Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer/Artist: Evan Dorkin
Release Date: 23rd April 2014

As part of the celebrated indie anthology comic Dork; the Eltingville Comic Book, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror & Role Playing Club have raged and moaned for over twenty years. Now though is the time to say goodbye to Bill, Pete, Josh and Jerry as writer/artist Evan Dorkin begins the final story of this much loved group of misanthropes.

Representing the very worst in fan culture; obnoxious, opinionated and constantly coated in a film of sweat; the Eltingville Club are four foul-mouthed teens who act as a distorted funhouse mirror-like reflection of geekdom. The details may be exaggerated but there is a truth to the ugliness. Dorkin’s artwork is similarly grotesque, his characters rant and fume with eye-bulging vitriol, the detailed caricatures bringing to mind the work of underground comix icon R. Crumb. There’s a lot going on in every panel, and Dorkin manages to squeeze a lot of background detail amongst his gallery of eccentrics. It’s captivating stuff, bringing a real sense of character to the faces and a realistic griminess to the spaces they find themselves in.

The Eltingville Club may be quite scathing about fan-culture, but Dorkin is never mean spirited about the club’s interests. In fact it’s quite clear that he has a lot of affection for things like comic books, sci-fi and horror movies. Instead it is the way that some fans try and monopolise that culture, the pettiness and one-upmanship that Dorkin is satirising. Like the art, the writing is excellent, packed with pop-culture references too numerous to mention and some amusingly inventive swearing and name-calling.

Stuffed to the brim with jokey details in the background (the DVD of porn parody League of Extra-Horny Genital Men deserves some form of award for punnery) and well-observed little touches such as the treatment of female fans; Dorkin shows that the truest form of satire requires detailed knowledge of its subject. As repellent as they all are, it’s a shame that this group of misfits won’t be with us much longer.

Rating: 5/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Joe Morrison
Joe is Freelance film journalist based in Glasgow.
You can also find Joe on Twitter.