For any comics creators out there who think that their comic isn’t complete unless they plaster countless bits of dialogue and exposition over every page, I’d like to introduce them to this series. Then, if that doesn’t take, I’d like to literally hit them over the head with it. This isn’t a silent issue (the sounds of the city alone would prevent that, and they’re essential to establishing an ambiance), but there are long sections of silence, and one way I can tell that a comic has fully captured my attention is that I’m paying as much attention to the quiet parts as I am to the dialogue. Every page without dialogue has stories happening in the backgrounds, and a good chunk of the fun of this series is trying to figure out what those might be. Take a few minutes with that scene in the bar before the band starts playing, why don’t you? Dozens of stories are happening in that two page spread alone. Speaking of silence, I don’t think Karl (or “Karl”; I’m never sure how much of this is autobiographical and how much is composite stories) says a single word in this comic. This led to a brief moment of panic: surely I would have noticed if he hadn’t said a word in the whole series, right? Surely. Should I get to the actual comic, rather than just my amazement at and enjoyment of the series as a whole? Things start off in a diner, where we’re once again surrounded by stories. This goes on for the entire issue until it’s over. Kidding! Sort of. I mean, I don’t think I’m going to sell anybody on this by talking about the town drunk getting bailed out of jail after being caught sleeping under a pool table by the morning clean-up crew at a bar. Or the woman with the necrotic leg who’s begging for money, or the late rock show, or the picnic in the graveyard, but they were all important pieces of the whole. Previous characters pop back in (the guy who attempted to mug them in the last issue returns and seems a little surprised that they don’t think back on the incident as being as funny as he does), new characters are introduced. You know, stuff that happens in a series. The next issue is the last one in this series, and it’s rare for me to be this excited to see how the whole thing comes together. $14
