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ADVENTURES OF BARRY WEEN, BOY GENIUS 3: MONKEY TALES #4
Highly Recommended (10/10)
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Oni Press
Writer/Artist: Judd Winick
Editor: Jamie S. Rich
Price: $2.95 US |
Let me be honest... I'm reviewing this title mostly for my new readers, because if you've been reading my reviews for any length of time and you're not picking up Barry Ween, it's not through lack of trying on my part. I love this book, every single issue, and this one is no exception. Going back and seeing the early days of Jeremy (not really Barry, he's not much different from his modern incarnation) was a lot of fun, and gives us more insight into one of my favorite characters in the book. In addition, the finale of the issue was a surprise, and is such an effective cliffhanger that the thought of waiting two months to find out what happens next is agonizing. Let me just repeat once more: Barry Ween rocks, and
you should really all be reading it.
Winick is an exceptional storyteller, and
while I enjoy some of his work for the big companies, I'll always prefer the
work where he's writing and drawing. The contortions of Jeremy playing a
videogame against Sara and the contrast in her playing methods opens the book on
a big laugh, and Jeremy's hyperactive behavior wouldn't be anywhere near as
funny without Winick's depiction of it on the page.
Using Barry's journals as the narration is
another nice touch that makes the book work. His dry (and often wry)
observations contrast with the wild visuals to give a sense of what it must be
like to live in Barry's world, and I'm always impressed at how Winick gives us
such a personal and warm look into a somewhat dispassionate personality. His
interactions with Jeremy and Sara have of course been a big part of that, as
they're the emotional chink in his clinical detachment armor, but even through
Barry's narration alone, we see that he has a grasp of human nature and emotions
that few do.
I'll tell you a secret: Barry isn't even close to being my favorite character of this book. It's probably Sara, with Jeremy a close second. Jeremy gets most of the focus this issue, and the young Jeremy is a riot, a cross between the Flanders' children (from The Simpsons) and your average hyperactive
five-year-old. I can't imagine anyone more different from Barry than Jeremy, and
yet Winick makes their differences work to build a believable friendship between
the two of them.
This issue is something of an examination
of the relationship of Barry and Jeremy in microcosm. Barry's initial interest
in Jeremy becomes an exercise in thinking as he finds ways to get around the
restrictive edicts of Jeremy's mother, then of course an exercise in fleeing
whatever Jeremy has inadvertently screwed up with Barry's inventions and finally
the inevitable moment where Jeremy provides the role of Barry's conscience.
However, for all that I loved the issue, it's the last few pages that really got my attention, as Winick provides some convincing action-movie style suspense and makes a radical departure from status quo. I can't wait to see what happens next. But then, I think I end all my Barry Ween reviews with those words.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
