INDIE SPOTLIGHT: BOP! REVIEW

Alex Groff · Jan 9, 2004, 12:07 am

<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ind/bop.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ind/bopt.jpg" align=left alt="INDIE SPOTLIGHT: BOP! REVIEW"></a>Reviewer: Alex groff, al_groff@yahoo.com
Quick Rating: Great
Format: Short stories, 88 pages.

An excellent take on everyday life.

Created by: Alex Robinson
Published by: Top Shelf Productions

Let me be honest with you: I avoided BOP! when it came out. It is a book of short stories with the cast from Alex Robinson's award-winning graphic novel, Box Office Poison. Buying it would have been— in my mind— like buying a Rogue miniseries without having ever read X-Men. I didn't know the cast: what if there were in-jokes and references that I wouldn't get? What if the book made me feel stupid, or in the dark? As it is, I never did buy the book. BOP! came in the mail. I didn't ask for it. I didn't want to read it.

God bless those people at Top Shelf Comix for sending it to me.

BOP! doesn't require you to know anything, except what it's like to be human. As long as you've had a job you didn't like, or a relationship that went sour, or friends that you could laugh with— long and hard— you're prepared for this book. I would recommend you read this before you read Box Office Poison, if for no other reason than because it's a lot cheaper. The characters are accessible yet interesting, and the situations go back and forth between very personal events and comedy that reminds me of Seinfeld.

Except for "Flat Earth," the art is sharp, impressive. Alex Robinson has a knack for creating characters who are exaggerated but realistic. The characters remind me of Troy Little's Chiaroscuro, toned down a notch. Actually, if you want to cheat, you can just ignore me and look at the pictures at the bottom of the review. Go on. I won't mind.... Cheater.

It's always odd to review independent art, because you say on the one hand, "This isn't Bill Sienkiewicz or Jim Lee," and answer yourself with, "It's not supposed to be." Robinson's art does more than just compliment the story: it gives these characters life, and does as much to give you a sense of who they are as what they say and do. The art is every bit as important to the story as the words: that's what makes it work.

"Flat Earth" stands out as an interesting exception to the rest of the book, both in its style and in the way it was written. A while back, writer Scott McCloud came up with the idea of a 24-hour comic party, where creators would get together and write/draw a 24 page comic in 24 hours: a page an hour. The idea is innovative, and the story is very well-developed— but the art is very loose, rushed, and just generally not to my liking. As a side note, "Flat Earth" made me uncomfortable for another reason: it's a very personal story, with details that I'd just as soon not hear, or see for that matter. That's part of what makes it a good story— but it felt out of place in an otherwise light-hearted book.

Sooner or later, I'm going to pick up Box Office Poison. I liked seeing someone as dedicated to being a slacker as Sherman. I want to watch Jane and Stephen's relationship develop. I'm hoping to learn more about Caprice. In a few unrelated short stories, these characters have become very real. I can only wonder what a novel could do with such a cast. Yes, sooner or later, I'm going to pick up Box Office Poison. BOP! was too good for me not to.

<center><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_1t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_2t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_3t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_4t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_5t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_6t.jpg"></a></center>

ART:

STORY:

OVERALL:

Al Brown · Jan 9, 2004, 09:53 am

So wait, the dude threw a twenty-four hour party to make a group-effort comic book, and what came out of that was...uncomfortably personal?

I can't figure out if that sounds like the coolest party ever or the ickiest.

Jan 9, 2004, 12:07 am	#1
Alex Groff Slayer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: in hiding Country: Posts: 1,103	INDIE SPOTLIGHT: BOP! REVIEW <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ind/bop.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ind/bopt.jpg" align=left alt="INDIE SPOTLIGHT: BOP! REVIEW"></a>Reviewer: Alex groff, al_groff@yahoo.com Quick Rating: Great Format: Short stories, 88 pages. An excellent take on everyday life. Created by: Alex Robinson Published by: Top Shelf Productions Let me be honest with you: I avoided *BOP!* when it came out. It is a book of short stories with the cast from Alex Robinson's award-winning graphic novel, *Box Office Poison.* Buying it would have been— in my mind— like buying a *Rogue* miniseries without having ever read *X-Men.* I didn't know the cast: what if there were in-jokes and references that I wouldn't get? What if the book made me feel stupid, or in the dark? As it is, I never did buy the book. *BOP!* came in the mail. I didn't ask for it. I didn't want to read it. God bless those people at Top Shelf Comix for sending it to me. *BOP!* doesn't require you to know anything, except what it's like to be human. As long as you've had a job you didn't like, or a relationship that went sour, or friends that you could laugh with— long and hard— you're prepared for this book. I would recommend you read this before you read *Box Office Poison,* if for no other reason than because it's a lot cheaper. The characters are accessible yet interesting, and the situations go back and forth between very personal events and comedy that reminds me of *Seinfeld.* Except for "Flat Earth," the art is sharp, impressive. Alex Robinson has a knack for creating characters who are exaggerated but realistic. The characters remind me of Troy Little's *Chiaroscuro,* toned down a notch. Actually, if you want to cheat, you can just ignore me and look at the pictures at the bottom of the review. Go on. I won't mind.... Cheater. It's always odd to review independent art, because you say on the one hand, "This isn't Bill Sienkiewicz or Jim Lee," and answer yourself with, "It's not supposed to be." Robinson's art does more than just compliment the story: it gives these characters life, and does as much to give you a sense of who they are as what they say and do. The art is every bit as important to the story as the words: that's what makes it work. "Flat Earth" stands out as an interesting exception to the rest of the book, both in its style and in the way it was written. A while back, writer Scott McCloud came up with the idea of a 24-hour comic party, where creators would get together and write/draw a 24 page comic in 24 hours: a page an hour. The idea is innovative, and the story is very well-developed— but the art is very loose, rushed, and just generally not to my liking. As a side note, "Flat Earth" made me uncomfortable for another reason: it's a very personal story, with details that I'd just as soon not hear, or see for that matter. That's part of what makes it a good story— but it felt out of place in an otherwise light-hearted book. Sooner or later, I'm going to pick up *Box Office Poison.* I liked seeing someone as dedicated to being a slacker as Sherman. I want to watch Jane and Stephen's relationship develop. I'm hoping to learn more about Caprice. In a few unrelated short stories, these characters have become very real. I can only wonder what a novel could do with such a cast. Yes, sooner or later, I'm going to pick up *Box Office Poison. BOP!* was too good for me not to. <center><a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_1t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_2t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_3t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_4t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_5t.jpg"> <a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/bop_6t.jpg"></a></center> ART: STORY: OVERALL: Last edited by Al Harahap; Jan 9, 2004 at 01:06 am.

Jan 9, 2004, 09:53 am	#2
Al Brown Clone Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Boston Country: Posts: 80	So wait, the dude threw a twenty-four hour party to make a group-effort comic book, and what came out of that was...uncomfortably personal? I can't figure out if that sounds like the coolest party ever or the ickiest. __________________ "But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat, "We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." "How do you know I'm mad?" asked Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

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