Review – Reality Check TP (Image Comics)

February 4, 2014

2–3 minutes

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Glen Brunswick
Artist: Viktor Bogdanovic
Release Date: 5th February 2014

One part postmodern satire, one part touching story about love and redemption, Reality Check is quite simply one of the biggest pleasant surprises I’ve had from a book in some time.

Our protagonist is Willard Penn, socially awkward, overweight comic book artist with an editor breathing down his neck and writers block.

He’s basically another iteration of the ubiquitous ‘comic book guy’ trope, from the way he thinks to the way he dresses – he’s even got that little soul patch beard that denotes ‘worthless beatnik’ in popular culture.

Of course it turns out that Willard has writer’s block because his comic book hero, Dark Hour has stepped out of his head and into the real world. Suffice to day, chaos ensues but I won’t spoil it for you with further specifics.

The plot of this story has a remarkable arc and while the somewhat arch & self knowingly postmodern (I mean, it’s not the 90s anymore, right?) setting means you have to show a little faith at the start, it’s well worth it.

The character development especially in Willard is commendable and what could on the face of it have been a throwaway yarn is probably my favourite new graphic novel in the longest time.

The artwork doesn’t stand out, not because it’s bad, rather because the story is easily the most important thing going on here. That’s in keeping with the fact that the bulk of the action takes place in the real world and as such, having that setting look to stylised would be wrong.

With that in mind, the inking etc. does exactly what it needs to do and not every title has to have stark visuals or look like the inside of Hunter S Thompson’s head.

My bottom line is that this is a title you should check out, I found it engaging, heartwarming and something I will certainly pick up to read again.