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ANGEL AND THE APE #1
"Model Behavior"
Mildly Recommended (5/10)
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DC Comics/Vertigo imprint
Writers: Howard Chaykin & David Tischman
Artist: Phillip Bond
Colors: Kevin Somers & Digital Chameleon
Letters: Ken Bruzenak
Editor: Heidi MacDonald
Price: $2.95 US/$4.95 CAN |
If you find Codename: Knockout's sexual innuendo a bit too subtle, then Angel and the Ape is for you. If, like me,
you've been growing tired of the over-indulgent and over-the-top sex that is a
part and parcel of every bit of Chaykin's Vertigo work so far, maybe not so
much. I really wanted to love this book, because I think Chaykin and Tischman
are good writers and of course Phillip Bond's artwork is always a treat. But
while I think that the sexy gags aren't completely out of place, it does seem
strange to me that with the rich comedic material of an ape who dresses in a
suit, draws a comic and works as a P.I., Chaykin and Tischman have once again
decided to base the story on gags about sex.
In his "On the Ledge" column, Tischman noted that Sam Simeon, the ape in Angel and the Ape,
wouldn't be talking in this version of the series. And while this didn't seem
like a bad decision when I heard it, given that Bond is perfectly capable of
expressing the character's emotions and thoughts visually, after having read the
first issue, I find I'm a bit disappointed with the decision. Because the
writing is so dialogue-heavy, Sam gets pushed to the side, and he feels like
little more than decoration for Angel's story. And frankly, Angel is the least
interesting half of the partnership.
Which isn't to say that the book is terrible. If you're not tired of all the sex gags, they're actually rather clever. Whether it's the double entendres that appear in the names and the dialogue, the model's attempt to talk Angel and Ape into a "menagerie a trois" (great line) or a detective's fetish leading him to our heroes, there's no denying that the writer is clever and funny. Especially if it doesn't read like the same sort of thing you've already seen in Pulp Fantastic and American Century.
One area where I don't really have any
complaints is the artwork by Phillip Bond. His style is simple and clean, like
that of Jim Mahfood or Andi Watson, and that almost animated simplicity provides
an interesting contrast to the highly sexualized environment and plot. Also,
while his Sam Simeon doesn't have much variation in his facial expressions, like
any realistic ape, Bond makes the character say a lot with his eyes or the
position of his body. The clothing and general design of the book puts a stamp
on it as well, immediately establishing Angel as fashion and trend conscious and
making her interest in the performance of a lingerie company personal as well as
professional.
Overall, I can't really fault the craft
here. The writing and art are solid and professional, it's just that using a
high concept like "gorgeous detective and her intelligent ape sidekick" merely
to tell us yet again how funny sex is seems like a grand waste.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
