Punk Rock and comics?
A match made in heaven.
With a fun story that will remind you of classic films such as “Dazed and Confused” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” John “Derf†Backderf’s “Punk Rock and Trailer Parks” is an edgy and fun comic book ride you won’t forget.
Taking place in 1979 Akron, Ohio, this tale is about so much more than great music. Sure, the music, powered by punk gods The Ramones, The Clash, Wendy A. Williams and so many more give the tale a legitimacy and accessibility it needs, but the doings of Otto and his pals make up the best parts of the book. It’s quite possible that the book didn’t need all the big names– that the main plot itself was strong enough.
However, either way you look at it, Derf crafts a wild tale here.
Because of this, if you’re a twenty-something rocker who grew up on Punk and had a hard time adjusting in High School, every page of this book will resonate with you. If you don’t fall into any of these categories however, don’t fret. The wacky and coming of age story is still entertaining.
Even though the story is fun and infectious, Derf’s art, which epitomizes a combination of Sponge Bob Squarepants and the work of Robert Crumb, gives life to all of the characters. Casual comic book fans may scoff at the black and white pictorials, but dedicated readers will find the panels beautifully and exquisitely drawn. The fact alone that the music of 1979 has long past makes the choice for black and white a worthy one. On top of that, Derf varies the size of his panels with a few nice size ones that show us his artistic ability.
Is he John Romita? No. But, at the same time, the drawings encompassed in this graphic novel bring the writing to life in a way that a different type of artist might not have been able to.
While the art can be remotely crude at times with rampant nudity, it’s never for naught. Every shot of a woman’s breasts or a man’s johnson is there to illustrate the absurdity of teenage existence.
Simply put, if you’re not offended by films such as “Animal House” or “American Pie,” you won’t have a problem with this book.
As a result, Derf’s ruckus is like a time machine to one of music’s coolest and most visionary of eras. Like the music itself, it would be a shame to not give it a chance and experience it for yourself.
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