Pay no attention to the official title of this book. The real title should really be Kyle Baker's Odds 'n' Sods, though I suppose it doesn't boast the same sense of humor or marketing potential. This is a collection of sketches, strips and cartooning, of little bits and pieces, some of which have seen publication outside of the traditional comic-book industry. Is it as strong as, say, The Cowboy Wally Show or Why I Hate Saturn? Well, there are moments that Baker's genius, his blunt but hilarious perspective on human nature, shine through, but there are others when the book is filled with energetic, charming yet unfulfilling random cartooning. Overall, it's an entertaining read, but it's a bit hindered by the constant shifts in style and subject matter.
The greatest strength of the book is Baker's examination of men's and women's self-esteem and the impact on relationships, platonic, fleeting or otherwise. He really gives society a kick in its emotional ass, and I, for one, applaud him. Men, we make for some easy targets, and we deserve it, but I love that both genders get equally socially deconstructed and ridiculed. It's so easy to see oneself in those characters and conversations.
There seems to be an order to the material, an attempt to group like-themed strips together, but it's a loose arrangement. The haphazard grouping of the material is one of the book's weaknesses, I'm afraid. It gives the book a feel that it's more of an afterthought, a chaotic mish-mash of "cutting-room floor" material that doesn't stand up to Baker's usual standards. That's not the case, of course, but the scattered nature of the assembly can create that impression.
Of course, the amalgam of material also offers a diverse array of storytelling and art, and it spotlights Baker's versatility as an artist. Ranging from cutesy, Warner Bros.-esque characters to an impressive merging of exaggeration and realism, Baker's frenetic artwork is always a treat. Well, it's always a treat save for when he seems to purposely submerge his own style to create a small-press type strip that features characters reminiscent of Life Is Hell... if the strip was done by Peter Bagge rather than Matt Groening.
Fans of Baker's graphic novel work should approach this book cautiously. It's not the usual Kyle Baker fare, though there are some delicious Cowboy Wally sequences and plenty of material reminiscent of Why I Hate Saturn Ultimately, though, it's an interesting look at the philosophies and craft of a cartoonist who's proven that there are more avenues for one's art than comic books and animation.
