The Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius 4: Gorilla Warfare

Rating:
Summary: Another Solid Chapter In The Barry Ween Saga
Review: Fair warning: Although Amazon lists this book as being suitable for ages 9 through 12, its subject matter is intended for mature audiences. Now, on with the show...

After reading and laughing like a mental patient at all of the other Barry Ween™ offerings that writer/artist Judd Winick & Oni™ Press has thrown out to the public, I was pretty stoked to get my hands on the latest TPB of the boy genius' further adventures. This time 'round, Winick does things a bit differently with this titular anti-hero. The art is still relatively crude and reminiscent of comic-strip cartoon illustrations, but the dialogue is just as mean-spirited & profane as ever! This time 'round the reader is treated a single story arc, rather than three stand-alone issues. From Barry's kindergarten memories of his first hook-up with his best bud Jeremy to a somewhat-accidental trip through space and time to a Conan™esque realm to rescue an 'old' friend and back again, there's plenty of laughs to go 'round, although not quite as many as in the previous 'Monkey Tales' tome.

I found the first act to be the funniest as Barry flashes back to his toddler days and introduces his new-found playmate Jeremy to the joys of mags, virtual-reality circuses, cursing Tickle-Me-Elmo™ dolls, and turning the babysitter into a giant mutant ape. Then the story segues back to the present, where things get a bit more serious and dire-well, more so than the usual Barry Ween™ story-arc, anyway. Although the funny moments thin out significantly after the kindergarten adventure, there're several moments filled with enough good, clean (ahem) fun to keep you from taking things too seriously. Throw in a surprisingly touching epilogue, and-- well, you're just gonna hafta experience it for yourself...

Although I don't consider 'Gorilla Warfare' to be the best entry in the Barry Ween™ series, it's still a pretty good read if you're lookin' for a little dollop o' obscenity-laden humor to help you get your yuks!