My Monkey's Name is Jennifer

Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2002
By: Darren Schroeder

Creator(s): Ken Knudtsen
Publishers: SLG Publishing
From: USA
Price: $2:95 (US)

Kaitlin is a lucky little girl. Her parents love here very much, here life full of fun, and she has a cute pet monkey as a pet. She calls it Jennifer and make it wear cute dresses. This pisses Jennifer off. He hates humans and lives for the day that he can feed on their flesh, but they are bigger than him so he has to wear the stupid dresses and play tea and all the other things that Kaitlin like to do.

Then one day Kaitlin is kidnapped by some mysterious sect and Jennifer realizes that he is going get the blame. He has to get her back. Along the way he crosses paths with a strange man whose face has less than the usual amount of flesh on it. He seems to want to help save the girl, and so gives Jennifer some information.

Yes, you are correct, this is one very weird book. But it's weird in a glorious way because it will keep you guessing about just what could happen next. Jennifer is one psychotic little monkey and it seems that things could get quite nasty in his search to retrieve Kaitlin. The dialogue that Ken puts in the mind of Jennifer is so angry that it is side-splitting when contrasted with the cuteness of the world that Kaitlin and her parents think they live in.

The black and white artwork in the preview copy is high energy stuff. Jennifer's anger is openly apparent in his face and spills out into expressionistic shading effects. It is also very inventive, so much so that it takes a couple of readings to realize just how proficient Ken is depicting all manner of figures and objects. On top of this you get a Jennifer paper doll to cut out and cloth. You will have to imagine the obscenities that would go through Jennifer's mind as you did this.

This is one seriously funny comic book. Everyone I have shown it to has wanted to buy a copy. In fact, I think it's so funny it might actually pose a health risk. The Surgeon General may ban it soon, so get yours quick.

In a Word: Fantastic.



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