Cool New Job
Comic, David Oxley, 20 pages, tocomix.com,$5
For readers in Toronto, Cool New Job takes a unique look at the city and squishes it sideways into some kind of dystopian or post-apocalyptic un-reality. The story here revolves around two young girls who sense their city is in danger and spring to action in an incredibly far-fetched but apparently achievable way. A robot forms and kicks some major ass. It’s fun! Artist David Oxley is very talented. His comics are crisp, clean and full of expressiveness. There’s plenty of attention to detail here and while the comic clocks in at just a brisk 20 pages, he packs all kind of detail into each panel and gives the reader/viewer plenty to absorb visually, mentally and emotionally. In terms of plot, he dusts Cool New Job with all sorts of Toronto inside jokes but they’re kinda secondary(…kinda) because the story and art should be easily digestible to any non-native. There is action and humour and heart and humility. All good things IMO. That said, when a powerful “super robot” comes together with Casa Loma as an arm and TTC subways as thighs, I suppose a bit of base knowledge couldn’t hurt. (Cam Gordon)