Andrew McGinn

http://lampbane.livejournal.com/614876.html

"I found the book interesting and entertaining because I pretty much knew exactly what the writer was getting at. A lot of newspaper strips are pretty vapid, especially the ones that aren't even done by the original creators now. That's why I rarely ever look at a comics page anymore (well, and the fact that no one buys newspapers). I know from my work experience that the newspaper strip industry isn't driven by content and sales, but by licensing product. Lots and lots of product. And that is precisely Chas' problem in the strip—it's hard for him to get anyone to give a damn what he does in the actual "Simple Pleasures" strip because the managing editor only cares about keeping the licensees happy.

After a while it gets a bit tiresome, though, because not only is the anti-syndicate message very heavy-handed, but even I couldn't find Chas' increasingly disturbing strips funny. It went a little too far; not that there isn't a place for that type of humor, but it felt pretty disrespectful for Chas to do what he did. And plenty of people say that to him, including his own mother, but they're "outsiders" so we aren't meant to take them as seriously. His editor lets it all slide because she thinks it's all pretty hilarious and doesn't care if the strip gets cancelled, but it seems pretty damn irresponsible for her to let some of those get published."… (meer)

This story of an alternative cartoonist son who tries not to fill his syndicated cartoonist father's shoes has a great premise and some laugh-out-loud moments. But, as some of the other reviewers here have noted, the execution sometimes doesn't live up to the premise. While the strips Chas produces to "kill" the strip can be hilarious in their over-the-topness (like the one in which young Dougie becomes a drug mule), they also really stretch credibility - not even an editor who doesn't care about her job would ever let some (or even most) of these strips run. Nevertheless, there's a lot to like here, too, and I look forward to what the team of McGinn & Neitzke do next.… (meer)