LARP! VOLUME 1 TPBReview by Paul Fiander
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A rather odd title, that most will either give a knowing nod to or say you what? For those who do not know LARP stands for Live Action Role Playing and in truth after a bit of research it seems like a rather fun pastime. The idea being is players meet and live out stories in real life, the scope and breadth of these events can be simple or like the one we get to spend time with in this volume a lot more extravagant.
To kick things off the artwork has got more than a few pages that deserve attention, Marlin Shoop has put a lot of detail into the volume but some of the page presentations are outstanding. The pages without panels are the best example of this is seeing Pete (our focal character) balancing the dual sides of his life. The panel layouts in general are well crafted as each page feels rather unique giving the strong artwork an ideal framing. Shoop lays down a large amount of detail throughout the volume and it is sure to appeal to its target demographic and beyond. This is a Juvenile title and the story by Dan Jolley and Shawn DeLoache feels quite cliché heavy as Pete gets his cake and then has to live with his over indulgence. That’s not to say the story is without merit as it does have some nice character interplay and fun moments. The story though is rather predictable and you can see the twists coming a mile off, this may be just my rather large backlog of teen comedies that I have consumed but maybe for those without the viewing hours will find the story a lot fresher. Though it’s not all woe, Pete is actually a fun character and he finds himself in a situation that I’m sure a few people (including myself) have dreamed of as he gets to reinvent himself in a new town. For its target audience I can highly recommend this book and I will also stand by it as a nice light hearted romp. There is a place in comics for all types of stories and one that can appeal to a younger market is always welcome I’m just hoping future volumes delve a little deeper into some of the other characters. Review Originally appeared in 5 Singles and a Trade for August 26th 2015 |
