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In a superhero worlddominated by computerized color and splach pages with no sense ofvisual pacing, it's nice to see something like The Gypsy Lounge.Yes, this book has superheroes in it, but it's more like Watchmenthan Spawn. And while it may be difficult to say anythingdefinite about this comic since it's only the first issue and somuch of the story has yet to be told, there are some elements init striking enough to be mentioned now. Basically, it's the moodand the artwork in this book that sets it apart from most comicsyou'll find on the shelves.
There's a laid back,yet oppressive feeling to The Gypsy Lounge. The superhero worldis a burden to those who are caught up in it and they are jadedby its weight. We first meet a costumed crusader from the 1970scalled the Dandy-Lion. He was once the greatest hero in the city,but now is a drugged-out wastoid who hallucinates about talkingto a giraffe named Golez. We witness his last act as a superheroas kills a group of guys who he thinks are little devils. Howthis story fits in to the book is unclear in this issue, but itsets a tone. There's a self-destructiveness about being in thesuperhero business and it brings a hopelessness that's hard toescape. This theme is backed up when we are introduced to ourmain character, Gina. Her father is a superhero, but not a goodone. Every night of her childhood, he returned completelybeat-up, yet somehow still believing he was a great hero. Ginawants out of this life and needs money to do it. It's her driveto escape that fuels the events in the book. So this is not asuperhero book that wallows in boyish excitement; it's more likea Gen X story about how much someone hates their day job. Being asuperhero is not glamour and excitement, it's a dingy occupationfull of masochistic losers. There's some-thing very real aboutthe tone of this book, something I enjoyed.
Then, of course,there's the art. The drawing in this comic looks like a crossbetween Vaughn Bode and the art of the video game "StreetFighter Alpha," But with the backgrounds done on computer.It's a unique style that seems complete and consistent throughoutthe book. The sharp-nosed characters slouch through the book,with photo-realistic or computer generated backgrounds behindthem. Sometimes the melding of hand drawing and graphics doesn'twork, but here -- due to Lex's skill and perhaps that it's inblack and white -- it does. Lex also does some interesting designthings. For one, he puts the name of the characters next to themwith a phonetic pronunciation when they are first introduced.He'll also add photos of real objects and place them between thepanels; a syringe for the Dandy-Lion, a bottle of pills for theanother character, the contents of Gina's backpack. And again, itworks.
While there's not alot to go on about this comic, the art and tone charmed me. Ireally want to see how Lex progresses in the next issue. Will itdevolve into a bunch of fighting -- as this issue starts to atthe end -- or will it keep it's jaded, desperate mood? I'm verycurious. Lex has a unique vision and I hope he can keep it up.
--Nick Mullins
September 19, 2000