This issue was a palate cleanser for me. I know that doesn’t sound flattering, but I do mean it as an absolute compliment. If you follow my reviews then you have a window into my reading habits, my likes and dislikes and from there you could deduce that I end up reading a lot of the same type of material. Why? Because companies tend to find their niche and continue to produce the same type of materials month in and month out. Image titles tend to have an “Image” feel to them, whereas Dark Horse books can be spotted a mile away. It’s not a bad thing and it’s one of the things that make me enjoy the aforementioned companies and similar companies as well. It’s really basic math; company “A” uses formula 1-4, while company “B” uses formula 5-9. Again, you end up reading a lot of similar stuff or at least the vibe is the same.

Along came B-One which is hard for me to describe. There is and isn’t a connected narrative. There are reoccurring characters, but we’re seeing slices of their life rather than trying to pigeon-hole them into a story that follows a three act structure.

In particular I enjoyed a story that involved a creature with a gas mask face as it transforms into a human form. I’m not quite sure I got the exact point that creator Bob Ornelas was going for, but I definitely had my opinion on it.

And that is the beauty of this book, you can take a lot away from it or you can take some. It’s like an internship, you’ll get out of it what you put in and that’s fucking awesome. You can’t say that about mainstream comics because they’re not structured that way. They’re not ripe with metaphors nor do they resemble normal life in any way, shape or form.

I also liked the fact that B-One is a mini comic (size, not content). Ah the lost art of comics that come in all shapes and sizes. I can’t tell you how big the issue is because I don’t have a ruler and don’t find the exact size to be important, but it’s bigger than a Reader’s Digest. Its size is charming and very fitting of the stories. In a strange way it almost makes them more personal because of it.

With any comic, it’s not for everyone. If you prefer company “A” delivering formula 1-4 week in and week out then yeah it’s probably not for you. But the thing about that is eventually you’ll become a lapsed comic fan. It happens and it’s because people don’t want to venture out of their safety net and yet they get tired of the same thing over and over. Now I’m not saying that B-One is like changing religions, but it will remind you why comic books are the best creative medium on the planet. Narrative and art working hand in hand to tell you the story of two drunk guys yelling “Shark” at a party… you’re not going to get that anywhere else.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Bob Ornelas Publisher: King Bone Press Price: $3.00 (Currently on sale for $2.00) Website