Wet Moon Volume 1: Feeble Wanderings [Paperback]

Ross Campbell (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Series: Wet Moon | Publication Date: February 1, 2005

An unusually usual day-to-day story in the Deep South, set in the gothic, swampy southern town of Wet Moon, a place fraught with lousy love lives, teen angst, and shadowy rednecks. As Cleo Lovedrop heads off for college at the local art school, she's haunted by her melancholic past: a lost love, a lost child. Friends and enemies live their lives around her, as trouble and dissent brews amongst them: an unseen social assailant spreads slander about Cleo, she is forced to deal with her two brusque roommates, and discovers unsolved mysteries about the girl who lived in her room previously. Elsewhere, Trilby deals with unsettled emotional and sexual issues, and keeping her secret habits hidden from everyone. And Audrey comes to the realization that, despite all her efforts, she always causes her friends distress, while Fern, a peculiar, deformed girl who lives in an isolated mansion in the bayous, begins to notice Cleo and her friends. As the moon grows full and lunar rays shine down, lunacy and moon-calves run free. Goths, friendship, romance, sex, betrayal, gossip, cats, murder, guilt, a squirrel monkey, and all the terrible and wonderful things people do to each other.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Fourth Rail:

"The character stuff is terrific, true to life but with just enough of a sarcastic, cynical edge to be funny as hell or, on other occasions, touching or painfully reminiscent of one's own experiences"

Comixfan:

"I have to say: this is a hard book to review. Do I start by talking about its college setting the the realistic dialogue and character interaction that fills this book? But if I make it sound too true to live-- which it is-- then that would ignore the gothic overtures and horror undertones. On the one hand, I'm reminded of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands... on the other hand, the Sundance film, Melvin Goes to Dinner. Perhaps David Lynch is the best balance: there's a bit of weirdness, a bit of normalcy, and a good amount of charm."

Comics Worth Reading:

"It's refreshing to see a cast made up of so many different young women with so many varied body types, and they're all firmly grounded in realistic, detailed settings. Campbell combines the perfect facial expressions with everyday dialogue (or the lack of it, when silence is called for). Everything's ultimately physical, with the girls joking about the disgusting state of the school restrooms and characters identifying one another by smell. The attention the author pays to outfits and poses is refreshing, especially during a silent scene where Cleo examines her body in the mirror, trying to make herself something other than what she is. Every young woman has done something similar, wanting to reconcile herself with what she's supposed to be but obviously not."

Read About Comics:

"There's a lot going on under the surface of Wet Moon waiting to be unearthed by the reader, even while on the surface you can just enjoy reading about the lives of several friends."

"Campbell has a real eye on how to draw people, and reading Wet Moon is like you're getting a glimpse into someone else's life."

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Oni Press (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932664076
• ISBN-13: 978-1932664072
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #555,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpectedly Phenomenal, January 28, 2005

By 

Matdredalia "Amanda" (AR, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wet Moon Volume 1: Feeble Wanderings (Paperback)

I was at the local media store buying Manga when I saw Wet Moon in the Grahpic Novel section. One look at the girl on the cover, about 30 seconds of flipping through the pages, and I was hooked. I refused to leave the store without it.

I wasn't sure if it would be any good, but I was willing to take the chance. The artwork alone was worth it.

Once I left the store, I couldn't put it down. I actually ignored the Manga I'd gotten and plowed straight into Wet Moon. I just couldn't put it down.

Ross Campbell's illustrations throughout the book are relatively simple, but extremely detailed at the same time. His characters each have their differences, and are very real, both in personality, and in looks. He captures "real life" in amazing detail. The characters have their quirks, their flaws, their strengths, and even their mood swings.

Campbell's characters may remind you of your friends, kids you know at school, or maybe even yourself.

Their experiences are things we all go through, from being dumped, to a new crush, to dealing with someone spreading rumors about us, to dealing with annoying room mates.

This novel gets into the nitty gritty of what it's like to be a 'new adult', a freshman in college, and even what it's like to be human.

I don't care if you're Goth, Punk, Prep, whatever. You can appreciate these characters and the storyline, even if you don't relate to their clothing and music. (Though if you're a Goth or Punk, you'll love the art all the more.)

The book also has quite a few extra's in the back, so be sure to read it cover to cover. :)

I would reccomend this book to anyone, and I don't think anyone should pass this up. It's not expensive, and you'll enjoy it for a very long time to come.

Seriously, if I could, I'd give it a 10. Ross Campbell is now on my favorite Artist/Author lists.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an Artist!!!, May 27, 2005

By 

V. Wall (Mayodan, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wet Moon Volume 1: Feeble Wanderings (Paperback)

I have to say that this isn't my usual genre, but what a great story and artwork from Ross Campbell! He is so talented and I hope many other people will discover his works and become fans.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars i'm so jealous..., May 8, 2005

By 

bob pendarvis "ana" (savannah, ga) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wet Moon Volume 1: Feeble Wanderings (Paperback)

ross,

wet moon is every bit as good as i knew it would be. the storytelling, the illustrations, the character designs, the whole moodily feminine vibe...they're all just perfect. i've always been a big fan of your work and i look forward to the future installments. i'm a little worried that some of the girls may be in for some rough times, but i guess that just goes with the territory. i'm especially glad that you chose to eschew a more traditionally over-the-top first episode and focused instead on just casually introducing all the major players. it all felt just right.

don't make me wait too long until the next one, okay?

bob:)