By Chris Tresson

It’s a slow week for comics... There isn’t much up for review and a lot of the books up for review aren’t series I read on a regular basis (I also reviewed a book that won’t be shipping this week before this, but we’ll have more on that next week. If it ships.) When this happens, it usually forces me into grabbing whatever book I can lay my hands on. Having a look through the titles on offer this week, I came across Alex Robinson’s Box Office Poison Color Comics #1 from IDW/Top Shelf.

Upon further investigation of this title, I found out that this is a reprint of a series originally published by Antarctic Press and which has previously been collected in trade paperback format by Top Shelf Productions. Now it’s being reprinted again… but in color this time. If color isn’t your thing, it’ll probably reprinted in 3D or 4D later down the line… Look out for those editions, haha.

Anyways, all joking aside, this is my first time reading the series. It’s a country mile away from what I usually read. I have to say that although it wasn’t my usual cup of tea, I didn’t find it all that bad of a read. Story-wise, not an awful lot happens but that’s to be expected what with this being the first issue and the foundations of the series being laid. We’re introduced to the characters in this issue and I quite liked the relaxed feel of it, the easy flow of the story… We’re going somewhere; but we aren’t in a rush to get there, if you know what I mean.  

The characters are easy to identify with, I saw some similarities between myself and the main character of the book, and I’m sure I know people like the supporting cast of Box Office Poison. They’re relatable and that sort of thing can really help people connect with a series, though, I didn’t get some of the pop culture references… I guess I’m not as cool as I thought I was.

Robinson’s artwork may not be the flashiest but it does the job here and it gives the story a bit more heart with the style in which its drawn. It looks very ‘small press/DIY’ but a bit more upmarket. I can sense a lot more feeling in it than you get in super mainstream comics. I think you get that more when it’s a writer/artist’s work anyway. The story is usually translated into comics exactly how the creator envisioned it all turning out.

If you’re looking for a new series to read that’s completely different to the usual books you read, I recommend picking this up. I might have a look in at issue two but I’m not completely sure this book is for me. Then again, it might prove me wrong.

Score: 3/5

Box Office Poison Color Comics #1
Writer/Artist: Alex Robinson
Publisher: Top Shelf/IDW