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Jep – How About A Nice Big Cup Of Climate Grief?
How About A Nice Big Cup Of Climate Grief?
This comic is all about a subject that I find myself thinking about more and more lately: how does a person continue to blithely exist in a world that seems completely committed to doing nothing at all to help alleviate the inevitable climate crisis, especially when we’re already most likely past the point of no return? Oh, and I should mention: if you’re looking for laughs here, it’s best to move along. Jep has managed to include more than a few funny bits, but it’s mostly as grim as the current reality demands. Jep has a basic plan: instead of spending the rest of his life agonizing over this issue, he has decided to really hone in on the subject for a couple of dozen strips, and then basically “fake it ’til he makes it” for the rest of his life. If he can hold to it, it’s not the worst plan in the world! Constant low level dread and blinding rage at the people who don’t give a shit about it doesn’t seem like the best strategy. Of course, this was all before covid, which has been a helpful reminder for everybody that things can always get worse. Anyway, you know the basic idea of the comic (him working through his feelings on the thing that will most likely doom the generation behind us but maybe not us (“us” being the 40+ types)). He helpfully includes one villain with each strip, but that’s what you’d call a target rich environment. Specific subjects include the youth movement (and how embarrassing it is that the only hope for change has to come from teenagers), the unlikelihood of global cooperation, how the rich probably aren’t going to be too bothered by things, how dumb things were in the 80’s (which is still a far cry from how dumb they are now), his trip involving a deadly heat wave in 2018 that really solidified his thinking, how annoying the blissfully ignorant are, the idea of leaving it all behind and heading for the hills, and the species that will most likely thrive. There’s plenty more, of course; this is maybe the most textually dense book he’s ever done. If you’re somebody who’s willing to confront this issue head on, read this comic, maybe his idea of getting this out of your system will work for you. If you prefer ignorance, I guess this review is as bad as you’re likely to feel about all of this, so congrats on making it this far in life without a conscience I guess? $8
Jep – The True Adventures of JepComix #5
The True Adventures of JepComix #5
I’m going to post the letter that came with this as a sample image because it’s perfect and more humans should see it. As for the comic itself, yeah, that was pretty great too. Stories include an overheard conversation at a beach in Cuba (always a good sign when at least one of the overheard parties is drunk), coming up with a motto for keeping your nose clean, debating whether or not “Indian summer” is an offensive term, an adorable page of the way he sees his love (or the fictional character sees his or her love), and Jesus having an honest conversation with is Dad in between stanzas of “Jesus Christ Superstar” on exactly what good it would do for him to get crucified in practical terms. The biggest story in here is about the librarian of the forest, a creature that he gets to follow him and learning things about humans, food, and what guards their food. It also has a fairly ingenious way to steal bread if you’re trying to do that while keeping your hands free, so bread thieves, take note! This is a funny and charming mix of stories, and you’d have to be a real curmudgeon to not at least get a laugh or two out of this. Check it out!
