Can’t Get No

(Vertigo, 2006)
™ and © DC Comics, Inc.

Rick Veitch has a long and proud resumé in comics. The One, Brat Pack, and Maximortal are classics, touching on many themes later seen in such works as Watchmen and Kingdom Come. With Can’t Get No, Veitch is again ahead of the curve.

Can’t Get No is the story of an executive on the receiving end of his own product: a truly permanent marker. After receiving an indelible full-body tattoo, his life spirals out of control. He hits the road, encounters some bizarre characters, and crosses some wrong people in the process.

The events of this book coincide with those of Sept. 11. The story can be seen as an allegory for America (or America can be seen as an allegory for the story).

There is plenty of text, but no dialogue. Captions illuminate the pictures but hardly serve as a narrative. They’re almost two completely different reading experiences. Text and story can be read independently, or they can be combined for a truly unique experience.

No description can do justice to Can’t Get No. It must be experienced first-hand to be appreciated.

— Jack Abramowitz

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