I have been hearing about Boneyard for a while now, and after thoroughly enjoying Richard Moore's Far West I was looking forward to this trade collection. Moore doesn't disappoint, as Boneyard has the same charm and humor that I found so engaging in Far West. The book is funny, with great characters and a touch of sexy added into the mix, and Moore's artwork on this book is more polished than the past work I've seen from him, reminiscent of Tim Levins's work in many ways.
Boneyard has a premise that follows a familiar pattern, the lonely guy whose life has suffered some recent upheavals but who finds a chance to start over in a new place. It's the formula for comedy, often with a romance subplot attached, and that's what Moore delivers. Of course, it's rare that such a plot features a cast of monsters or a town bent on destroying their cemetery, and even rarer that the love interest turns out to be a vampire who has been around a good long time. Still, while the elements that make up the story are anything but normal, the basic plotline is approachable and real.
It's the cast of characters that really makes Boneyard stand out for me. Michael Paris, the lead, is not unlike any protagonist in this kind of story, a bit shy and quiet but possessed of a quiet strength that lets him handle the weirdness in stride and stand up to the villain when the time comes. Abbey is forward and sexy, but also has a sort of quiet class that makes her instantly likable and a perfect match for Michael. And the various supporting cast members are a lot of fun, from the caustic raven Edward (get it?) to the drinking buddy skeleton and werewolf to the very, very friendly (and frisky) merwoman Nessie. Even the villain of the piece is somewhat charming and likable. In fact, while the conflicts aren't completely harmless, in general the book has an amiable and friendly quality that makes it a joy to read.
Moore also does "adult" comics, and his characters have a healthy and at times slightly gratuitous interest in sex. Nessie's forward behavior and method of dress, or the way Abbey's top gets pulled off by Paris, are elements of sex thrown into the romantic comedy aspect of the book. However, Moore keeps the book younger reader friendly, leaving the nudity and the more obvious sexual innuendo to some of his other books instead.
The work that Moore did on Far West was very solid, with some truly spectacular artwork, but the artwork on this book is more consistently good. It shows that he has done a fair bit of character modeling for his various cast, and the expressiveness of the various characters makes the humor work. In addition, the oversized format of NBM's trade really lets you see the sharp linework of Moore's art, and the splash pages are always an impressive sight. Mind you, I'd be even more impressed with NBM's production values if the cover stock on the back cover hadn't peeled off about a half hour after I purchased it.
In short, this book can be summed up as a whole lot of fun. A solid cast of characters, a great premise and a terrific sense of humor make Boneyard worth seeking out.
