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HOPELESS SAVAGES #4
Recommended (7/10)
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Oni Press
Writer: Jen Van Meter
Artists: Christine Norrie & Chynna Clugston-Major
Letters: Andy Lis
Editor: Jamie S. Rich
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
Van Meter's odd story of a fully functional but seemingly dysfunctional family comes to a close. As was the case with previous issues, the flashback sequences click for me much more strongly than the main kidnapping/musical debut plotline. The art continues to stand out as the book's greatest strength, but again, the flashback sequences make a greater impression.
Nikki and Dirk's kids finally track down their kidnapped parents and the man who snatched them: Trevor Harris. Trevor nevertheless claims victory, as he has 20 thugs at his disposal, who should easily be able to overcome a few kids. What Harris doesn't know is the kids learned to fight, thanks to a family holiday years ago at a beach overrun by a throng of punk surfers.
The flashback sequences are a smart storytelling technique for this book, as they bring the main plotline into focus. They also crytallize the strong bonds among these family members. Though the Hopeless Savages are more than a little rough around the edges, Van Meter instills in them a surprisingly wholesome quality. The kids are taught that violence is wrong, save in self-defense. Dirk and Nikki have shown them that being true to oneself is vitally important, as is the safety and love of the family.
Clugston-Major's art on the flashback bits is a real treat. There's a sharp level of detail and her Ameri-manga style is thoroughly expressive but not at all inaccessible. Norrie's simpler approach in the main sequences doesn't capture my imagination quite so much, but she does convey the emotions and intense nature of the characters nicely.
The conclusion of the story didn't work for me as well as I might have hoped. I was thrilled with the battle between the thugs and the kids, but the rescue of Dirk and Nikki seems glossed over so the story can turn its attention back to Zero and her band's debut at a local club. The emphasis on her music seems to run contrary to the themes of family and togetherness.
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