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The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories
Posted 29 Dec 2007
Writer: Nicholas Gurewitch
Artist: Nicholas Gurewitch
Publisher: Dark Horse
5.00 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Kevin Agot
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In The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories, readers
get an eclectic array of mind-boggling humor for their twisted
pleasure. Dark Horse Books was generous enough to gather together some
of the best of these web-based comic strips and bound them together
like a patient strapped in a straight jacket for our personal
brainwash ... er ...enjoyment.
“When you laugh at his strips,
you can’t help but feel the sting of guilty pleasure as you
acknowledge that you ‘got it’ and you’re not sure if
that’s a good thing.”
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Nicholas Gurewitch is a genius at observing and transforming some
of the most mundane and common aspects of daily life (most of which would
fly under our radar) and drowning them in his darkly coated wit. The
end result is the cool, hip evil cousin (thrice-removed) of the sorely
missed and fondly remembered, The Far Side. What amazed me
about The Far Side back then and what amazes me now through
Gurewitch’s The Perry Bible Fellowship, is the sheer
comedic genius. When you laugh at his strips, you can’t help
but feel the sting of guilty pleasure as you acknowledge that you
“got it” and you’re not sure if that’s a good
thing.
I am amazed at Gurewitch’s comedic timing and sequential
presentation leading up to the strip’s punch line. Most of the
strips’ story and punch line are contained in three panels or
less. An amazing feat to capture such mad genius and corner it into a
mere, three panels. Nicholas Gurewitch shows a deft and artistic hand
as his artwork in chameleon-like adaptation adjusts to the period and
content of the humor. If the scene takes place in the 19th
century or the 22nd century, his artwork accordingly
reflects it ranging from childlike simplicity to engaging detail.
The humor in The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories
is invitingly fresh, wickedly cruel and divinely mad. I fear that all
the wild imaginings that run around the author’s head and leak
onto the web and print would expose him as a prime head case for the
Arkham Asylum. But, thankfully, for us, he’s out and about
blending amongst the rest of the human race to fill up his mind with
more of the mundane only to pop out as something scrumptiously
abnormal. I highly
recommend this book! (Be careful! As playfully colorful as
the cover may seem, this ain’t for the kiddies).
—CCdC—
Cover image supplied by publisher.
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