DORK TOWER #30 REVIEW

[Ryan Day]

<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ind/dt30.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ind/dt30t.jpg" align=left alt="Dork Tower #30"></a>Reviewer: Raul Grau, RJacknite@aol.com
Story Title: The Tao of Igor

Dork Tower... in... COLOR!

Creator, Story, and Art: John Kovalic
<a href="http://www.dorktower.com" target="_blank">Dork Storm Press</a>

Welcome to Dork Tower. Here, four friends spend their waking hours playing the latest expansion pack for the Warhamster Roleplaying Game, as well as talking about comic books, video games, television shows, and movies (especially movies with the word 'Star' in the title). So, basically, their world is your world. Oh, did I mention that one of the four is a talking muskrat? Ok, aside from the whole 'being a muskrat' thing, it is still pretty much like your world, just funnier. And now, for the first time, their world is in full color too.

In this Dork offering, Igor (the... ummm, slow one) finds his friends suffering from several existential maladies, from a troubled love life to financial difficulties, and tries to help each by sharing his peculiar world view, which consists of a blending of Eastern philosophy and scifi quotes. With advice like 'The mind is the Bodhi tree. The body is the mirror stand. The mirror is Seven of Nine from Star Trek Voyager,' how can things go wrong? At the same time, we are treated to a Zen tale of a man, two tigers, and the sweetest berry of all, reworked with Igor in the main role. As you can guess, with a gamer in the driver's seat, he is perpetually one saving throw away from true enlightenment.

The main tale is followed by two short Dork vignettes, one bridging the gap between RPGs and Scrabble, and the other filled with helpful tips for beating the winter blues with 12-sided dice. In all cases, John Kovalic skewers the world of geekdom to hilarious results. Each page flows like a single comic strip, with a ready punchline at the end, and then the pleasure of another page to follow. In true cartoon fashion, each character resembles their personality, and a talking muskrat is just one of the boys. Kovalic has a knack for depicting emotion, particularly exasperation, which is a common result when Igor is about.

With the Dork done, there is a short Dr. Blink: Superhero Shrink strip, written by Kovalic with art by the extremely talented Christopher Jones. In this installment, the specialist in supra-human psychosis has a session with the Amazing Arachno-Lad, who is suffering from continuity-induced depression. His irresponsibility led to the death of uncle, his ex-girlfriend fell off a bridge, his boss hates him, and do not get him started about his Aunt June. Spider-Man fans beware, there is forty years of angst in these two pages. Oh, and if you happen to forget to schedule your next appointment with the Doctor, the full-sized first issue of Dr. Blink is out next week.

Last up, a tale of Lethargic Lad, by his creator Greg Hyland. For those too young to recall the 90s heights of Lethargic-ness, the Lad is Larry Lardhands, heroic (if quiet) protector of Infantino City. In this adventure, Kitty Cat Guy pulls a bank heist, and only Lethargic Lad, along with his sidekick, Little Green Boy, can stop a giant cat from going all Stay-Puffed Marshmallow Man. Along the way, we are taught a valuable lesson about inflation, and Walrus-Boy provides some fun facts about football. Who says that comics can't be educational?

Did I mention that the entire issue is in full color, all for the low low price of $2.99? Ok, now go out and buy it, or I will shoot this muskrat.

ART:
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsfull.jpg"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsfull.jpg"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsfull.jpg"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsfull.jpg"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsnone.jpg">

STORY:
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OVERALL:
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsfull.jpg"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsfull.jpg"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsfull.jpg"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsfull.jpg"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/dsnone.jpg">