Not Drunk Enough Volume One Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Sometimes, writers will call something a “rollercoaster ride” simply due to the lack of a better phrase (totally guilty). But ‘Not Drunk Enough‘ by Tess Stone really was like trying a crazy new ride in an amusement park – it’s fast, has its ups and downs, you feel like you want to quit the ride in between, but that’s not really an option (not for readers like me who simply must finish a book they’ve started), so you stick it out until the end to see what happens.
This is a science-fiction horror-comedy comic book series that follows repairman Logan’s misadventures at a corporate lab, where he arrives to fix something, only to be dragged into a long nightmare of fighting mutated monsters that were once human. Luckily for Logan, he isn’t alone. He is joined by three others, including Clement Varker, the CEO of the laboratory, who has also been turned into half a monster by his top scientist, Simon Birkov. Unlike the other bloodthirsty creatures lurking in the building, Varker retains his sanity but is susceptible to unexpected violent bouts. Not good for Logan.
Carnivorous plants aren’t new to horror books, but a mad scientist with plant-like carnivorous contraptions flying out from his body to murder and mutilate people is quite the novelty! That’s Simon Birkov for you, the primary antagonist of ‘Not Drunk Enough’, the psychotic scientist, with the slightest resemblance to Gru of ‘Despicable Me’ fame. Birkov has emotional reasons for going rogue, and his backstory is illustrated in colourful panels by Tess Stone.
The artwork in ‘Not Drunk Enough’ is both the best and worst feature of the comic book. It’s exceptionally clear that Tess Stone can draw like an ace. However, the design scheme is way too chaotic, and many scenes feel like they are missing essential parts. For instance, in many of the bloodied fighting scenes, you simply don’t get to see the monsters clearly, as if the creator expects you to imagine half the story in your head. This is a comic book, I want to see everything! That’s the whole point of a visual medium like comic books.
At first, Logan comes across as too random as the protagonist… actually, strike that! He IS too random a protagonist throughout the comic book. The dude could simply focus on finding a way to escape the monster-laden building, but instead, he works earnestly with the lab team trapped inside to find the mastermind. Even the arrogant Varker begins to treat Logan like some long-lost favorite colleague.
And except for a few introductory bubbles slapped against each character, which bear their name and details like “favorite drink,” the title ‘Not Drunk Enough’ has very little to do with all the madness unfolding in the book. Maybe we’ll see more alcohol in the next volume! Because despite all the parts that do not make sense, this comic book does have its fun bits.
Rating: 3 on 5.
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