Jokester Magazine #1

Posted: Tuesday, May 3, 2005
By: Darren Schroeder

Cover of Jokester Magazine #1 Creator(s): Michael Arnold
Publishers: Tool/Thwak/Jokester Publications
From: USA
Price: $2.99(US)

Are you looking for a laugh? Sick of being and adult and having to be serious all the time? Remember the days of your youth when you read those funny magazines that you loved but your parents looked on with scorn? Well the team behind this anthology sure do, they have packed its 48 pages full of gags, goofs, spoofs and punch-lines in an effort to bring a smile to your face.

This collection doesn't quite make the grade. It looked like it was going to be funny, but as I read through there were only occasional laughs to be had. The Atlas body building add provides the basis for a hilarious take on US foreign policy The Insult that made a Mess of Iraq as George takes out his frustration on someone else and makes the whole beach hate him. Simple idea, well executed.

Buzz Aldrin's Conspiracy Smackdown also tickled my funny bone as buzz goes around clobbering anyone who utters some looney theory about the faked moon landing, Kennedy assassination etc. The exuberance of the artwork attracts the eye, and the Punch-lines (groan) are wonderfully silly.

Looking over the rest of the pages there's lots of stuff that tries to be funny but just doesn't make it. A lot of the creators have one or two good ideas and pad their pages out also ran gags. Is someone farting and then falling victim to the smell supposed to make me laugh? I really like Billy Genius' artwork, but it ain't that funny.

For fans of the old-school comedy books like Mad and Crazy there's much that tilt's a hat to those publications. Issue based double page spreads with lots of text and a few amusing drawings, the mock restaurant menu for the NRA cafe.

For a sampler of interesting art this issue is worth a look, the range of styles is varied and the majority of it is of a very professional standard. Shame the writing doesn't quite match it.

In a Word: Hold.



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