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Anxiety, Sleep Problems & Depression
You know, for a comic with a title like that, I would think there'd be a lot more angst, staring at the ceiling, those sorts of things. Don't get me wrong, they're in here, but the vast majority of this is about Rashy (the rabbit on the cover) and his girlfriend, Penny. They've only been on a few dates but Penny is taking things a lot more seriously than Rashy is willing to. He learns more about her life, she decides that she loves him, and it's all downhill from there. All kinds of detail in this one, which is something that I love. Vibrant backgrounds all over the place (although the burners on the stove are hilarious, but that's my only completely irrelevant nitpick), good dialogue all the way through, there's not much to complain about here. This is $3, here's a website, check it out!
Rashy Rabbit #3
I do believe, for all you obsessive compulsive collector type geeks out there, that the previous issue was actually Rashy Rabbit #1. Or this issue is really Anxiety, Sleep Problems & Depression #3. I have no idea which of these is right, which must be driving you compulsive types crazy, but you'll have to live with it. Or go to his website and research it, if it makes you so crazy. Anyway, the comic. Rashy seems to be in a pretty crappy place in the world, as the comic starts with even a seedy massage parlor turning him away. Things seem to be looking up as he happens across a possible job (at a coffee shop) and an attractive pot dealer, who promises to "hook him up" later in the evening. Things fall apart in a hurry from there, of course, but half the fun is watching it all happen. There's also a subplot with Rashy's friend Morie who is trying desperately to get into the pants of a lesbian at work. The art is phenomenal again, with all sorts of little things happening in the backgrounds of panels (my favorite was the mama bird bringing back a used condom to feed her baby birds), making this one of those comics that rewards you for repeated readings. It's a great read overall; you can just feel Rashy sinking deeper and deeper into the shit as the issue goes on. $3, stay away kiddies, here there be boobies…
Rashy Rabbit #4
You know, I'm starting to get the impression that things are never going to end well for Rashy. In this issue we get to see the hilarious fate of Morie after his quest for the lesbian, Rashy dealing with his stoner cousin (who seems to have effortless luck with the ladies, unlike Rashy), Rashy dealing with his mother, and Rashy being the nice friend who doesn't take advantage of the drunk, seemingly interested female friend. Josh has this sad little world thoroughly nailed, and this could easily turn into something vast and rewarding over the next five years, with all sorts of subplots and twists and turns. …or he could drop it completely to focus on other things or because of a lack of free time from his "real" job, as seems to happen to most people. Either way, enjoy the funny while it's around. $3
Redskin Rashy: Rashy Rabbit #5
Who needs a visible numbering system? If people like this comic they're going to get the new issues when they come out anyway, right? Josh takes a big departure this time around by making most of the action in the comic take place outside, and outside the grid, with a group of "Indians" who are making their own way. Rashy is saved from at least a beating from Benny by his friend Jimmy, who happens to stop by because he's checking out the contents of a dumpster. Jimmy lives off the grid and convinces Rashy to join him for a bit, they're attacked by Indians and spend the rest of the issue trying to figure out what happened to them, where they are and why they shouldn't just stay there forever. There's mayhem, boobs, and some seriously funny lines, as is pretty much always the case for these Rashy Rabbit books. This one didn't strike me as being as funny as his previous issues, but I'm going to fail you completely by failing to point out a single reason why that's the case. Maybe because I can't really relate to the outdoorsy stuff, even when told from the perspective of a creature that is obviously out of his depth? Maybe so. It's still funny though, and there is character development, such as it is, between Rashy and his conversation with Mary. There's also random slapstick hilarity, if you'd prefer to stay far away from character development. So what does all that rambling add up to? Ambivalent, leaning towards liking a lot, possibly falling either way if I were to read it again. In other words, it's useless to you, the reader. You're welcome! $4
Tripe #1
Wow, after the previous two issues on this page, this one ends up looking downright wholesome. It's a collection of short pieces, not a coherent single story like his previous books. First up is a fairly dopey but good-natured piece about a traveling sno cone salesman, complete with a little dance number in the middle and an abrupt ending. Next up is the highlight of the piece, in which Frankenstein and his girlfriend are having an argument about her past history with the Wolfman. Well, she's having an argument, Frankenstein is mostly groaning. Then there's an absolutely adorable silent love story, involving a Ziggy-ish creature falling for a woman he sees while walking around, although it does get a little less adorable in a hurry. Finally there's a piece about a man with an unhealthy competitive streak who's unable to beat a mentally handicapped kid at bowling. There are moments of hilarity all over the place in the final three stories, only the first one here didn't do much for me. Not a bad ratio for a $2 mini…
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