Review: Punks: The Comic #1
Punks is unlike any other comic book on the stands. It is an aimless comic; it doesn’t have a sound plot, and the book doesn’t possess a substantial purpose, but it is a fun time. Punks is a world in which Joshua Hale Fialkov and Kody Chamberlain’s wackiest ideas come to life, which can make for good entertainment. In this hodgepodge of randomness, a skull that has the ability to emit fire from its body, Abraham Lincoln, a dog that wears a suit and a fist that uses signs to speak live in an apartment together.
Punks #1 is made up of two stories and an activity page. Each of the story’s main characters want to make live a nightmare for one another. It makes for some good laughs, but it lacks a great deal of substance. It’s hilarious to watch a talking dog interact with attic-dwelling gnomes, but it gets tiring at a certain point. Punks never lets off the gas pedal; it is full-throttle nonsensical the entire time. And that is certainly fine because that is the creators’ intent. However, nonsense can only go so far.
Chamberlain’s art compliments the book perfectly; it’s as random as the storytelling. The entire book looks very much like a scrapbook. It has a punk-rock feel to it. Chamberlain stitches photographs together, and uses grimy colors, giving the book a messy aesthetic — much like the book’s characters and story. The panel layouts are very cool throughout the entire issue. It is easy to see that a lot of work was put into the look of this book.
Undoubtedly, Fialkov and Chamberlain are vastly creative; they created a fascinating world. Punks is refreshing, in that it does not take itself seriously. It is not a groundbreaking comic book nor is it memorable. Nonetheless, it serves its purpose.
Story: 7.00 Art: 8.75 Overall: 7.3 Recommendation: Read
