Buddy the Dreamer

is, as always, on full display in this second collection of Hate comics. As an ex-slacker from New Jersey, how can I not relate to Buddy Bradley? In fact, we are so similar, I have adopted his name for my email address(how original of me, I know), as you may see. Bagge skewers as many GenX stereotypes as he can cram into each issue of Hate, and for those of us with a sense of humor and self awareness about our goofiness, we are delighted to see facets of ourselves in his panels. Join Buddy as he meets his manic depressive girlfriends' parents, tries to manage a grunge band, and and attempts to keep his trashy, nihilistic part time concubine Lisa gainfully employed. Seattle was never funnier.

`Hate' is a series which aims for ironic and sarcastic humor. It takes everyday situations and puts in exaggerated stereotype versions of persons who normally walk those scenes (think `easy girls', the rock-fan, the queer, the environmentalist etc.) to make the scene as ridiculous as can be. This collection collects #6-10, a complete story-arc.Buddy is a guy who gets in situations which are considered normal-life events. Nothing any other person couldn't get into if he went looking for it. The problem is that Buddy is sarcastic to the bone and the people who surround him are all a little cards short from a deck. And Buddy acts on impulse. His comments get him into trouble with his neurotic girlfriend and relatives more than once ... and it's a good thing his fellow-characters can't see what he thinks to boot. In this collection he is asked to come manage a rock-band. The members are talentless nitwits but that doesn't stop them from thinking the world of themselves. After thinking about it Buddy decides to go for it and milk them out like only he could. A talk-comic which doesn't try to tell a message anywhere but goes for straight-out hilarious fun. Despite of that it does have more than one "been there" situations in it. Think of it as `Box Office Poison' mixed with the sarcastic comments of 'Cerebus'. The black-and-white art is heavily cartoonish and makes for easy reading. It's not what one should decide to buy or neglect it for, but it's acceptable. If sarcasm (up to downright cynicism) is the type of humor you're into, this can definitely be a good choice.

Peter Bagge is a comic (and comics) genius and Buddy the Dreamer proves it. His drawing style is unique and fun to look at it, but more importantly, his characters are as three-dimensional and vividly, believably realized as any in current mainstream fiction. Besides that, the stories in this book are side-splittingly funny. Damn it, buy this book already!

Poor Buddy Baker! Surrounded by a cast of assorted suburban slackers, losers, dweebs, dorks and hangers-on, he valiantly(?) tries to forge a life in the Gen-X capital of Seattle Wa. This collection culled from Hate #'s 6-10 deals with his attempt at managing a grunge band fronted by his genetal-wart infested pal Stinky, the dissolution of his relationship with trust-fund girlfriend Valerie and carnal capers with basket-case pal Lisa. Sharp, crude and true to life, the series holds no punches and paints a merciless picture of 20-something youth in the early 90's.