Wet Moon Vol. 4: Drowned in Evil

the title of this review is stolen from the new ditty bops cd which makes a great soundtrack to this volume. well, it was a little while in coming, but ultimately worth the wait. wet moon 2 is another dose of goth froth in the supiciously savannah-ish hamlet of wet moon. fans of the first volume should be very pleased with this latest installment, especially all the folks who hoped ross would stick to his guns and keep things ambling along at a remarkably slow and steady pace. this volume, remarkably enough, seems even less plot-oriented than the first book. i found it refreshingly spontaneous and closer to what life is really like (er, from my perspective anyhoo)at art school. little moments take on great significance while larger events are glossed over. all the main characters are simultaneously sympathetic and/or mysterious, annoying and/or adorable. the art, it almost goes without saying, is simply gorgeous. others have already pointed out that ross is one of the very few comic artists who actually draws REAL women. some are waifishly thin, others are downright chunky...but all seem perfectly comfortable in their own skin and you never get the idea that ross is mocking anyone for refusing to conform to stereotypical concepts of physical beauty. most comic artists have only one template for "cute" girls and this usually calls for long, long legs and balloon shaped breasts that defy physics. in addition to this, the storytelling in wet moon is just right and some panels made me physically gasp with surprise or joy. i am not an objective reviewer as i have known ross for a number of years. still, if i really thought wet moon 2 wasn't worth your time i could always just refrain from commenting here...and yet i took the time to write this because i genuinely enjoyed this book. support this series and buy a copy for a friend you really like.

I have to say that this isn't my usual genre, but what a great story and artwork from Ross Campbell! He is so talented and I hope many other people will discover his works and become fans.

ross, wet moon is every bit as good as i knew it would be. the storytelling, the illustrations, the character designs, the whole moodily feminine vibe...they're all just perfect. i've always been a big fan of your work and i look forward to the future installments. i'm a little worried that some of the girls may be in for some rough times, but i guess that just goes with the territory. i'm especially glad that you chose to eschew a more traditionally over-the-top first episode and focused instead on just casually introducing all the major players. it all felt just right. don't make me wait too long until the next one, okay? bob:)

I can't say enough about the sophistication of Ross Campbell's artwork. It's truly amazing he hasn't already been snapped up by a major publisher. I give him two years, tops, before he's swamped with work for DC/Vertigo. The characters' voices ring true to life, and their experiences bring back bittersweet memories of our youth. Campbell lays the groundwork for several plot threads that have you on the edge of your seat by the end of the book. My only disappointment is that now I'll have to wait who knows how long for the next gorgeous volume.

I was at the local media store buying Manga when I saw Wet Moon in the Grahpic Novel section. One look at the girl on the cover, about 30 seconds of flipping through the pages, and I was hooked. I refused to leave the store without it. I wasn't sure if it would be any good, but I was willing to take the chance. The artwork alone was worth it. Once I left the store, I couldn't put it down. I actually ignored the Manga I'd gotten and plowed straight into Wet Moon. I just couldn't put it down. Ross Campbell's illustrations throughout the book are relatively simple, but extremely detailed at the same time. His characters each have their differences, and are very real, both in personality, and in looks. He captures "real life" in amazing detail. The characters have their quirks, their flaws, their strengths, and even their mood swings. Campbell's characters may remind you of your friends, kids you know at school, or maybe even yourself. Their experiences are things we all go through, from being dumped, to a new crush, to dealing with someone spreading rumors about us, to dealing with annoying room mates. This novel gets into the nitty gritty of what it's like to be a 'new adult', a freshman in college, and even what it's like to be human. I don't care if you're Goth, Punk, Prep, whatever. You can appreciate these characters and the storyline, even if you don't relate to their clothing and music. (Though if you're a Goth or Punk, you'll love the art all the more.) The book also has quite a few extra's in the back, so be sure to read it cover to cover. :) I would reccomend this book to anyone, and I don't think anyone should pass this up. It's not expensive, and you'll enjoy it for a very long time to come. Seriously, if I could, I'd give it a 10. Ross Campbell is now on my favorite Artist/Author lists.