Ed Luce
Goteblüd Comics
$3.95
Reviewed by Joe Palmer
Having read the previous three Wuvable Oaf comics (zero, one, and a special titled Money Shot) and fallen in love with Luce’s comic vision I’m pleased to report that his latest issue continues to delightfully entertain with humor, fun, and totally lovable characters. Add in playful and witty dialog and a restrained use of innuendo and you’ve got another winning story. Luce is clearly in love with his characters, making Wuvable Oaf one of the best comics this year, and well worth any wait between issues.
Luce opens the issue with a peek at the bizarre and frightening world as seen by Pavel, one of the many pussies that let Oaf share the apartment. It’s only a quick diversion for Luce before picking up the story of Oaf’s quest to meet the current object of his affection, the diminuitve and scowly-faced Eiffel, lead singer of Ejaculoid. The adventure begins at a local club where Eiffel’s band has a gig. One of Luce’s appreciable talents is his attention to details, whether it involves incidental characters in a crowd scene or visual flourishes embellished in his drawings. It’s used to great effect here as Oaf wanders through the crowd of club goers killing time for Ejaculoid to take the stage. Little bits like the guy with the emo weave, the trio dressed as Zod, Non, and Ursa, the Wasp Women singing “So fuck you, you queen!”, the reactions of a tatted muscle daddy couple have to a trio of women when the band launches into the sonic assault anthem Fearce (Luce even had an mp3 recorded of it) all add to the good natured screwball ambience.
Alas, Oaf isn’t the only one enamored of Eiffel and bandmates Udaho, Olaph, and Izeed. A throng of shirtless bears create a sweaty, hairy barricade between Oafie and Eiffel as they rush the stage during Ejaculoid’s last song. Fear not for Oaf. Not yet, anyway. He’s got a plan and gets a message to Eiffel thanks to a couple friends in a nicely done scene that I won’t spoil it. Singing isn’t the only thing Eiffel is fierce at. We get to see him at his, let’s just say, very physically demanding day job which provides an amusing counterpoint for Oaf’s voice mail and their subsequent phone chat.
But the moment after Oafie scores Luce throws Oaf’s happiness into jeopardy with the introduction of celebrity chef Hammond Reed (who has a penchant for knives and apparently denuding bonsai trees) who is still hot to possess his former lover Eiffel, and will stop at nothing to get him back. The stage for our hero’s potentially worst date ever is set when Eiffel accepts Hammond’s devious offer to comp dinner for their little rendezvous. What’s worse is seeing the ominous Reed cradling a little, yippy-looking dog in his lap, making him Oafie’s Lex Luthor. How far will Reed go to get Eiffel back? Will our underdog’s (can I say that when Oafie is clearly a cat person?) heart be crushed? It’s sure to be an engaging story no matter what happens and I’ll definitely be there for it!
Rounding out the issue are a couple of one paged “Worst Dates Ever” strips (one funny and a sad, very relatable one) and a pair of pinups by guest artists Linas Garsys and Chase Bowman.
Wuvable Oaf is available online from wuvableoaf.com, and also Isotope and Comic Relief shops and the Goteblüd outpost at 766 Valencia Street in San Francisco’s Mission. Open weekends from 12 – 5.
