Sunday, October 21, 2007

Suburban Glamour, or How the 'Burb's go all emo on us

Suburban Glamour
Writer/Artist: Jamie McKelvie

Just when I thought my comic book collection would not be seeing any new additions (currently it only houses Whedon stuff, BKV books, Gerard Way's Umbrella Academy and Fables TPBs) comes Suburban Glamour.
The premise: an emo couple (not romantically - at least not right now, one never knows with these teenagers, though I forget this is not a WB show where pairing up top-billed teens was mandatory) find themselves living a normal life - parties, shopping, school... when Astrid's long lost childhood imaginary friends come back to warn her about 'something' coming to the town. Out there? Yeah. It also doesn't hurt that the artwork is pretty and pink!
With a wit and spark that seems indebted to everyone from Joss Whedon to anyone writing WB shows circa early 2000s, Suburban Glamour finds that good balance between being ... well suburban (normal, average) and glamorous (stylish, fantastical) - you get both an almost date-rape episode AND a talking marionette; you get both a shopping spree AND a Bang-On-like store (in Suburbia? Yeah... pretty hard to believe!)
Needless to say, I can't wait for the next installment, and not just because it showcases hottie David on the cover.

My favourite line exchange:
David: Yeah, go on it's not like we've got anything better to do.
Astrid: Speak for yourself!
Chris: You're right. I'm sure sitting in your room listening to MCR and refreshing your myspace endlessly is much more fun.
Astrid: ... Sometimes I look at facebook too.

My favourite touch: the 'title page' that doubled as an early-morning montage that could just as easily been a scene of a 1990s chick-flick if put to the tune of an upbeat cloying song (this is, of course a compliment - I am thinking Clueless's use of Supermodel, or more recently Devil Wears Prada's use of Suddenly I See)

3 comments:

Jamie McKelvie said...

Funny - when doing that title page I had the quick cut montage sequences in Shaun of the Dead. So I was definitely thinking movies when writing/drawing it.

Anyway, glad you enjoyed the book.

Jamie McKelvie said...

Sorry, that should read "I had the quick cut montage sequences in Shaun of the Dead in mind".

mB said...

Haha, that's what I thought ;)
Glad to have you drop by here, can't wait for the next issue!