You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
honestly a total delight to read! STUNNING art style (sorta jamie-hewlett-esque). just a fun, fun book full of absurd adventures.
I will say that I was a bit confused as to what the intended audience was-- the tone/overall storylines seemed to be quite geared towards younger readers (no real cussing, secret lairs inside mount rushmore, magical luchadors) but there were also some... adult instances (most notably a panel devoted to yeti-on-human lovemaking) that prevent me from lending this book to my kid sister.
overall though I had an inordinate amount of fun reading the book. all the main characters were likable, and it really seemed like we were heading towards some interesting character development in vol 2! and again-- THE ART! this book made me want to listen to 00s rock so bad.
I will say that I was a bit confused as to what the intended audience was-- the tone/overall storylines seemed to be quite geared towards younger readers (no real cussing, secret lairs inside mount rushmore, magical luchadors) but there were also some... adult instances (most notably a panel devoted to yeti-on-human lovemaking) that prevent me from lending this book to my kid sister.
overall though I had an inordinate amount of fun reading the book. all the main characters were likable, and it really seemed like we were heading towards some interesting character development in vol 2! and again-- THE ART! this book made me want to listen to 00s rock so bad.
Amazing Joy Buzzards has any number of obvious influences, but it doesn't merely emulate what it seeks to homage. The rock band [b:on the road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21E8H3D1JSL._SL75_.jpg|3355573], solving supernatural mysteries, is reminiscent of everything from Josie & The Pussycats to Scooby Doo, and the members of the band run the gamut from the smart but shy guy, the laconic badass who also happens to be a racecar driver and the chatty, charming frontman who loves the ladies. The inclusion of vampires, mad scientists, immortal gods and superpowered masked Mexican wrestlers helps to give the sense of a pop-culture stew. Basically, reading Amazing Joy Buzzards should give you that same feeling you got when you were a kid watching Saturday Morning cartoons and chowing down sugar-frosted cereal.
This book is wildly imaginative and energetic, and the story really moves. There's not a bit of wasted space going on in Amazing Joy Buzzards, and the book is packed to the gills with extra details that make the tone and style of the book come to life.
It is these little details that help Amazing Joy Buzzards really stand out. Interspersed with standard comic book storytelling, Hipp and Smith have included "pop-up bios" of each of the characters when they first appear, convincing "house ads" for the comic, the European tour of the Amazing Joy Buzzards band, AJB cereal and the cover of their impromptu live CD. There are any number of cute gimmicks like this that help to keep the story flowing without feeling overcrowded, like having Stevo speak entirely in picture form (similar to Impulse's original thought balloon process in DC's Impulse title) or cross-cutting the villainous plotting with the CIA briefing on the Buzzards so that we get two story threads running simultaneously. Smith and Hipp are innovative storytellers, and that shines through in every page of Amazing Joy Buzzards.
It should also be said that while innovation and imaginative quirks are all well and good, the basics of Amazing Joy Buzzards' comic-book storytelling are really sharp as well. Hipp has a visual style akin to what you might get if you crossed Jim Mahfood with Mike Oeming and Guy Davis, and while he's not afraid to break panel borders with dialogue balloons, the actual action remains firmly contained within the panels, making what could be a cluttered approach easy to read and perfectly clear. That's not to say that Hipp doesn't offer up a bit of experimentation in the sequential art portion of the book, however, for example the page tilt/widescreen view of the auto race about midway through, which makes for a very exciting and open feel.
This book is wildly imaginative and energetic, and the story really moves. There's not a bit of wasted space going on in Amazing Joy Buzzards, and the book is packed to the gills with extra details that make the tone and style of the book come to life.
It is these little details that help Amazing Joy Buzzards really stand out. Interspersed with standard comic book storytelling, Hipp and Smith have included "pop-up bios" of each of the characters when they first appear, convincing "house ads" for the comic, the European tour of the Amazing Joy Buzzards band, AJB cereal and the cover of their impromptu live CD. There are any number of cute gimmicks like this that help to keep the story flowing without feeling overcrowded, like having Stevo speak entirely in picture form (similar to Impulse's original thought balloon process in DC's Impulse title) or cross-cutting the villainous plotting with the CIA briefing on the Buzzards so that we get two story threads running simultaneously. Smith and Hipp are innovative storytellers, and that shines through in every page of Amazing Joy Buzzards.
It should also be said that while innovation and imaginative quirks are all well and good, the basics of Amazing Joy Buzzards' comic-book storytelling are really sharp as well. Hipp has a visual style akin to what you might get if you crossed Jim Mahfood with Mike Oeming and Guy Davis, and while he's not afraid to break panel borders with dialogue balloons, the actual action remains firmly contained within the panels, making what could be a cluttered approach easy to read and perfectly clear. That's not to say that Hipp doesn't offer up a bit of experimentation in the sequential art portion of the book, however, for example the page tilt/widescreen view of the auto race about midway through, which makes for a very exciting and open feel.