May 29, 2009
Our first print review of an online review
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Apparently this week's theme for WebcomicZ is Not Safe for Work week. First I review an adult webcomic, then an edgy religious parody, and now a webcomic known for its mature and dark humor. It just goes to show what we've all already known, comics aren't just for kids. "The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack" is an excellent example of just how wonderful it is to have creators who realize this fact and create humor for adults to enjoy.
The Content
Now, if you read my
online review for "The Perry Bible Fellowship" then you have a pretty good idea of how I feel about "The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack". The book is a complete collection of all the strips in the webcomic's archive, plus a few extra strips that Nicholas Gurewitch, the creator, deemed unworthy of publishing for one reason or another. More on that in the extras section.
To quote my online webcomic review for "
The Perry Bible Fellowship":
One of the best gag-a-day webcomic strips on the web today. Its dark, edgy and mature humor almost always hits its mark. And the jokes are always accompanied by interesting art.
Not much has changed about the content in the transition from online to print. The jokes remain hilarious more often than not and the strips continue to be diverse and wonderfully illustrated.
The only negative I had in the online review was "it's no longer updating on a regular basis". Since that doesn't apply to a print review, I guess I have no real complaints.
The Production
And if that wasn't enough to warrant an excellent review, the production is where "The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack" REALLY shines for me. The book is hardcover, and exceptionally constructed. Each strip has its own page and, as mentioned earlier, they look exceptional in print. Comics look larger, colors seem brighter, lines are just sharper; it sounds like I'm a cheesy romance movie describing love, but, it's all true.
From the embossed title on the front cover, to the inclusion of the ribbon bookmark, everything about this book is professional quality. The weight of the book alone makes it feel important and well worth the price of purchase. I honestly can't imagine how the book itself could have been improved... well, at least not in any realistic way.
The Extras
Extras include lost comics, a preface, a forward, some sketches and an interview by David Malki. The interview is an interesting read as are the forward and preface, but nothing spectacular.
The extra comics, however, are a fun addition; giving us insight into Nicholas' creative process. And, even though he rejected them, there are number of the comics I still found quite funny.
Overall
If you couldn't tell already, I loved "The Perry Bible Fellowship" online, and I love this webcomic in print. It truly is one of the most consistently funny webcomics I have ever read and I wholly recommend anyone who enjoys a bit of mature humor picks it up. This book contains one of my favorite comic strips from any webcomic ever on page 141. If you don't know which one I'm talking about already, you'll just have to buy the book to find out.
In the end, the content is great, the production is top-notch and the extras are just the icing on an already appealing cake. Do yourself, and all your friend whom you will let borrow it, a favor. Buy "The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack" today.
Buy The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack at Amazon
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