Writer and artist: Ken Krekeler
Publisher: Action Lab comics
Released: 28th May 2014
This was really disappointing, for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is an independent comic book, and I really want to like and support independent comic book creators. Secondly, it started with a quote from Alan Moore that insulted the reader, and although I love Alan Moore, insulting the reader is never a good thing. And lastly, and most importantly, the story really wasn’t very good.
It looked great, from the cover to the grainy, scratchy, intense and interesting art and panels, but the story wasn’t up to much at all. I can see why artist and writer Ken Krekeler used the Alan Moore quotation though, because this is yet another take on the Watchmen book from 1987, as if we need any more of them, sigh. I like your art Ken, but you need to work with a writer who has some new ideas. Sorry mate, but it’s the truth.
The plot follows a very dull man who works in an office. He’s revealed to be a retired super villain and we follow him as he’s coaxed out of retirement, takes drugs in a night-club and has the kind of lonely and embarrassing night-club experience that I’m sure all of us have endured at least once in our lives. That’s all you get here and I’ve already forgotten the ending as it was so unmemorable that by the time I got there I was speed reading through the pages and rapidly losing interest in the book.
This is such a shame. I loved the art, but there’s no story there. Please, please, please let the Watchmen go. It was a 1980’s thing. Cold war tensions you know? It’s 2014 now, and there are lots of new things to write about. There’s been a couple of illegal wars and relevations that we are living in a rapidly expanding global Police state, if you hadn't noticed. Plenty of material, if you want to be relevant and talk about the world we are living in today.
I feel terrible about slating this book, but what can you do? One of the panels near the end looked fantastic, with all of this beat style writing that looked great, and read great as well. But the foundation isn’t there to support the style. It’s like dating a hot girl. What’s the point if all she does is talk about celebrities and shopping?
If Ken Krekeler finds a decent writer to work with then I’ll check him out again. But if all he’s doing is a slightly different take on an idea that's been done to death a million times before, how can I get enthusiastic about that? The answer is, I can’t. I’m sad now. Rating 4/10
Brilliant review of Dryspell.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pointless rehashing of the superhero deconstruction. The quote insulting the reader set the tone for the whole series.
I go the feeling that Krekeler is condescending to tell us a story. He doesn't think the readers are particularly bright & he thinks his critics don't understand his vision/
The boring main character of the book is an artist like Krekeler and a misunderstood creative genius. No doubt that's how Krekeler sees himself.
Thanks for reading the review mate. I didn't enjoy being horrible about this book at all. I wanted it to be good, but what can you do? That quote was a bad start, and it had an arrogance to it that was weird in a book so lacking in originality.
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