Joel Phillips
Jun 10, 2004, 12:05 am
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ind/gyatkotg.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ind/gyatkotgt.jpg" align=left alt="Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks"></a>Reviewer: Joel Phillips
Quick Rating: Great!
Writer & Artist: Gene Yang
Published By: SLG Publishing/Humble Comics
I like things that can’t be put into one category or another, and that is precisely what we have in Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks. The introduction describes it best, calling it “a story that embodies the genuine enthusiasm and boundless imagination of a ten-year-old kid with the wisdom and craftsmanship of a contemplative adult.”
The story follows Gordon Yamamoto, a school bully, and Miles Tanner, the latest kid to be crowned by Gordon as the current “King of the Geeks”. The two are drawn together when Gordon gets a tiny alien spacecraft lodged in his nose. Gordon finds out that the aliens collect information to protect humanity, and they store it in the brains of certain humans, including Gordon and Miles. The spacecraft that is stuck in Gordon’s nose can’t get loose without downloading some blueprints which are stored in Miles’ brain. So Gordon sticks a VCR cable up his nose, heads over to Miles’ house, and jams the other end up HIS nose, thus facilitating the transfer of knowledge and freeing the little aliens from his sinuses. Unfortunately, some of Miles’ memories get transferred to Gordon in the process, and so Gordon needs Miles’ help to get them out. When they do get out, they bring some animal crackers to life, and things just get worse from there.
I don’t want to do a complete story summary, or highlight all the madcap ideas in this story. Suffice it to say there are many wacky ideas here, as I’ve only touched those in the first of three acts. The wonderfully wacky ideas are delivered with an innocence that all but the most cynical of readers will appreciate, and all to tell a beautiful if simple story about growing up and getting along with those different from you.
Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks is just a lot of fun. There is that old familiar “love thy neighbor” spirit tucked away in there for the younger set, but older readers can just sit back and chuckle at 100 pages of light-hearted oddities. There should be enough here to bring a smile to the face of just about every reader, and at just $9.95 it’s not so expensive that you can’t go out on a limb and try it out.
ART:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgnone.jpg
STORY:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgnone.jpg
Quick Rating: Great!
Writer & Artist: Gene Yang
Published By: SLG Publishing/Humble Comics
I like things that can’t be put into one category or another, and that is precisely what we have in Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks. The introduction describes it best, calling it “a story that embodies the genuine enthusiasm and boundless imagination of a ten-year-old kid with the wisdom and craftsmanship of a contemplative adult.”
The story follows Gordon Yamamoto, a school bully, and Miles Tanner, the latest kid to be crowned by Gordon as the current “King of the Geeks”. The two are drawn together when Gordon gets a tiny alien spacecraft lodged in his nose. Gordon finds out that the aliens collect information to protect humanity, and they store it in the brains of certain humans, including Gordon and Miles. The spacecraft that is stuck in Gordon’s nose can’t get loose without downloading some blueprints which are stored in Miles’ brain. So Gordon sticks a VCR cable up his nose, heads over to Miles’ house, and jams the other end up HIS nose, thus facilitating the transfer of knowledge and freeing the little aliens from his sinuses. Unfortunately, some of Miles’ memories get transferred to Gordon in the process, and so Gordon needs Miles’ help to get them out. When they do get out, they bring some animal crackers to life, and things just get worse from there.
I don’t want to do a complete story summary, or highlight all the madcap ideas in this story. Suffice it to say there are many wacky ideas here, as I’ve only touched those in the first of three acts. The wonderfully wacky ideas are delivered with an innocence that all but the most cynical of readers will appreciate, and all to tell a beautiful if simple story about growing up and getting along with those different from you.
Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks is just a lot of fun. There is that old familiar “love thy neighbor” spirit tucked away in there for the younger set, but older readers can just sit back and chuckle at 100 pages of light-hearted oddities. There should be enough here to bring a smile to the face of just about every reader, and at just $9.95 it’s not so expensive that you can’t go out on a limb and try it out.
ART:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgnone.jpg
STORY:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgnone.jpg
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/slgnone.jpg