Bluff

    (Narwain, 2006)
™ and © 2006 Narwain Publishing

Bluff is a forgiving little dog that lives with a dysfunctional family. The man of the house is addicted to gambling, his wife is a dissatisfied crank who falls for her therapists, the teen son is a depressed rocker, and the teen daughter is in love with an Internet predator. (There’s also a little boy, but his foibles have yet to surface.) Bluff’s constant companion, a flea named Flea, has little regard for the family, and it’s easy to see why.

Bluff #1 uses a literary device that is rarely a good idea. The first page is basically the same as the last page, meaning readers know the ending right away. The dad, drowning in gambling debts, wins the lottery. It’s hard to say what effect this will have on the family, but it’s even harder to care. The characters are unlikable, and the storyline just sits there, largely devoid of purpose. As satire, Bluff misfires on several levels, and the art is too cute for its own good.

— Brett Weiss
Jump to issue:
  • 1
    #1
    Mar 2006
    Cover: $3.99
    W: Giovanni Masi  ·  A: Yoshiko Watanabe
    2 copies from $0.99
  • 2
    #2
    May 2006
    Cover: $3.99
    W: Giovanni Masi  ·  A: Yoshiko Watanabe
    1 copy for $2.99
  • 3
    #3
    Jun 2006
    Cover: $3.99
    W: Giovanni Masi  ·  A: Yoshiko Watanabe
    1 copy for $4.99