Some weeks these introductions flow like ichor from a jug. Other weeks it’s like trying to get that last bit of molasses out of the bottom of a way too narrow bottle. As you can probably tell, this is one of the latter weeks. But don’t you worry because our reviews are hot! They’re spicy! And they’re coming from “The First Hunter’s” “Adventures with God” courtesy of our good friend “Dr. Frost” as he quoth’s the raven “Nevermore.”
All this and hopefully a significant reduction in tortured Poe references in this issue of The Webcomics Weekly.
Adventures of God
Pages: Episodes 51-57
Schedule: Fridays
By Teo Ferrazi and Corey Jay
Reviewed by Devin Tracy Fairchild
There is something comforting, soothing even, about familiar running gags done right, involving familiar faces. South Park when they were still inventing creative ways to kill of Kenny. Larry David finding creative ways to get out of basic human interaction on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Rickety Cricket and the litany of horrible shit that happened to him because of the gang on Always Sunny in Philadelphia. And did we ever actually find out what Chandler’s actual job was on Friends? Familiar territory is sometimes even better than being fresh or novel. As long as it is well done and has enough new spins and tweaks to classic concepts, we keep laughing and it doesn’t get old. It strengthens our bonds with the characters and makes them even more real to us than some of the actual people in our real daily lives. The same is true of Adventures of God. Except their running gags are about a drunk God mishandling and mismanaging a worldwide flood. Or God trying to fix up Lucy by sending eligible gay men to hell or Jesus always having to prove to everybody that he is not secretly a lizard person.
In this batch of episodes Jesus has more, hilarious interaction with the Twitter verified “real” son of God who shows up in heaven saying he died in a firearm accident only to rise again three minutes later, only to die again from blood loss. Jesus calls the alpha imposter out for his bullshit and he puts on a plush lizard suit and declares himself “the lizard king of Dixie.” The panel hilariously recalls classic Christian iconography with a yellow disk of white behind him. He is wearing the lizard costume and green gloves and he is balancing on one leg like the Karate Kid pointing one finger to the sky. It is a witty and dare I say iconic piece of art.
In the next episode, entitled ‘Smite’ a snake oil salesman with an old timey straw hat is peddling his product like a certain blockbuster actress peddles her “goop” from atop a soapbox and says “may god strike me dead” if his product doesn’t meet his outrageous claims. God atop a cloud stands poised with a cartoony yellow lightening bolt to do the deed and our favorite bespectacled voice of reason Gabe, stops him, saying that there is no need, humans are smart enough to spot a fraudster when they see one. Gabe, ever the environmentalist, has to be held back by God from throwing a lightening bolt himself when the huckster claims his product is environmentally safe. The recurring non-medical doctor alter-ego of Lucy, Dr. Lucien makes an appearance endorsing the charlatan’s product.
Another familiar face returns for the episode ‘The End Part Two.’ In my last review a hellfire and brimstone peddler of the apocalypse, doesn’t realize he’s gone to hell and thinks his new neighbors in the place of fire and fry are his faithful congregants. When really he is still feeling the effects of his fatal stroke. He calls for the residents of hell to build a new world “and make God proud.” Lucy getting his foppish do dyed blonde tells one of his minions to break the news to the poor sap. Egad reads off the cult leaders wicked resume and breaks the news to him. He takes it as an opportunity to be a leader in the “hellscape.” But he won’t take a hint that he’s actually in hell. In the next panel a man is seen partaking in the Sisyphean task of pushing a boulder up a hill.
Continued belowThe attention to detail is so precise that you can even make out a skull and crossbones on his grey t-shirt. The still delusional cult leader remarks that he is just hard working. Egad points out that they are surrounded by lava which he shrugs off. Then you think he’s finally caught on when he remarks on Lucy’s classically satanic features, the horns, the pointy ears, the red skin, but no, the delusional man thinks its because of apocalyptic radiation. He committed the one unforgivable sin as far as Lucy’s concerned. He insulted his appearance. But the man flatters. Lucy’s minions so much everybody gets makeovers with Lucy’ trademark blonde quaffed hairdo. The next episode features God and Moses picking a font for the 10 Commandments, until he stubs his tow and uses God’s name as a swear and God forces him to start over, making that the third commandment.
God responds to negative comments on the web and is called out for being a troll. But in the end he is stumped by a classic conundrum, “can God create a rock so big he can’t lift it?” The next panned reveals his computer in a burning trash can with God walking away from it. In another added detail, you can make out the Apple rip-off symbol with both ends of the apple with bites out of it, that is featured in many episodes. It’s little touches like that which makes the art pop. It turns out that Lucy and Egad were the ones trolling God all along. And Lucy, always trying out new styles and hairdos is sporting a black perm. Another touch, that one only notices upon multiple readings.
In the very next episode Lucy tries out another look, this time a Mohawk. I think he pulls it off too, as he unsuccessfully tries to talk God down from a metaphorical ledge when he freaks out over a solar eclipse, thinking it’s a sign of the apocalypse. He hides out in a fort made of couch cushions wearing an X-Wing fighter helmet. This batch does circle back to some familiar tropes we’ve come to love, but they are still fresh and funny. It also introduces, new characters, stand-alone gags, and new jokes that could run indefinitely. Read on my friends.
Dr. Frost
‘The Psychologist in the Yellow Room’ (8) – ‘The Psychologist in the Red Room’
Updates: Saturdays
By Jongbeom Lee
Reviewed by Elias Rosner
It’s another break between patient cases as we delve once more into Frost’s past, this time to see what actually pushed him onto the path he’s currently walking. There was always a sense that Frost was a psychologist because that was what Professor Chun did and that it was a purely selfish (i.e. for the self) action. However, what ‘The Psychologist in the Black Room’ does is flip that expectation, instead planting the idea that it was this new character, Seonghyun Moon, that set him off to better understand himself through others. As Lee mentions in the author’s note section of ‘The Psychologist in the Red Room,’ it is just as important to understand and focus on the counselors and psychologists in addition to the patients in “Dr. Frost.” By having these small “reprieves,” he is able to do that while also continuing to redefine our relationship with the titular Frost.
That said, the brevity of ‘The Psychologist in the Black Room’ at just three episodes, and the singularity of ‘Yellow Room’ and ‘Red Room.’ contributes to my feeling that we’ve only got a glimpse into Frost’s past again rather than a more full exploration like in ‘A Solar Eclipse Between Two People’. It was more of an introduction to Moon and using Frost as a lens through which to gain some first impressions, bookended by some four-panel comedy strips. While I love getting a few more four-panel comics, especially ones that focus on the BESTEST BOY PAVLOV, I did find myself getting a little restless this time around.
Likely, I was feeling the very low stakes nature of the arc as compared to ‘Persona’ or even ‘Insomnia’. However, Lee’s framing of the events of ‘Black Room,’ both narratively and visually, instills in me an unease I can’t shake. We are constantly shown Moon in conflict with something in him as his smile feels forced and his conversations with Frost take on a more sinister, though not malicious, tone. Moon is going to be an important character, if Lee is to be believed, and so I wonder if it will be friend or foe or something in between like Seon. I’ll just have to wait and see because, next time, we take a trip through the looking glass in ‘Mirrors.’
Continued below
The First Hunter
Episodes 0-5
Schedule: Fridays
Original Story by Dedart
Written and Illustrated by Jeon Chan Wook
Assisted by Yeondung Kim
Reviewed by Michael Mazzacane
The best thing I can say about “The First Hunter” is it reminds me of Tetsuo Hara’s work on “Fist of the North Star”. The worst thing I can say is it reminds me of Tesuo Hara’s work on “Fist of the North Star.” In direct comparison, Jeon Chan Wook’s art and the overall craft of this comic doesn’t stand up to the seminal post-apocalyptic manga. Indirectly, however, in the ways Wook uses the sudden onset of monsters and a main character who is a literal punching machine “First Hunter” begins to stand on its own and show some promise even as it evokes this feeling that one of these episodes will end with Taehun Kim doing some version of the “you’re already dead.”
There is a brutal simplicity to this comic about the sudden onset of monsters and the chosen few who developed special powers that make taking them on possible. Taehun Kim in these first 6 episodes isn’t much of a character, the most interesting thing is the comic begins with him attempting suicide for unknown reasons. Only to discover he is really good at killing these newfound monsters. Wook and Dedart seem to understand that Kim isn’t the type of character that can carry this series, instead these early episodes being the myth making process for the legendary and titular “First Hunter.” It’s a shift in POV that makes this comic worth checking out even if it isn’t the deepest or most complex one out there.
This appears to be translated from a Korean comic, the lettering leaves something to be desired. It’s fine and functional but also rather bland and the dialogue reinforces the early 80s “Fist of the North Star” quality. That isn’t an inherently bad thing, and honestly helps create the low rent pulpy sensibility of the strip, but that might not be everyones cup of tea.
Outside of some inelegant and confusing use of perspectives early on, Jeon Chan Wook’s art largely works. In the first episode the framing of certain panels and the appearance of kaiju sized monsters confuses the reader if this strip is about hunting Monster Hunter sized monster or more humanoid sized. As of right now things are focused on the humanoid size. Once that bit is out of the way Wook does an overall solid job with the action, the main reason you’d want to read this strip. There is a functionality over form element to their paneling but every now and again they’ll put in a splash page-esque panel that ties the fight together. Their choreography isn’t splashy, these are the early days of the monster apocalypse no one knows what is going on. His art and near constant tight framing do a good job of creating that tense feeling of just scraping by.
“The First Hunter” is a pulpy fight comic that reminds me of like early 90s anime. It looks just cool enough to hold your attention and has just enough going on that all the aesthetic choices are justified.
Nevermore
Prologue, Chapter 1.1-1.5
Updates: Thursdays
By Innocentcinnamonbun
Reviewed by Mel Lake
It’s probably not a surprise that plague doctor masks would come back into style in popular culture after *waves hands vaguely at everything* everything. “Nevermore,” a new Canvas original on Webtoons deploys them with just the right amount of creepiness factor, unlike those ads for the cute plague doctor plushies you see everywhere on social media. (Everyone gets those, right? Right? Anyway…)
In the prologue to “Nevermore,” a man (or man-shaped monster) looks down on a dark city and soliloquies about the plague of rats he sees plaguing it, and how he’ll dispose of them handily. He wears a fancy suit and a plague mask, which doesn’t tell you much about him or why he’s doing a villain monologue on a roof but it definitely looks cool. Cut to a woman who speaks about the troubles of her life and how she doesn’t want to be left alone.
Continued belowOnce we start the actual story, we meet Nicholas, a very tall dude with a disease that makes everyone around him act like he has, well, the plague. They call him a “hunt” and the prejudice he encounters is pervasive, even as he tries to enjoy a show with his friend, Walter, who defends him to little effect. Little do they know, the singer they’ve come to see, Rose, may also have this strange disease, which appears to either enhance the victim’s auditory senses or voice. She is attacked by the mysterious plague doctor, whose motives are entirely unclear.
The story in “Nevermore” is clearly just heating up, so I’ll be very interested to see where it goes. The setup is interesting but low on details in this early stage. In terms of characters, we haven’t had much time with any of them, but the duo of the big dude, Nicholas, and his sidekick or coworker, Walter, are amusing enough to endear them to me, even though I know very little about them.
Aside from the plague doctor mask and the obvious pandemic/infestation theme of the story, the art style in “Nevermore” seems influenced by classic noir detective stories or crime movies. Nicholas and Walter wear old-fashioned men’s suits, which the singer, Rose, wears a very classy ballgown that wouldn’t look out of place on a femme fatale in a Sam Spade movie. The sketchy, unfinished quality of the panels, to me, lends an aura of movement and looseness to the comic and doesn’t detract from it, though other readers may not agree. I’ve always enjoyed a good noir detective story, and the aesthetic is fun to see in contrast with the Victorian gothic look of the plague doctor.
With only a few pieces of the chapter released thus far, it’s hard to tell what “Nevermore” will bring, but if you enjoy a mixture of the very old (plague doctors) with the less old (Edgar Allen Poe poems), mixed with a noir look and the all-too-real idea of a mysterious disease, it may be worth checking out.
