Nick Thorburn

Embarrassing admission: I did not realize until page 197 (of 286) that the stylized black-and-white characters in this book were actually supposed to be penguins. Yes, despite the title! I just thought it was one of those symbolic or nonsensical alternative comix titles like Eightball or Hark! A Vagrant or Kramers Ergot. I suppose I thought all the characters were just mimes, as all the strips are wordless. Anyhow, please feel free to question my judgement about all opinions that follow.

Most of the strips in this book end in death, usually involving melting or explosions. While that worked for me in The Many Deaths of Scott Koblish and Et Tu, Brute?: The Deaths of the Roman Emperors or even Mad's Spy vs. Spy, here it just falls flat and seems sort of sad. Not in a death-is-sad way, but because this seems to be the only way the creator knows how to be funny. Lacking the cleverness of any of the aforementioned works, this book just wears one down with the repetition.

And fair warning to others, the strips are pretty gross. Thornburn tries to channel Basil Wolverton in some of his more detailed drawings of ugly and disgusting characters. Penises pop up a few times, and one of the few color gags features an extended and copious urination sequence. I'm sure I would have found all of this hilarious when I was twelve.… (mais)