The Dance of Lifey Death

    Eddie Campbell Comics
    Price: $4.95 US
    Writer/Artist: Eddie Campbell
    ISBN: 0 9585783 7

Reviewed by Jamie Coville

    Odd seeing a normal sized 48 page comic with a ISBN number.

    If you haven't read an Eddie Campbell comic, you’re in for something different. No action, no splash pages, no adventurous storyline, it's not like any other comic book you read. It's a full 48 pages of stories. When reading these stories you learn about Eddie Campbell because they're almost all about him. The first big one is about his trip to San Diego Comic Con, but he stays away from the details of the con itself, he mainly focuses on the travel from Austraila to America, to the UK, and back home.

    You learn that Eddie really likes old wine, who his friends are and their obsessions, his kids and the funny things they say and other random experiences. He also sprinkles some well known comic pro's into his stories. At the end, he adds a fantasy story that uses the Life of Dancey Death line. Sound different?

    The way Eddie draws is very different. It's a black and white book, and he sticks to a 9 panel page. The panels are small with text on top and with some word balloons here and there. Also a few captions instead of thought balloons. His lines are very thin and sketchy, I have to wonder how anybody can ink them. It's a style I doubt everybody will like, but it's still good work.

    I've read 3 Eddie Campbell comics and I've discovered I can't read a full comic in one sitting. With some comics it's because I'm bored, with others it's because there is a lot of stuff to them and my brain eventually says STOP! That said. I think everybody should read at least one Eddie Campbell comic, if only to broaden their horizons. Since this is the best of his comics I've read (except From Hell,) I'd say this would be a good one to start. It gets 3 out of 5 stars.


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Copyright © 2001 Jamie Coville

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