Customer Reviews

Duh: Underworld 4

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a collection of comic strips created for underground papers by Kaz. Besides having a great, dark counter-culture sort of sense of humour, Kaz, who formerly did lots of work for Art Spiegleman's Raw magazine, is a master draughtsman, putting more imagination into gag strips than most artists put in their most serious works. His influences are obvious, especially Bushmiller's Nancy and Seger's Popeye, but he also brings his own unique, surreal vision to his work.

Kaz's world of urban decay is filled with criminals, con-artists and freaks who, while often dirty and despicable, are also quite cute. Kind of like a cross between Lenny Bruce and the Smurfs. Most of the humour is quite escapist, but there are a few wry, biting comments on American culture that manage to avoid being preachy. Kaz's Underworld is the second best humour strip I've read in years (Dry Shave being the best).

"Duh: Underworld 4," by Kaz, is a collection of frequently outrageous comic strips. Kaz populates his world with a bizarre crew of recurring characters: Shy Boy, the anally-fixated Petit Mort, tough guy Sam Snuff and his buddy Creep Rat, the Ugly Family, and more. The humor is decidedly adult, and involves such topics as pot smoking, suicide, farting, mental illness, religion, breast size, masturbation, etc.

The subject matter is well complemented by the visual style, which is rich in weird details. Kaz's characters are both grotesque and whimsical; they are repulsive yet curiously likable. Kaz draws on such materials and motifs as fairy tales, urban life, and superhero lore. The overall flavor of the book is like Dr. Seuss crossed with "South Park," or perhaps "Peanuts" rewritten by taboo-busting cartoonist John Callahan. If you love cutting edge cartooning, I strongly recommend "Duh."