: Linda. Her letters to various companies are placed throughout the issues, but I just didn't feel like I connected with her in the way she's represented here as I do when I'm watching the show. Overall, there was just not enough Linda for me in these issues, because at the end of the day, what separates the show from other animated, sarcastic and irreverent shows like it that lack originality (I'm looking at you, Family Guy) is how this dysfunctional family actually has a healthy dynamic and that they maintain strong relationships with each other, despite all the crazy. So for me skipping out on a lot of the family-centric stories in favor of individual storylines for each of the kids lessened some of the appeal of what makes the series so great in the first place.
Overall, the gags are well above-par and I definitely had those laugh-out-loud moments that keep me hooked on the show. My only real complaint is how much of the storytelling is being focused solely on the kids, but with great characters like Tina, Louise, and Gene, that's not even a real complaint, is it??
4/5 stars. Add me on Goodreads to keep up with what I'm reading and reviewing!
I feel like the writers did a great job translating the subtle moments of humor from the show- things like awkward silences and perfectly timed puns- into the comic. The spacing and flow of the panels keeps the jokes from feeling rushed, and a lot of the elements of humor from the show are kept in through the action, or lack of action, in the panel sequences. The artwork is great and keeps the same bold visual cues that define the show.
The voice of the characters seem to stay true to the show, too, with one exception: Linda. Her letters to various companies are placed throughout the issues, but I just didn't feel like I connected with her in the way she's represented here as I do when I'm watching the show. Overall, there was just not enough Linda for me in these issues, because at the end of the day, what separates the show from other animated, sarcastic and irreverent shows like it that lack originality (I'm looking at you, Family Guy) is how this dysfunctional family actually has a healthy dynamic and that they maintain strong relationships with each other, despite all the crazy. So for me skipping out on a lot of the family-centric stories in favor of individual storylines for each of the kids lessened some of the appeal of what makes the series so great in the first place.
Overall, the gags are well above-par and I definitely had those laugh-out-loud moments that keep me hooked on the show. My only real complaint is how much of the storytelling is being focused solely on the kids, but with great characters like Tina, Louise, and Gene, that's not even a real complaint, is it??
4/5 stars. Add me on Goodreads to keep up with what I'm reading and reviewing!
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