As far as high concepts go, Where's It At Sugar Kat is a surefire winner, with a pair of twin sister detectives who investigate the paranormal, one a qualified detective and the other the most famous woman in the world. In the interview at the end of the trade, Carney and Phoenix name Scooby Doo and the Odd Couple as two influences in creating the book, and it's easy to see those influences come through. However, while I'm not a Scooby Doo or Odd Couple fan, I liked Sugar Kat, largely because of the sense of wackiness that pervades the book, and the way the main characters just sort of ignore it and go on with their lives. Sugar Kat for the reader is a weird and funny read, but for the characters it is just their daily lives, and the way the creators sell that is a big part of the charm of the book.
Weirdness abounds in Sugar Kat, and it's hard to describe it all. Suffice it to say that the main adversaries are bizarre fat-sucking vampires, one of the supporting characters is a cat that dies every time it gets scared (and comes back to life easily) and one of the main characters has this aura of fame that makes everyone around her a willing toady. Sugar and Rebecca Kat don't just investigate the weird side of the world, they live in it.
When the phrase "paranormal investigators" is mentioned these days, one generally thinks of X-Files, but that's not really the tone of Sugar Kat. Instead, this has a definite 70s vibe, whether you're talking about the real 70s that spawned Scooby Doo or the fake 70s that is lampooned in movies like Austin Powers. Carney and Woodrow are clearly influenced by 70s material, but they also clearly recognize some of the ridiculous elements of that time period and put it to good use. In addition, though the book has a 70s vibe, it is set very much in the now, with Sugar's super-model fame being a particularly modern element of the book.
The visuals of the book have a simplicity to them that helps maintain that somewhat innocent tone, courtesy of Woodrow Phoenix. Phoenix's work reminds me of a more rounded and cartoony version of Andi Watson's style, and he has the same skill at using relatively few lines to express a lot in the artwork. I also love his use of splash panels and "special effects," which reminds me more than anything else of modern cartoons like Dexter's Laboratory and Powerpuff Girls.
The Thin of the Land is a quick read, and is very much a light comedy. I'm surprised that although the influences on the book weren't my cup of tea, the end result was something that I enjoyed so much. Whatever the reason, though, Carney and Phoenix's sense of fun is infectious, and Sugar Kat is a fun (and funny!) read.
