Punks Not Dead #1 Review
Writer David Barnett
Artist Martin Simmonds
Letterer Aditya Bidikar
Color Flats Dee Cunniffee
Publisher IDW
Punks Not Dead is a unique book. So much so, I am doing something I’ve never done in a review. I’m going to talk about the artwork first.
Simmonds’s drawings are brought to life by Cunniffee’s colors (man, that really makes me want to call him Covfefe. I’ll resist.) The illustrative style borders on realism at times. And the areas of intense detail are highlighted by the use of minimalism in the rest of the frame. An example would be an expressive almost realistic face with a simplistic basic outline of a tie that is colored flat. It all comes together as some of the best comic book art I’ve seen in a long time.
My first question going into the book was why is it called Punks Not Dead instead of Punk’s Not Dead? Well, that was answered in the first page. Our protagonist, Fergie, let’s us know he is dead. Well, not yet, but soon anyway. And we even get to meet the man who kills him. But there is a mysterious voice talking to him, encouraging him. We soon find it belongs to Sid Vicious, and we learn how the Sex Pistols bassist, who died in 1979, finds his afterlife intertwined with this kid. So, you know, two punks, so punks plural, who are dead, but still on the earth. Yeah. Not dead. Punks Not Dead. There you have it. A free syntax lesson. Hope you enjoyed it more than my students do.
The story then backs up a day. Fergie and his mother are scamming magazines and Maury/Dr. Phil type shows. For the publicity? It doesn’t tell us why, but I bet it will later. And, it is really weird, but also a great idea. Not just for a comic book. That would be great to do in real life. I mean, I am super tempted to try it out right now. On his way home from the latest talk show, Fergie meets Sid Vicious. Yes, after haunting Heathrow airport for nearly 40 years (because his mother tripped and spilled his cremains there) the late Sex Pistols bassist is seen for the first time. Thinking he is invisible to all the living, Sid is just as surprised as Fergie by their encounter.
But, this book does leave a lot of questions unanswered. (Guess we have to buy the next issue.) First off, what is the magnetic force bringing Sid and Fergie together? Also, how does Fergie die? It doesn’t tell us! This better not be This Is Us all over again, where it drags us on for two years and then leaves us sobbing on what should be the happiest day of our lives (the day Tom Brady lost the Super Bowl (side note on the side note, I know as a lifelong Cowboys fan I should be mad the Eagles won, but you know who doesn’t have more rings than the Boys? The Pats.))
Even though there isn’t really any resolution in this issue, that’s not an issue for me. No pun intended. Barnett started us out with a full story. The only point where I wasn’t full engaged was “The Story So Far” at the beginning. I always read it because otherwise I am lost, but it was basically a history of rock and roll that I can’t help but think anyone interested in this comic would already know. If you feel versed enough of the subject, you could skip it.
So yeah. If you were a fan of punk rock at anytime (even if you were in high school in the late 90s and got wrapped up in the pop punk scene like me), this is a comic you cannot miss. And with all the openings brought up in this first issue, there’s no doubt the depth of this series will keep you coming back.
Artist Martin Simmonds
Letterer Aditya Bidikar
Color Flats Dee Cunniffee
Publisher IDW
Punks Not Dead is a unique book. So much so, I am doing something I’ve never done in a review. I’m going to talk about the artwork first.
Simmonds’s drawings are brought to life by Cunniffee’s colors (man, that really makes me want to call him Covfefe. I’ll resist.) The illustrative style borders on realism at times. And the areas of intense detail are highlighted by the use of minimalism in the rest of the frame. An example would be an expressive almost realistic face with a simplistic basic outline of a tie that is colored flat. It all comes together as some of the best comic book art I’ve seen in a long time.
My first question going into the book was why is it called Punks Not Dead instead of Punk’s Not Dead? Well, that was answered in the first page. Our protagonist, Fergie, let’s us know he is dead. Well, not yet, but soon anyway. And we even get to meet the man who kills him. But there is a mysterious voice talking to him, encouraging him. We soon find it belongs to Sid Vicious, and we learn how the Sex Pistols bassist, who died in 1979, finds his afterlife intertwined with this kid. So, you know, two punks, so punks plural, who are dead, but still on the earth. Yeah. Not dead. Punks Not Dead. There you have it. A free syntax lesson. Hope you enjoyed it more than my students do.
The story then backs up a day. Fergie and his mother are scamming magazines and Maury/Dr. Phil type shows. For the publicity? It doesn’t tell us why, but I bet it will later. And, it is really weird, but also a great idea. Not just for a comic book. That would be great to do in real life. I mean, I am super tempted to try it out right now. On his way home from the latest talk show, Fergie meets Sid Vicious. Yes, after haunting Heathrow airport for nearly 40 years (because his mother tripped and spilled his cremains there) the late Sex Pistols bassist is seen for the first time. Thinking he is invisible to all the living, Sid is just as surprised as Fergie by their encounter.
But, this book does leave a lot of questions unanswered. (Guess we have to buy the next issue.) First off, what is the magnetic force bringing Sid and Fergie together? Also, how does Fergie die? It doesn’t tell us! This better not be This Is Us all over again, where it drags us on for two years and then leaves us sobbing on what should be the happiest day of our lives (the day Tom Brady lost the Super Bowl (side note on the side note, I know as a lifelong Cowboys fan I should be mad the Eagles won, but you know who doesn’t have more rings than the Boys? The Pats.))
Even though there isn’t really any resolution in this issue, that’s not an issue for me. No pun intended. Barnett started us out with a full story. The only point where I wasn’t full engaged was “The Story So Far” at the beginning. I always read it because otherwise I am lost, but it was basically a history of rock and roll that I can’t help but think anyone interested in this comic would already know. If you feel versed enough of the subject, you could skip it.
So yeah. If you were a fan of punk rock at anytime (even if you were in high school in the late 90s and got wrapped up in the pop punk scene like me), this is a comic you cannot miss. And with all the openings brought up in this first issue, there’s no doubt the depth of this series will keep you coming back.
A Look Inside
