Customer Reviews

Oboe Jones: A Collection of Cartoons from Cornerstone Magazine

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I've been collecting comics with Christian themes for years, and I'd have say that Kevin Frank's _Oboe Jones_ collection is the best I've found. Frank's warm, witty humor is competitive with nationally syndicated newspaper strips, and has a distinctive flair all it's own. He addresses a variety of issues, from the goofiest to the gravest, with a facility that leaves Lynn Johnston behind; and the sharp edge of his satire is up there with the likes of Gary Trudeau and Berke Breathed. Best of all, his devotion to Christ shows through in his work with naturalism and inventiveness---all-too-rare qualities in most of the Christian comics I've seen. _Oboe Jones_ isn't without its flaws. In several places, the humor is uninspired and falls flat. But I've come to expect those sorts of lulls from all but the greatest cartoonists, and given that Frank was still in his twenties when this collection was published, it's easy to be forgiving. All in all, if you're a Christian looking for some of the best in Christian cartooning--or, if you're a non-Christian who's in the market for good comics with a fresh point of view-- I say,"Don't pass this one up!"

Kevin Frank can really draw but that's not all...he has way of getting across a serious message in a lighthearted and comical way. I'm not joking when I say it made me laugh, it made me cry, I couldn't get enough.

Hopefully he will come up with a sequel so that we can find out what happens to all the characters we've come to know and care about.

Highly recommended for adults and kids alike.

Cornerstone is a Christian periodical of poems, art, short stories, music and book reviews, and interviews with particular artists, both Christian and secular (ie: Jon Bon Jovi, Joey Ramone). Through Cornerstone magazine, I became familiar with Kevin Frank's cartoon Oboe Jones.

In this collection of cartoons, you'll see characters like Oboe, Claymore, Eugene, Gloria, Alice, Apoplexy, Margo, Bill, and Tuber living real-life situations while trying to teach a lesson about Christianity. Oboe Jones isn't preachy when it tries to teach the reader lessons on life and the afterlife- it does it in a witty and hilarious way. Frank makes references to Snoopy and Calvin and Hobbes in this book! Also, the "difference" between Christian rock and secular rock is satirized! Some of the cartoons deal with humility, obedience, and accountability, and Frank isn't afraid to tackle more sensitive issues like abortion, pornography, and AIDS (he no longer works for Cornerstone magazine).