TGIW: The Misadventures Of Electrolyte And The Justice Purveyors

Wednesday is traditionally “New Comics day” for comic book retailers, so I’m starting up this new section of Lazlo’s Closet called TGIW (Thank God It’s Wednesday) for all our readers who are interested in all things comics. This may not be every Wednesday, but I’ll do my best to keep this going as long as you all find it interesting. I have been reading comics since they were twenty five cents off the shelf in my local candy store and I still own every comic I have ever purchased (sorry honey) and I have a borderline obsession with what I like to call the “last episodic medium” that I don’t think I will ever end…Unless we have another 1990’s bout with comics again…ecch. OK There were a few exceptions, but I don’t think I could go through that again.

I think it would be fitting that my first official review of a comic book property be a company’s first comic book. Jackalope Pictures is new to the graphic novel game and its first book out of the gate isn’t taking itself very seriously and that’s a good thing.

The Misadventures Of ELECTROLYTE And The Justice Purveyors is a light enjoyable read about a super team of losers who are looking for super hero work while there is a huge job shortage in the city of Megalopolis. “A lister” teams like the Perfect 4 have cleaned up the streets so well no one can seem to find any criminal activity to try and make a name in the hero game. If heroes with Captain America level powers are having trouble finding work, you can imagine how hard it is to find any when your power is to finish people’s sentences. Yes, if you thought the Mystery Men had lame powers then you have not yet met the Justice Purveyors. Allow me to introduce you.

The SENTENCE FINISHER; his powers are self explanatory and extremely annoying.
SCABIE; he can shrink down to the size of lice and attach himself to peoples flesh.
The CAPITALIST; A millionaire hero who uses cash as a weapon
And rounding out the group is the team leader ELECTROLYTE. He has the power to cure people’s intoxication or the subsequent day’s effects from alcohol. He also can use his re-hydrating ability to help babies with stool liquidity. These “powers” were the main reason I wanted to keep reading. The question was rolling around in my head “How the hell is Patrick Reilly (Story by credit) going to turn these losers around to be the heroes we all know they all should be.” I’m not throwing spoilers out there because in most cases I think it’s better for people to read the book to see what happens. It is a one-shot story in 48 pages, but Reilly leaves a few openings for potential sequels down the road.

The writing is good though the pacing of the story is slow in spots. I do like the world Reilly is crafting, not that it seems deep or complex but the stereotypical big city and the costume design kind of reminds me of the old role playing game “Villains & Vigilantes” with a comedic twist that makes for a fun Superhero world that is kind of frowned upon now-a-days. The Art by Butch Mapa is solid but I think it could have been even better if he hadn’t relied on Mick Clausen (colorist) to use an inking program instead of using an actual inker on the pages. With a talented inker on the job I think the Justice Purveyors could have been brought up to a level closer to the classic Comico series The Elementals, forgive me another V&V reference.

Above it all though, I tip my hat to Jackalope and all of the fledgling studios who had a booth at the NY Comic Con this year. As we are all tired of hearing, we are in a fairly crappy economy right now and it’s hard to make a decision to invest in anything much less a publishing business model as likely to stay a float as a cardboard canoe.
Beyond having the budget for the printing of the book and paying your artists you then need to promote the comic and a booth a comic con is no picnic table at a flea market. It takes a brave bunch to try publishing comics today and I hope to see these guys again on the shelves and at future conventions.

Sparkler (The love interest) and writer Patrick Reilly working the booth at the NYCC

You can buy a copy here http://www.thejusticepurveyors.com/ or at your local comics shop.