Eye on Comics
  • About/Submissions

Flea Market Finds: Big Moose, One-Shot

  • Reviews - Archie

Big Moose, One-Shot
Writers: Sean Ryan, Ryan Cady & Gorf
Artists: Cory Smith, Thomas Pitilli & Ryan Jampole
Colors: Matt Herms, Glenn Whitmore & Kelly Fitzpatrick
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover artists: Thomas Pitilli, Cory Smith & Wilfredo Torres
Editors: Mike Pellerito & Jamie Lee Rotante
Publisher: Archie Comics
Price: $4.99 US

I realize this one-shot was released just in April of this year, and I didn’t actually get it at a flea market. No, I got this for a song at my local comic shop, because like many businesses at this time of year, it’s blowing out a lot of stock at deep discounts. And I’m pleased it did, as the $5 price point for an anthology comic featuring a previously one-dimensional supporting character is definitely a deterrent. That’s too bad, because of the three short stories offered here, one is particularly strong and another is heartening and positive in its messaging. Unfortunately, none of this fare struck me as meriting publication in an expensive one-shot. I was left wondering if this material was originally intended for use as backup stories in some of the other revamped Archie titles. Regardless, I’m glad I got a chance to read these stories, but I’m relieved I didn’t have to plunk down the big bucks to do so.


Moose Vs. the Vending Machine: Sean Ryan and Cory Smith’s piece is a spin on the typical gage strips one could find in classic Archie comics, albeit with the new, modern approach that the publisher has adopted for its direct-market titles. It’s also the weakest of the pieces in this one-shot, as it treats Moose like a complete and utter moron, so stupid that it’s off-putting. He’s a neanderthal here, and a bad boyfriend. As a result, the story isn’t particularly funny either. When I started reading this comic book, I was expecting to find a stronger focus on Moose’s character, an exploration that made him relatable and human, something more than the one-note he’s been portrayed as over the years in classic Archie comics. Opening with this piece was definitely a misstep. It’s too bad, because the joke at the heart of the story — Moose’s inability to get an old dollar bill to feed into a vending machine — is a universal experience to which just about everyone can relate, and one needn’t have portrayed Moose as an idiot and hapless victim to pull it off. Ryan’s portrayal of Midge as disapproving and controlling wasn’t welcome either.

Smith’s art portrays Moose just as the script does — as the lunkhead sporting pitiful and blank expressions that reinforce his empty-headed nature. I do appreciate the artist didn’t sexualize Midge. She looks lovely, but there’s no emphasis on her physical curves.And thankfully, that proves to be the case in all three stories in this comic. The panel layouts and lettering for this first story make it seem crowded and rushed, but that actually works with the desperation that drives Moose here.

Have It All: Now this is more like it. Writer Ryan Cady comes through with the character-driven exploration of Big Moose, delving into how his mind works and what motivates him. He meet a guy who does the best he can and wrestles with how best to achieve that goal. We meet his family. We learn why he has trouble with some subjects in school. We discover why he loves Midge so much and why she loves him. It’s a great story about a kid with an overdeveloped sense of responsibility trying to make everyone happy and finally coming to realize it’s OK to ask for help when things start piling up.

Thomas Pitilli’s linework is the roughest and loosest in tone in the comic, but it’s also the most successful is presenting Moose and others as real people. His style is reminiscent of that of Scott McDaniel, but it’s a bit more restrained and captures anatomy effectively and convincingly. If there’s one misstep here, it’s that the adult characters — such as Moose’s mom and his coach — don’t look sufficiently older enough as compared to the main character.

The Big Difference: Gorf’s story juxtaposing Moose — the most physically powerful and adept of the Archive gang — with a new student with a physical disability is far from subtle, but I appreciate that the script doesn’t outright make that point of inclusion and perspective. In this story, Moose’s anger is a positive trait, because it shows he sees Colin as any other schoolmate, not someone to be pitied. Colin’s hero worship doesn’t quite jibe with his repeated attempts to cozy up to Midge, but overall, the story works nicely, even if it’s a little too “After-School Special-ish.”

Ryan Jampole’s manga-inspired artwork is a nice change of pace for the world of Archie and the gang, but I found the first page most striking, because it boasted a riff that put me in mind of the work of such artists as Eduardo Risso and Jason Latour. Jampole also effectively contrasts Colin’s small stature with Moose’s mass without making the latter seem like an implausible hulk of a young man.

Overall, I think Big Moose, One-Shot was a missed opportunity for Archie Comics. The expensive cover price with the uneven quality of the stories made for a missable comic book, but there’s definitely enough promise here to demonstrate that the character could sustain a longer and more in-depth story over the course of a few issues. If the publisher can justify a four-issue limited series for Reggie, certainly it could commission something similar for Big Moose. 5/10

Follow Eye on Comics on Facebook or on Twitter.

December 30, 2017 Don MacPherson

Post navigation

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Justice → ← Failing to Live up to Its Title

Recent posts

  • The End of the World As He Knows It
  • Burnt-out Ends of Smoky Days
  • They Do Need Those Stinkin’ Badges
  • Future Tense
  • Teed Off
  • Scar Issue
  • Of Gods and Monsters
  • Genre Splicing
  • A Mouthful of Dollars
  • Striking the Wrong Chord

Categories

Archives

Categories

  • Announcements
  • Editorials
  • Features
  • Original Comic Art
  • Reviews – Action Lab
  • Reviews – AfterShock
  • Reviews – AiT/PlanetLar
  • Reviews – Archie
  • Reviews – Black Mask
  • Reviews – Boom! Studios
  • Reviews – Dark Horse
  • Reviews – DC
  • Reviews – DC/Vertigo
  • Reviews – DC/Wildstorm
  • Reviews – Devil's Due
  • Reviews – Drawn & Quarterly
  • Reviews – Dynamite
  • Reviews – Fantagraphics
  • Reviews – IDW
  • Reviews – Image
  • Reviews – Indy/Small Press
  • Reviews – Legendary
  • Reviews – Lion Forge
  • Reviews – Marvel
  • Reviews – Miscellaneous
  • Reviews – NBM
  • Reviews – Oni Press
  • Reviews – Other Media
  • Reviews – Quick Critiques
  • Reviews – Radical
  • Reviews – Slave Labor
  • Reviews – Titan
  • Reviews – Tokyopop
  • Reviews – Valiant
  • Reviews – Zenescope
  • Reviews- Humanoids
  • The New 52 Review Project

Search

Recent Posts

  • The End of the World As He Knows It
  • Burnt-out Ends of Smoky Days
  • They Do Need Those Stinkin’ Badges
  • Future Tense
  • Teed Off

Recent Comments

  • Marcelo Soares on Coming Clean
  • Perry on Scoop
  • R Phillips on “Fixed… With Tape”
  • Leslie on Avengers… Disassemble Those Guys
  • Perry Beider on 2018 Glass Eye Awards – Creators
April 2021
S M T W T F S
« Mar    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Archives

  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
Powered by WordPress | theme cats456