In the next few columns I want to revisit the newest issues of indy titles that have already been mentioned previously here. Why? Why not? They are prime examples of indy comic making at their best.
Plus, they keep sending me comics and I’ve got to do something with them.
The last instalment of anarchic post-irony parody is here and the creators of the comic seem determined to ensure that the comic finishes up with a…laugh.
For those that having been reading either my or Reggie’s column (what is wrong with you?), Tozzer is an illusionist enrolled in the Boarboils (Hogwarts?) school of drama. Together with friends Rod and Hornie, Tozzer goes through the school year and the various dangers that the world throws at them.
In Tozzer 2, the school has been overtaken by a mysterious, shadowy figure known as “The Prince”, who seems to have the head of the school, Morphine (Morpheus?) under some kind of thrall and has the staff all working for him.
In the last issue, Tozzer and friends have avoided being detected and managed to sneak into the lair of the Prince….what evil goings on will they discover?
As ever, the art is fantastic. Rob Dunlop’s send ups are rendered into perfectly into recognition by Peter Lumby’s caricatures. In a comic that relies so heavily on parody, it is obviously essential that the artist manages to make his figures look like the people it is supposed to represent and I have to say that Lumby is a master at this. You are always sure of who you are looking at and what you are seeing.
His artwork is also solid, consistent, classy, stylish and professional and is ideally suited to the task to translating the writing into a visual form.
The writing is filled with wit, one liners and more pop-culture references than you can shake a pointed stick at. The humour is irreverent and, therefore, highly amusing. There is nothing funnier than taking the piss out of people and things that take themselves too seriously, and looking at the current cult of celebrity culture we live in, it is a fertile harvest for team Tozzer to reap.
All in all, a hugely amusing end to a brilliant second series.
I just want to know when the next one is.
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