Comic Review: Dry County #1 (Image)

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and get dirty with Image Comics’ Dry County #1.

This one describes itself as a ‘Lou Rossi comic’ from Rich (Spy Seal) Tomasso. The cover sets the tone: Florida, but not ‘high roller’ Florida. Rather, ‘in Florida with not much money’ Florida. As in: ‘Lou Rossi, part-time newspaper cartoonist, who spends Friday nights in the laundry room, and spends an inordinate amount of time alone’ Florida.

Until he meets Janet, a Rent-a-Car business rep. How will things go with Janet? Will Lou stay sober long enough to make a good impression? is Janet a great catch, or a troubled woman with poor judgment in men?

Time will tell. It isn’t Lifestyles Of The Rich and Famous, but Rich Tomasso is weaving a compellingly human story of everyday people, and it’s worth checking out. I liked it, but it made me shudder once in awhile; it’s crass, it’s vulgar, it’s touching.

The drawing style is less restrained and exacting than Spy Seal, giving this book a looser feel. The coloring is reminiscent of 1970’s Marvel Comics for some reason: mostly flat color, lots of strong pigments.

Not for the weak of heart.

Image Comics, Dry County #1, $3.99 for 29 pages of Mature content