Broken Frontier

Jamie Smart introduces us to the entire world he has devilishly thought up. Meet the keepers of Project D.R.3.3.P. Meet Cherry Pie and her, um, hero. Meet the angriest little robot and find out how they all came to meet and face the mystery of Bodha Te.

Jamie Smart is a demented genius. With two books, this and last month’s Ubu Bubu, he has taken cute unassuming designs and managed to make them devilishly appealing. Sounds easy to do, right? Yeah, well... when it comes to Mr. Smart, not so much. These are foul mouthed creatures bent on destruction. Take Cherry Pie who is otherwise cute and innocent looking. She walks around with a group of singing poo who combine to make a Mega Poo who protects her. When she is hungry, she just eats her friend. Yet, Smart somehow manages to make you love her all the more for it.

The most clever bits are actually found in the main story. The two soldiers protecting a secret government weapon are confronted by a cute robot who likes to kill. The dynamic between the three is where the book elicited audible chuckles from me. It is like an R rated Three Stooges bit. Slapstick is still an effective comedy tool after all these years.

Through what at first appears to be an attention deficit story, Smart walks us through the origins of all of the major characters. Slowly they all come to the same place, the legendary Bodha Te where one enters, but never leaves. It is a technique that is at first distracting, but becomes increasingly more engrossing as it goes. What was a side bar plays heavily into events later on. It is a jarring but unique storytelling device that keeps the reader off balance.

The artwork has as much an unsettling effect on the reader as the actual story does. You see, these are infectiously cute designs. It is like the gaggle of characters in the Sanrio stable have become possessed and are determined to maim or obliterate everything in sight. Smart’s strong lines and fantastic character design are impressive, but his storyboarding is the star here. Where Smart’s words can be disjointed and confusing, his panels always make a crystal clear picture.

Take the cover to heart. The warning that it contains "offensive material" is not to be taken lightly. For those looking for something cute yet humorous and twisted, this is probably just the ticket.