Issue: #1
Release: March 2011
Writer and Artist: Chris Kuzma
Store: Drawn & Quarterly (Montreal, Quebec)
Complex is a dystopian narrative set 1,000 years in the future. Terry, a deeply frustrated office drone, seeks release in the local pleasure palace. Unable to afford the admission price, he is set on a decidedly not-for-children Wizard of Oz-type quest for the Alchemist. The artwork is not exactly pretty but it's certainly interesting - like Jim Woodring on a very bad trip.
My scavenger hunt was pretty straight-forward: find single-issue comic books off the rack with titles starting from A-Z. Go check out the rest of the participants in this year's A-Z challenge. The official site is here.
Pretty sure you've set yourself one hell of a task. I like the image for this one. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteNo sweat...
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Enjoy the challenge!
Really cool A to Z theme here :) And this comic sounds like just my cup of tea!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hope you will. If you're okay with freaky and disturbing, Complex should be right up your alley.
DeleteCheck it out, I mean. I hope you'll check it out.
DeleteA dystopian future. Wow, how unique and unprecedented.
ReplyDeleteOh, who's being snarky now?!!!
DeleteActually, this one was a bit different - though not in a way I particularly like. I'm trying hard to leave judgment out of my tone with these posts but Complex was not one of my favorites.
Was in the grocery store ten days/a coupla weeks ago and they were having a raffle. They called out the winning number over the intercom system.
DeleteTeenaged girl in milk aisle to Mom at top volume: 'Ah! I had the first three letters!'
Suze (under her breath:) 'You and everyone else in the store, Tina Marie.'
Traveling down the personal care aisle toward checkout and a very large woman in one of those remote-controlled mobile units is complaining to her shopping pal about the fragrance in a certain body wash in a sound best described as warbled sonar.
Suze (under her breath:) 'Yeah, there's a voice I could listen to all day.'
I got sick the day after that. You know the show, 'Curb Your Enthusiasm?' There should be a 'Curb Your Sarcasm Before You Lose the Right to Speak Like the Rest of the Humans.'
Karma - it's brutal stuff.
DeleteGot a little off-topic but just wanted to say that this appears to be a strong, solid choice for an A-Z topic. Readers are really engaged. Well done, Scoots.
DeleteThank you. It's been fun for me, too. Those who are already into comics certainly seem to dig it. I'm hoping to win a few converts, too.
DeleteHey, I meant to ask you: how does Karma fit into the Existentialist paradigm?
DeleteIt doesn't - not even a little. Once you're dead, it's all over.
DeleteHowever, existentialists are all about natural consequences - short-term version of the same idea. We all should get what's coming to us sooner or later. Existentialists just prefer the sooner.
Yipe. What about grace? Mercy? Those guys.
DeleteYou really don't believe anything happens after we die?
Careful, Suze, I have rules about discussing religion and politics here! Time for a side discussion...
DeleteVery curious ...
DeleteI have e-mailed you. Did you not receive?
DeleteArgh. No. Resend?
DeleteGlad you got it. I look forward to your thoughts.
DeleteAnother singular find!
ReplyDeleteI can't promise they're all so off-beat but I got all of the first five at D&Q. We'll get a little closer to mainstream with letter F.
DeleteOn what dates were the comics produced? The art is wonderful, I love the streams of lines.
ReplyDeleteThis one's dated March 2011.
DeleteHey there. Your A-Z theme rocks very hard. I'll look forward to seeing what you have in store as the challenge goes on. As you are into comics, what's your opinion on Love and Rockets. It's my favourite series of all time.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
W.
Wayne, I must confess that I haven't read that one yet. It's on the to-read list, though - an ever-growing list as people stop by with suggestions.
DeleteThanks for following. I shall happily return the favor.
Cheers! Can't recommend Love and Rockets enough. The artwork is fantastic and the story too. Duck Soup is another title by them which is also really good.
DeleteDuck Soup? Named for the Marx Bros movie?
DeleteCorrection, Heartbreak Soup. Don't know where I got Duck Soup from. I haven't even seen the film!
DeleteAha! That explains it. I actually did a search on Amazon and all that came up was a children's book.
DeleteThe film is, in my opinion, the Marx Brothers' best. Highly recommended!
Cool comic. Look forward to seeing what else you come up.
ReplyDeleteThank you. And thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the challenge!
DeleteWhat an interesting theme! Not your usual a to z, and a treasure hunt of sorts! Nice! And interesting! best of luck with the Challenge!
ReplyDeleteThank you. It's definitely been fun. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the Challenge!
DeleteIt does sound disturbing. It will certainly be interesting to see the mix of themes you end up with by the time we get to Z!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely disturbing. Even icky at times.
DeleteI know you've been saying that you're trying to leave judgement out of these posts, but I'm curious why. For me, part of the most useful "added value" in even the briefest review is the reviewer's judgement.
ReplyDeleteGive it to us straight, doctor! :-)
You make a good point and I hadn't thought of it that way. I guess I don't want to turn people off. I went into the comics hobby thinking of it as a geek-niche world. While that is definitely true to a point, I believe the medium has a lot to offer the serious reader, even if such a reader wouldn't normally give comics a try.
DeleteOf the three I've reviewed so far, the only series I can see myself pursuing beyond one issue is the first one: Atlas. The other two just aren't my cup of tea. However, I feel they're both deserving of a broader audience, even if that audience doesn't include me.
I can promise some snark down the line. However, I don't think there were any that I would encourage people to ignore completely.
Interesting comic book. Enjoying your A-Z!
ReplyDeleteKeep Calm and A-Z
An A-Z of learning English
Round the world from A to Z
Thank you. It's been fun for me, too!
Delete