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| O is for October and Oily! |
So instead of briefly talking about how Oily works, since we aren't sure right now, let's just get straight to the comics that came in the mail for me as part of the October batch:
Missy by Daryl Seitchik is a series of diary entries with visuals that match the writings of the author, who is a young girl dealing with the fact that her parents are separating. It's supposed to represent the anxiety and feelings of being a girl, but it just didn't do anything new--the girl worries about boys and the beginnings of love, frets about the idea of divorce, and so on, but it's just not fresh enough for me. Seitchik's visual designs look a bit like Family Guy, with wide faces and squat bodies. There's nothing wrong with the thin linework, but neither does it make up for the pedestrian plot with something to hang the reader's eyes on.
Noise 3 starts off with a short commentary on the nature of online games and what happens when you finally give them up--which I can relate to a bit, being one the last people I know still playing Marvel Avengers Alliance. It's part of a stand-up routine for a loser trying to change his life, and we end with some potential for that to occur. Billy Burkert's illustrations don't have a lot of room to breathe in this format, but I like the grainy approach he takes, which reminds me a bit of Paul Grist. Burkert also does a nice job with his inking here, and while this story isn't grabbing me, I'd like to see more of his work in a different venue.
Real Rap 5 starts bringing its storylines to a head, as Da Studge, fresh off his performance, makes an awkward move towards his best friend, not seeming to realize that she's not interested in him at all. Benjamin Urkowitz drops the elephants into the room, as Juli speaks out several things that I've been wondering about myself, including the meaning of Da Studge's act, no matter how heartfelt and serious it might be. I don't see any of this ending well for the characters, but this unlikely favorite of mine is about to explode in the tiny, blocky panels that Urkowitz uses to tell their tale.
Teen Creeps 4. Now this is an especially strange one, because I know that Forsman himself doesn't like the new series he created. So it's weird to say that I thought the progression of the relationship between the two female leads, with its natural discomfort and potentially disastrous story arc, was going quite well. In this one, Dawn makes a fateful decision, looking to help from a shady operator. Forsman's work here is very understated, allowing the discussion to drive the story. The main focus is on the characters and their reactions, with Dawn's hurt being a big focus, as we can see the moment she breaks.
Word & Voice 8 continues Aaron Cockle's story of the downfall of society after its inability to communicate. We're still in space, with two characters clinging to language--and each other. I've just never been able to get into this one, unfortunately. We don't get a lot of plot movement, and it feels like it's just marking time while Cockle draws nicely angular space backgrounds. I'd hoped by now more would be revealed and now with Oily's monthly run about over, I'm not sure whether we'll know the end or not.
So that was October. I'll try to hit November soon. As it stands, I have to admit that hitting on only 2/5 would have had me wondering if I wanted in for 2014. I know anthologies are up and down, but this was a seriously down month overall, for me personally.
