MY MONKEY'S NAME IS JENNIFER #1
"I Wish I was Dead"
Recommended (8/10)
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Slave Labor Graphics
Writer/Artist: Ken Knudtsen
Price: $2.95 US |
When I read the phrase "My Monkey's Name Is Jennifer" in Previews and realized it was the title of a new small-press comic-book series, I just had to check it out. I have no idea what Ken Knudtsen has done in comics before, if anything, but I know that I enjoyed this initial stroll through his twisted brain. This is a thoroughly odd, unique and entertaining comic book about an angry little ape, but what it's really about is perception.
Jennifer is a male ape who's been forced to entertain a little girl named Kaitlin. Jennifer hates his existence, so when Kaitlin is abducted by a mad scientist, one would think that he'd be pleased. But no, Jennifer realizes that Kaitlin's parents will yell at him for her disappearance, and thanks to the help of a bizarre man with a bony face, he sets out -- begrudgingly -- to rescue his young playmate.
Knudtsen's art reminds me more than a little of the work of Duncan Fegredo, and to a lesser extent, Andy Khun, and not just because both of those artists have handled comics featuring apes (Jay & Silent Bob and Double Take's Rex Mantooth, respectively). While the backgrounds are lacking at various points in the book, Knudtsen uses shadow to great effect in his harsh, angular work. There's a clear sense of flow to the visuals, and a great deal of energy as well.
My Monkey's Name is a weird mix of innocence and darker story elements. Kaitlin's happiness and the silly notion of an ape in a dress contrasts against the violence, frustration and abuse that Jennifer represents. Even more bizarre but compelling is the fact that it's easy to identify with Jennifer. There are times when we've all felt like someone else's plaything. Jennifer may very well be representation of job dissatisfaction, or frustration with oneself with one's lot in life. On the surface, this book is silly and simple, but there's definitely more to it.
Ultimately, My Monkey's Name seems to be about perception. Kaitlin's family believes Jennifer to be happy. He looks cute, and he plays with Kaitlin in an effort to appease her and her parents. But that's an illusion. Beneath, Jennifer is dangerous. On the surface, it seems as though Jennifer sets out to rescue his "friend," Kaitlin, but in reality, he acts out of self-interest. In a primal way, he's covering his own ass. Knudtsen's cynicism is morbidly entertaining.
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