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BLUE MONDAY: ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS #4 Mildly Recommended (5/10)
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Oni Press
Writer/Artist: Chynna Clugston-Major
Letters: Sean Konot
Editor: Jamie S. Rich
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
Oni Press is an impressive publisher. The bulk of their output entertains, even challenges. It's rare that one of their books doesn't click for me. This is one of those rare occasions. It's even more odd when one considers the fact that I usually love the Blue Monday characters, but Clugston-Major has included a new character that intrudes on the coming-of-age charm of the property.
In a bid to get back the videotape of her in a compromising position, Bleu has agreed to go out on a date with Alan. Though he's chosen a slimy way to go about it, Alan sincerely wants to woo Bleu, but his friends will have nothing of it. Neither will Seamus, Blue's invisible, kilt-wearing Pooka friend. Hijinks ensue.
The art is as light, fun and expressive as ever. Whereas once I found it hard to tell these characters apart, now they seem crystal clear to me visually. And not just from a design sense. One can see that the ways, for example, Finnegan and Bleu carry themselves are different.
And then there's Seamus. I have to say that I don't care for the character. Oh sure, he's irreverent and goofy, but he doesn't fit into Blue's world. It brings a somewhat Ally McBeal tone to the book, and it's intrusive and makes little sense. His presence makes these teen characters seem less real.
One of the central ideas at the heart of Blue Monday is friendship, but I just didn't see it in this issue. To be honest, I didn't care for the way that Bleu's and Alan's friends treated them while they were out. It struck me as... cruel, not playful. One could argue that Alan had a rotten time coming, given his method of persuasion, I still didn't care for how he suffered.
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