The hapless loser turned superhero story is one many are very well used to. So much so that there really isn’t anything that can surprise the average reader. “Dream Thief†by Jai Nitz is one of those examples.
The basic loser story where something major happens to the main lead and he gains some kind of superpower, “Dream Thief” doesn’t bring anything inventive to the genre. This time it’s inferred that John, the main character, got these powers after he got high and stole some Aborigine art. The tone is like your typical noir story, a-la “Sin City†that tries to be serious, but comes off as boring. It tries too hard.
The characters themselves are also uninteresting. John is the typical loser stoner and his friend, Reggie, is the former jock turned business man. Nitz has done a poor job of giving these characters any life or personality. There’s no reason for the reader to show any interest in them.
Then there’s the double narrator motif. One is John and the other is an unknown until the end. They both spout generic lines that we’ve all heard before. It’s more of a chore to read than suspenseful.
Greg Smallwood’s art is also generic. Nothing about it stands out. The characters look like comic design 101 and are forgettable. Not only that, but many of the techniques utilized here are also basic with the colors and imagery used.
“Dream Thief†is a boring, average loser story with sub-par art to go along with it. There aren’t any surprises or innovation to be had here which makes this comic truly forgettable.
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