New Adventures of the Spit, The

Posted: Tuesday, October 5, 2004
By: Steve Saville

Cover of New Adventures of the Spit, The

Creator: Matthew Teardrop
Publisher: Self Published
Address: 7000 Rhoden Ct. #T4, Springfield, VA, 22151, USA.
Price: $1 or trades (US)

In a previous review of Matthew’s work I accused him of being spasmodic. I claimed that the gags often missed the mark. I was, in short, somewhat critical. With this new volume though I am pleased to say that many of my initial concerns have disappeared and I find Spit to be a far more stimulating and effective comic.

The main reason for this is that it the fact that it is a single story comic rather that a series of strips. I find this format suits the social commentary style of comic that Matthew produces.

Yes the art- work is still rudimentary to the point of being brutal but here it seems to match the aggressive nature of the subject matter. Spit is an angry attack at elements of modern American society. Thus consumerism is attacked so is contemporary TV. It is America’s militaristic, jingoistic and increasingly paranoid posturing that receives the harshest criticism though. The story itself revolves around a "victim" of modern life who discovers that his spit can kill. Yes that’s right a social message and phlegm in the same comic. The question is posed that if a "nobody" suddenly discovered that he possessed super human if socially unacceptable powers how would he use them? How would he be expected to use them? It is a nice concept and is dealt with in a humerous if spiteful manner in this comic.

This is a rough and ready comic. The production, art- work and storyline are all primal and it works. Spit is a snotty little comic. It ridicules much of the society that it exists within and does so with a marked irreverence.

In a Word: Snotty.



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