Mugger Man Archive, the

Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2007
By: Steve Saville

Cover of Mugger Man Archive, the Creator(s): Nerdyman Comics
Publishers: Self Published
From:
Price:

Every once in a while a publication comes to my attention that makes me think about my definition of a comic. “The Mugger Man Archive” is such a publication. It is completely generated by a PC, created yes, creative no.

If images and words constitute a comic then this is one but I am not convinced. What we are given here is a collection of four separate episodes in the life of Neiman the retard AKA The Mugger Man.

Each page is divided into quarters and each quarter contains an image cut and pasted from the net and an accompanying text. The problem is that it is hard to decide what is driving the storyline, the random collection of images or the narrative. At times it seems like the narrative is merely an amusing description of the selected image the overall effect leans towards the random.

This approach is problematic for the reader for a number or reasons. One of them being the random selection of images means that we never get a sustained picture of the main character and as a result it is hard to identify with the material presented.

In a way I am impressed by just what an individual can create with very basic computer skills but I question whether this is worthy of publication. Maybe it would have been better kept as a private indulgence and a honing of skills prior to publishing something.

The story is basically concerned with the adventures [road trip] of a retard, hobo, this might be a humorous concept but it is not necessarily funny. In the end I just found myself asking why?

In a Word: Questionable.



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