Super-heroes, futuristic villains and a talking possum collide in Possum at Large.
Randy:
In reading the introduction to this one-shot, it's clear that Possum at Large is a dream come true for writer Chad Lambert, the end result of a long evolution of a character that began life as a college newspaper strip and obviously took on some science-fiction aspects as it went along.
Don:
...
Randy:
Don?
Don:
Not to worry, partner. Just playing dead. Get it? In honor of the focus of this review? Playing possum? Get it?
Sigh. Tough room.
Possum at Large # 1
written by Chad Lambert
illustrated by Joe Gravel
Don:
Cosmic dictators use time travel to mold the universe into a form that they can more easily control, but their efforts are stymied by the one constant in every temporal permutation: a bipedal, talking possum named Jake. Jake has weird dreams about adventures as a super-hero with a stick-figure sidekick named Flyboy, and he soon discovers it's all too real. Flyboy zaps into his life and informs him he's an omnipotent messiah, and together, they soon discovers he's not the only such cosmic savior.
Randy:
The good news is, it's pretty easy when reading Possum at Large to get a sense of the tone and style that Lambert is aiming for. It's sort of an absurdist science-fiction comedy by way of Terry Gilliam, Chris Claremont and James Cameron. The bad news is, while the goal of the book is clear, the writer didn't quite reach it. His use of time travel and paradox falls into the trap of having nonsensical rules just so the story can make some sort of sense, his characters act with somewhat random, entirely plot-driven motivations, and the nature of the plot changes direction so often that it's hard to really feel too involved with it. The real problem here, though, is that for a humor comic, this one just isn't all that funny to me.
Don:
One question kept arising as I made my way through this book: "why?" Why does Jake suddenly pop in and out of super-hero mode? Why is he so important? Why is Flyboy a stick figure? Why do the Overlords keep trying to kill Jake when he's a constant in every timeline? The story shifts genres, settings and even its general premise so much that it's difficult to follow, and the writer really doesn't lay out any ground rules.
Randy:
Mind you, though I had problems with the story overall, there were definitely elements that I liked. The repetition of sequences to show time travel interfering with them was kind of fun, and there are some moments, such as the opening psychoanalysis session or the revelations about the computer that runs the time-travel network, that are both absurd and pretty funny. Unfortunately, these moments didn't come often enough for me, and too much of the story is simply the plot changing direction in an attempt to seem frantic, wacky and/or clever.
Don:
Lambert seems a bit too focused here on the science-fiction and the various genre fiction riffs in the story. A wide variety of influences can be felt here, from The Matrix to Back to the Future, from The Tick to more conventional super-hero storytelling. The problem, there's really not much attention paid to characterization, and even in a goofy humor title, there has to be some character foundation.
Randy:
Where Possum at Large does really shine is in the artwork. Joe Gravel is apparently a veteran of the Canadian Small Press, creator of a mini-comics series called NOOSH, and his experience shows in this work. A pleasant, cartoony style, with impressively detailed backgrounds and clear, strong storytelling goes a long way in this book. There are even some moments of humor to be found largely in his work, such as the fairly ridiculous appearance of the lead character's costume.
Don:
On this point, we agree as well. Gravel's flair for design is sharp, and he does a great job when it comes to perspective here. He handles the more twisted and surreal elements with seeming ease, and the cartoony quality of his style suits the goofier tone of the story. the pseudo-painted cover is really striking as well.
For more information on Possum at Large, visit
