Cactus and Papa Balloon is a self-published comic written and illustrated by James Windsor-Smith of Outstanding Achievement. 
The book focuses on Papa Balloon and Cactus, two friends who are on an adventure to find Princess Popo. It’s a humor comic filled with ridiculous humor, that is of the tongue and cheek variety. Windsor-Smith isn’t alone in this book as he is joined by Riley The Teenage Bigfoot creator Jeffery Manley, who has also contributed some comic strips of his teen bigfoot character.
While the premise of Cactus and Papa Balloon is primarily focused on the quest to find Princess Popo, there are some short backups featuring the two characters as they engage in shenanigans that are often seen in humor strips. Whether it’s mowing the lawn, going off the hunch of a stoned Frog, or going at it with each other, there is a charm to the humor that makes the core book fun. It’s the kind of book that fits the kind of tone, fitting of an adult swim cartoon type of mold where it might not be for everyone, but it’s still humorous enough to fit the bill when you least expect it, and it’s that kind of book. I found myself reading it on a Sunday, and unexpectedly laughed at parts in the book that concerned itself with Cactus lacking common sense. It’s little things like that where the book truly left its impression on me.
As for the art, Windsor-Smith has an interesting art style making use of minimalism with his line work, combining it with duo shade screen tones, and monochromatic contrasts of black and white that makes up for the book’s lack of color. Although the book would make great use of color, it works just as well without which is one of the book’s greatest strengths. Smith adds some forwards and afterward in the book that chronicle his motivations as to how and why he created this effort of a comic, which in a Norm Breyfogle fashion proves inspiring and lives up to his publication name, Outstanding Achievement. Additionally, Manley’s bigfoot comics are wacky, and humorous, fitting of a Sunday strip you read in newspapers, and compliments the rest of the book in that fashion. With a beautiful cover by Sam J. Royale, along with ridiculous humor and art fitting of that kind of humor from both Smith and Manley, it’s worth picking up. If you like stuff such as Home Movies, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, MAD magazine, or newspaper strips of that nature, I think it’ll be worth your while.
Newsdesk